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Central Valley
La Raza Galería Posada Sacramento;Partnership with City of Sacramento and new home
Sacramento, CA- La Raza Galería Posada (LRGP), Sacramento’s only non-profit center for Latino/Chicano
and Native American arts and culture announced today that the organization
will move to Miller Regional Park after signing an agreement with the City of Sacramento. La Raza Galería Posada
is currently located in Midtown, Sacramento.
Miller Regional Park is located at the western tip of Broadway on Front Street adjacent to the Sacramento Marina.
The new site will allow significantly enhanced year-round programming, including educational art camps,
outdoor sculptures, movies under the stars and live concerts, as well as the ability to offer artist studios
and future gallery exhibitions. The move, set for spring 2012, coincides with the 40th anniversary of the organization.
“The partnership is a unique and nationally significant move for both La Raza Galería Posada and the City of Sacramento.”
Dave Mitchell, Operations Manager at Department of Parks and Recreation stated. “La Raza Galería Posada will partner
with us at the Miller Park Corp Yard Building, and will be bringing a much needed arts focus to our community to help
fill a gap that budget shortfalls in our Department is not currently able to provide. The vision of Miller Park
becoming an arts hub for Sacramento over time is the right direction for everyone.”
Marie Acosta, LRGP Executive Director said “We couldn’t be more pleased. A partnership with the City offers us
new programming opportunities and the potential to serve a broader community.”
“This move will help preserve the 40 year old legacy of Sacramento’s premier Chicano arts and cultural center”
stated Rudy Cuellar, a founding member of Sacramento’s Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF), the famous artist collective.
As an artist, I am very happy with the move to Miller Park. It’s the right move at the right time.”
IRS Releases the Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2012
WASHINGTON –– The Internal Revenue Service today issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” ranking of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud.
The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the IRS each year, lists a variety of common scams taxpayers can encounter at any point during the year. But many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns.
“Taxpayers should be careful and avoid falling into a trap with the Dirty Dozen,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “Scam artists will tempt people in-person, on-line and by e-mail with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money. Don’t be fooled by these scams.”
Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division works closely with the Department of Justice to shutdown scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.
The following is the Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2012:
Identity Theft
Topping this year’s list Dirty Dozen list is identity theft. In response to growing identity theft concerns, the IRS has embarked on a comprehensive strategy that is focused on preventing, detecting and resolving identity theft cases as soon as possible. In addition to the law-enforcement crackdown, the IRS has stepped up its internal reviews to spot false tax returns before tax refunds are issued as well as working to help victims of the identity theft refund schemes.
Identity theft cases are among the most complex ones the IRS handles, but the agency is committed to working with taxpayers who have become victims of identity theft.
The IRS is increasingly seeing identity thieves looking for ways to use a legitimate taxpayer’s identity and personal information to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund.
An IRS notice informing a taxpayer that more than one return was filed in the taxpayer’s name or that the taxpayer received wages from an unknown employer may be the first tip off the individual receives that he or she has been victimized.
The IRS has a robust screening process with measures in place to stop fraudulent returns. While the IRS is continuing to address tax-related identity theft aggressively, the agency is also seeing an increase in identity crimes, including more complex schemes. In 2011, the IRS protected more than $1.4 billion of taxpayer funds from getting into the wrong hands due to identity theft.
In January, the IRS announced the results of a massive, national sweep cracking down on suspected identity theft perpetrators as part of a stepped-up effort against refund fraud and identity theft. Working with the Justice Department’s Tax Division and local U.S. Attorneys’ offices, the nationwide effort targeted 105 people in 23 states.
Anyone who believes his or her personal information has been stolen and used for tax purposes should immediately contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit. For more information, visit the special identity theft page at www.IRS.gov/identitytheft.
Phishing
Phishing is a scam typically carried out with the help of unsolicited email or a fake website that poses as a legitimate site to lure in potential victims and prompt them to provide valuable personal and financial information. Armed with this information, a criminal can commit identity theft or financial theft.
If you receive an unsolicited email that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), report it by sending it to phishing.
It is important to keep in mind the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS has information that can help you protect yourself from email scams.
Return Preparer Fraud
About 60 percent of taxpayers will use tax professionals this year to prepare and file their tax returns. Most return preparers provide honest service to their clients. But as in any other business, there are also some who prey on unsuspecting taxpayers.
Questionable return preparers have been known to skim off their clients’ refunds, charge inflated fees for return preparation services and attract new clients by promising guaranteed or inflated refunds. Taxpayers should choose carefully when hiring a tax preparer. Federal courts have issued hundreds of injunctions ordering individuals to cease preparing returns, and the Department of Justice has pending complaints against many others.
In 2012, every paid preparer needs to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) and enter it on the returns he or she prepares.
Signals to watch for when you are dealing with an unscrupulous return preparer would include that they:
§ Do not sign the return or place a Preparer Tax identification Number on it.
§ Do not give you a copy of your tax return.
§ Promise larger than normal tax refunds.
§ Charge a percentage of the refund amount as preparation fee.
§ Require you to split the refund to pay the preparation fee.
§ Add forms to the return you have never filed before.
§ Encourage you to place false information on your return, such as false income, expenses and/or credits.
For advice on how to find a competent tax professional, see Tips for Choosing a Tax Preparer.
Hiding Income Offshore
Over the years, numerous individuals have been identified as evading U.S. taxes by hiding income in offshore banks, brokerage accounts or nominee entities, using debit cards, credit cards or wire transfers to access the funds. Others have employed foreign trusts, employee-leasing schemes, private annuities or insurance plans for the same purpose.
The IRS uses information gained from its investigations to pursue taxpayers with undeclared accounts, as well as the banks and bankers suspected of helping clients hide their assets overseas. The IRS works closely with the Department of Justice to prosecute tax evasion cases.
While there are legitimate reasons for maintaining financial accounts abroad, there are reporting requirements that need to be fulfilled. U.S. taxpayers who maintain such accounts and who do not comply with reporting and disclosure requirements are breaking the law and risk significant penalties and fines, as well as the possibility of criminal prosecution.
Since 2009, 30,000 individuals have come forward voluntarily to disclose their foreign financial accounts, taking advantage of special opportunities to bring their money back into the U.S. tax system and resolve their tax obligations. And, with new foreign account reporting requirements being phased in over the next few years, hiding income offshore will become increasingly more difficult.
At the beginning of this year, the IRS reopened the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) following continued strong interest from taxpayers and tax practitioners after the closure of the 2011 and 2009 programs. The IRS continues working on a wide range of international tax issues and follows ongoing efforts with the Justice Department to pursue criminal prosecution of international tax evasion. This program will be open for an indefinite period until otherwise announced.
The IRS has collected $3.4 billion so far from people who participated in the 2009 offshore program, reflecting closures of about 95 percent of the cases from the 2009 program. On top of that, the IRS has collected an additional $1 billion from up front payments required under the 2011 program. That number will grow as the IRS processes the 2011 cases.
“Free Money” from the IRS & Tax Scams Involving Social Security
Flyers and advertisements for free money from the IRS, suggesting that the taxpayer can file a tax return with little or no documentation, have been appearing in community churches around the country. These schemes are also often spread by word of mouth as unsuspecting and well-intentioned people tell their friends and relatives.
Scammers prey on low income individuals and the elderly. They build false hopes and charge people good money for bad advice. In the end, the victims discover their claims are rejected. Meanwhile, the promoters are long gone. The IRS warns all taxpayers to remain vigilant.
There are a number of tax scams involving Social Security. For example, scammers have been known to lure the unsuspecting with promises of non-existent Social Security refunds or rebates. In another situation, a taxpayer may really be due a credit or refund but uses inflated information to complete the return.
Beware. Intentional mistakes of this kind can result in a $5,000 penalty.
False/Inflated Income and Expenses
Including income that was never earned, either as wages or as self-employment income in order to maximize refundable credits, is another popular scam. Claiming income you did not earn or expenses you did not pay in order to secure larger refundable credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit could have serious repercussions. This could result in repaying the erroneous refunds, including interest and penalties, and in some cases, even prosecution.
Additionally, some taxpayers are filing excessive claims for the fuel tax credit. Farmers and other taxpayers who use fuel for off-highway business purposes may be eligible for the fuel tax credit. But other individuals have claimed the tax credit when their occupations or income levels make the claims unreasonable. Fraud involving the fuel tax credit is considered a frivolous tax claim and can result in a penalty of $5,000.
False Form 1099 Refund Claims
In this ongoing scam, the perpetrator files a fake information return, such as a Form 1099 Original Issue Discount (OID), to justify a false refund claim on a corresponding tax return. In some cases, individuals have made refund claims based on the bogus theory that the federal government maintains secret accounts for U.S. citizens and that taxpayers can gain access to the accounts by issuing 1099-OID forms to the IRS.
Don’t fall prey to people who encourage you to claim deductions or credits to which you are not entitled or willingly allow others to use your information to file false returns. If you are a party to such schemes, you could be liable for financial penalties or even face criminal prosecution.
Frivolous Arguments
Promoters of frivolous schemes encourage taxpayers to make unreasonable and outlandish claims to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The IRS has a list of frivolous tax arguments that taxpayers should avoid. These arguments are false and have been thrown out of court. While taxpayers have the right to contest their tax liabilities in court, no one has the right to disobey the law.
Falsely Claiming Zero Wages
Filing a phony information return is an illegal way to lower the amount of taxes an individual owes. Typically, a Form 4852 (Substitute Form W-2) or a “corrected” Form 1099 is used as a way to improperly reduce taxable income to zero. The taxpayer may also submit a statement rebutting wages and taxes reported by a payer to the IRS.
Sometimes, fraudsters even include an explanation on their Form 4852 that cites statutory language on the definition of wages or may include some reference to a paying company that refuses to issue a corrected Form W-2 for fear of IRS retaliation. Taxpayers should resist any temptation to participate in any variations of this scheme. Filing this type of return may result in a $5,000 penalty.
Abuse of Charitable Organizations and Deductions
IRS examiners continue to uncover the intentional abuse of 501(c)(3) organizations, including arrangements that improperly shield income or assets from taxation and attempts by donors to maintain control over donated assets or the income from donated property. The IRS is investigating schemes that involve the donation of non-cash assets –– including situations in which several organizations claim the full value of the same non-cash contribution. Often these donations are highly overvalued or the organization receiving the donation promises that the donor can repurchase the items later at a price set by the donor. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 imposed increased penalties for inaccurate appraisals and set new standards for qualified appraisals.
Disguised Corporate Ownership
Third parties are improperly used to request employer identification numbers and form corporations that obscure the true ownership of the business.
These entities can be used to underreport income, claim fictitious deductions, avoid filing tax returns, participate in listed transactions and facilitate money laundering, and financial crimes. The IRS is working with state authorities to identify these entities and bring the owners into compliance with the law.
Misuse of Trusts
For years, unscrupulous promoters have urged taxpayers to transfer assets into trusts. While there are legitimate uses of trusts in tax and estate planning, some highly questionable transactions promise reduction of income subject to tax, deductions for personal expenses and reduced estate or gift taxes. Such trusts rarely deliver the tax benefits promised and are used primarily as a means of avoiding income tax liability and hiding assets from creditors, including the IRS.
IRS personnel have seen an increase in the improper use of private annuity trusts and foreign trusts to shift income and deduct personal expenses. As with other arrangements, taxpayers should seek the advice of a trusted professional before entering a trust arrangement.
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information provided by the IRS
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Majority of dairy-related disease outbreaks linked to raw milk
CDC Report Shows Higher Rates of “Raw” Milk Outbreaks in States Where It’s Legal
The rate of outbreaks caused by unpasteurized milk (often called raw milk) and products made from it was 150 times greater than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 13-year review also revealed that the states where the sale of raw milk was legal had more than twice the rate of outbreaks as states where it was illegal.
The study, published Feb. 21 in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, reviewed dairy product outbreaks from 1993 to 2006 in all 50 states. The authors compared the amount of milk produced in the United States during the study period (about 2.7 trillion pounds) to the amount that CDC estimates was likely consumed raw (1 percent or 27 billion pounds) to determine the 150 times higher rate for outbreaks caused by raw milk products. Raw milk products include cheese and yogurt.
The study included 121 dairy–related disease outbreaks, which caused 4,413 illnesses, 239 hospitalizations and three deaths. In 60 percent of the outbreaks (73 outbreaks) state health officials determined raw milk products were the cause. Nearly all of the hospitalizations (200 of 239) were in those sickened in the raw milk outbreaks. These dairy-related outbreaks occurred in 30 states, and 75 percent (55 outbreaks) of the raw milk outbreaks occurred in the 21 states where it was legal to sell raw milk products at the time. The study also reported that seven states changed their laws during the study period.
Consumers can’t tell if raw milk is safe to drink by looking at, smelling, or tasting it. Even under ideal conditions of cleanliness, collecting milk introduces some bacteria. Unless the milk is pasteurized, these bacteria can multiply and grow in the milk and cause illness. Pasteurization involves heating milk to kill disease-causing bacteria.
“This study shows an association between state laws and the number of outbreaks and illnesses from raw milk products,” said Robert Tauxe, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases (DFWED). “Restricting the sale of raw milk products is likely to reduce the number of outbreaks and can help keep people healthier. The states that allow sale of raw milk will probably continue to see outbreaks in the future.”
The study also found that the raw milk product outbreaks led to much more severe illnesses, and disproportionately affected people under age 20. In the raw milk outbreaks with known age breakdowns, 60 percent of patients were younger than age 20, compared to 23 percent in outbreaks from pasteurized products. Children are more likely than adults to get seriously ill from the bacteria in raw milk.
“While some people think that raw milk has more health benefits than pasteurized milk, this study shows that raw milk has great risks, especially for children, who experience more severe illnesses if they get sick,” said study co-author Barbara Mahon, M.D., M.P.H., deputy chief of CDC’s DFWED Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch. “Parents who have lived through the experience of watching their child fight for their life after drinking raw milk now say that it’s just not worth the risk.”
Among other key findings:
· Thirteen percent of patients in raw milk outbreaks were hospitalized compared to 1 percent in pasteurized milk outbreaks. This may be because raw milk outbreaks were all caused by bacteria, such as E. coli O157, which tend to produce more severe illnesses, according to the study.
· Pasteurized milk and cheese outbreaks were often caused by relatively mild infections like norovirus and Staphylococcus aureus.
To view the study, please visit www.cdc.gov/eid. For more information about raw milk, visit http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-index.html.
Masked Warriors live tour
Lucha Libre USA announced it was embarking on a nationwide tour in major Latino markets throughout the U.S. Among the first dates confirmed is the Stockton Arena on Sunday, March 25, 2012.
The tour, “Masked Warriors Live”, will feature Luchastars such as Lizmark Jr., Super Nova, Pequeño Halloween, Marco Corleone, RJ Brewer, Shane “Hurricane” Helms and special guests appearances of former WWE/WCW star, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Latin Lover, Melina and Mexican legends, LA Parka and Blue Demon Jr.
Often referred to as the second most popular sport in Mexico, Lucha Libre has provided over 70 years of family entertainment.
For Blue Demon Jr., Lucha Libre is beyond a tradition; this sport is part of Mexican Culture. Blue Demond Jr. carries on the legend from his father, Blue Demond — one of the greatest Mexican masked wrestlers.
“The difference between American wrestling and Mexican Lucha Libre is that we are a sport,” said Blue Demond Jr.
“Fan experience and audience participation are very important to us, which is something we incorporate into all our shows. Whether its fans coming [sic] dressed as their favorite Lucha-star, creating signs, or attending our pre-show party, we encourage our audiences to take part in the action,” says Lucha Libre USA’s CEO, Steven Ship
Annual Water System Flushing
(Stockton, CA) – The City of Stockton Municipal Utilities Department will conduct annual flushing of the City’s water systems, February 20, 2012 through mid-March.
Water distribution systems require regular flushing to remove sand and mineral deposits that accumulate in the pipelines over time. During the course of flushing, customers may experience slight discoloration of water if a faucet is turned on during or shortly after the pipelines are flushed. If this occurs, customers are asked to turn a faucet on outside the house for a few minutes until the water clears.
Flushing activities will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Flushing in the areas north of Hammer Lane from Lower Sacramento east to State Highway 99 will take place the week of February 20 through February 24. The areas north of Hammer Lane and south of Estate Drive, between Lower Sacramento and Interstate 5, will take place the week of February 27 through March 2. Consumnes, Scott Creek, Trinity Parkway, Mokelumne, Whistler, A. G. Spanos, Iron Canyon and Lonnie Beck will take place the week of March 5 through March 9. Areas south of Hammer Lane will not be affected. All flushing dates are approximate based on actual time it takes to flush each area.
For questions concerning this maintenance process or to report discoloration that persists, please contact the City of Stockton Water Utility at (209) 937-7031.
Stockton Kaiser employees participate in a regional one-day strike
Kaiser Permanente employees and union leaders circled outside the Kaiser facilities in Stockton on Tuesday, January 31st as part as a one-day strike throughout Northern California, battling over contract negotiations with Kaiser.
NOMINATIONS WANTED FOR STOCKTON ARTS AWARDS
STOCKTON, CA – Plans are underway for the 2012 Arts Awards Celebration, an annual event
presented by the Stockton Arts Commission honoring Stockton-area artists, arts
organizations and contributors to the arts.
Nominations for the awards will be taken until the 5 p.m. March 22nd
deadline, according to event Chair and Arts Commissioner Judy Caruso Williamson.
A packet of materials, which includes the nomination form and instructions, is
available on the Commission’s website,
www.stocktongov.com/arts.
The packet details categories of awards, such as the STAR (Stockton’s Top
Arts Recognition), where the nominee should “be of notable reputation, having
exhibited long-time dedication, and having made a measureable impact on the
cultural community.”
The Commission gives awards for Patrons of the Arts, Volunteers, Career
Achievement, Arts Education, the Mayor’s Award and the new Comet, which
recognizes an individual, business or organization demonstrating inspiring,
enthusiastic and innovative promotion of the arts in a relatively short term with
lasting effect. Not every category may be awarded each year.
“We want to celebrate Stockton’s artists and arts groups in as many ways as
we can,” Caruso Williamson said, “and we’d like to note those organizations and
individuals that achieve anniversary milestones this year. Please include a page or
two of major accomplishments and historic information, and we’d like for you to
submit a photograph or logo, too.”
Submissions must be made in the Community Services office of the Cesar
Chavez Library to the Stockton Arts Commission, 605 N. El Dorado St., Stockton
95202 on or before Thursday, March 22 at 5 p.m. Nomination and anniversary
packets will not be accepted after this date.
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information provided by the City of Stockton Arts Commission
Stockton Police Department Grants addressing Violence Against Women and Gang and Gun Violence
STOCKTON, CA – The Stockton City Council approved the acceptance of two critical grants this evening for the Stockton Police Department: Violence Against Women Act Program and Project Safe Neighborhoods Program. Funding for both grants has been provided through the California Emergency Management Agency.
“These are grants that we have received in the past,” said Assistant Chief Eric Jones. “With grant funding there are no guarantees. We must apply every year, and funding may not be available every year. We are so pleased to receive this funding, because it provides for such critical needs within our department and our community.”
The Violence Against Women Act Program grant is for $178,978 and requires at 25 percent match from the City. The total program is $238,637, which funds a full-time Police Officer and a part-time Community Service Officer from the Police Department to investigate domestic violence and sexual assault cases, as well as a full-time Women’s Center of San Joaquin County Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinator to help with training Police Department and medical professionals.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Program grant funds of $132,550 will provide one year of funding for one full-time Police Officer assigned to the Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF) Anti-Gang/Gun Task Force and FBI Task Force. Participating in multi-agency task forces helps the Stockton Police Department with response to gang and gun violence. There is no match required for this grant.
“Funding to address this violence in our community allows us to remain current in our training and awareness of these issues and to keep the pressure on those who are committing these crimes or may consider such violence,” said Mayor Ann Johnston. “We are grateful to CalEMA and the agencies who work with us each and every day to help stop violence.”
For additional information, please contact the Officer Pete Smith, Stockton Police Department, at (209) 937-8209.
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All News Releases can be found on the City of Stockton website. www.stocktongov.com/news
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Urban Land Institute Focus on Downtown Revitalization
Downtown Stockton is both a Gem and a disaster in the opinion of some in Stockton. Find out what the city is doing this weekend to try to create a strategy for downtown revitalization.
OPINION: Fear or Rights?
By Pablo Rodríguez
On Monday April 4, 2011, dozens of Tea Party members and anti-immigrant supporters met in Sacramento, California to listen to Assembly Member Tim Donnelly and Arizona’s Senator/author of [Senate Bill] SB 1070, Russell Pearce, as they introduced a new bill, known as Assembly Bill (AB) 26.
CA Latino Legislative Caucus Endorsment
STOCKTON, CA- Today, January 26,2012 the Latino Legislative Caucus announced their candidate for the 13th assmembly district.
According to the organization the,
The Latino Legislative Caucus comprises twenty-seven members: nine Senators and eighteen Assembly Members. It is one of the most influential organizations within the State Legislature.”
“I’m honored to have the endorsement of the California Latino Legislative Caucus,” said Eggman. “I look forward to working with Caucus members as a member of the State Assembly to improve the lives of working families in my district and throughout the state.”
The redrawn 13th District is 40 percent Latino and contains the City of Stockton, the City of Tracy, and other areas of San Joaquin County along the Delta.
Eggman will be running for assembly with 3 other candidates so far. The filling deadline is still open until March 8,2012.
Financial Aid Workshop Sunday
STOCKTON, CA - Sunday, January 29, 2012 the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce partners with community organizations to bring its 9th annual Bilingual Student Financial Aid and College Workshop to the Alex G. Spanos Center at the University of the Pacific beginning at 8:30 AM.
Water Conservation, Recycling and California’s Future
A billboard from West Basin Municipal Water District
Conservation is the largest, least expensive and most environmentally sound source of new water, and water is being wasted in every sector of California’s economy, according to the Pacific Institute of Oakland. “We’ve found that California can cut its urban water use by a third through efficient technology, simple changes in policy and improved public education,” said Dr. Peter H. Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute. “What this means is that we can avoid new, expensive and environmentally destructive water projects and still meet California’s future needs—even if California’s population and economy grow as expected.”
There appears to be much room for improvement.
Lawn in Southern California
Outdoor water use accounts for 42 percent of urban use in California; this includes lawns, large landscapes, parks, golf courses and cemeteries, and a portion of commercial and industrial water use. But regional use varies significantly.
In Los Angeles, outdoor use accounts for 70 percent of residential use. In June 2009, an ordinance limiting lawn and garden watering to two days a week went into effect, and Los Angeles water consumption dropped by more than 20 percent.
In that same year, the state legislature passed Senate Bill X7-7, which requires urban water suppliers to reduce use by 20 percent per person by 2020.
Already, some water suppliers, particularly West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) in Los Angeles, are close to meeting the requirement. “In the early 1990s, we were relying on imported water from the Metropolitan Water District and then we had a drought, and that’s when we built our water recycling facility,” said Gus Meza, West Basin Senior Water Use Efficiency Specialist. “Now, 65 percent of our water comes from the Met Water District, and our goal is to get down to 33 percent. We hope to do that by doubling conservation, doubling recycling and using desalination.” Several cities have already met the 20 percent goal, including El Segundo, Inglewood, Lomita and Manhattan Beach.
Redesigned Drought-Tolerant Landscape - Courtesy of Eastern Municipal Water District
More recently, a coalition of Southern California water agencies, including Chino Basin Water Conservation District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Western Municipal Water District, worked with Home Depot to encourage water-efficient landscaping. Water suppliers inserted 630,000 notices into monthly water bills, inviting customers to save up to 50 percent on water efficient plants and supplies. For 10 Saturdays in 2011, parking lot sales took place. Sales at two stores jumped 150 and 200 percent, and seven other stores had sales increases of 50 to 100 percent. This creates a win-win situation for consumers, retailers and water agencies promoting conservation.
For urban and suburban users, conservation doesn’t actually cost money over time; it creates a net savings.
Residents can also receive reimbursements directly from water agencies for replacing their lawns, at $1 per square-foot. Eastern Municipal Water District has put $100,000 into a turf buy-back program. “One of the interesting things about that program is that we are also targeting Home Owner Associations (HOAs) in these areas,” said Peter Odencrans, senior public affairs officer for Eastern Municipal Water District. HOAs constitute one-third of residential housing in California. “We have applications for 20,000 square feet, and we still have 80,000 square feet available.” The program runs to June 2012.
Deby and John Anderson and their drought-resistant landscaping - Courtesy of Eastern Municipal Water District
But there can be resistance to change. Deby Anderson, a Hemet Resident, overcame HOA restrictions and recently replaced her lawn with drought resistant plants. “Our front yard has a huge hill, and we could never get it to look good. We had to fight our HOA, but eventually, they agreed,” Anderson said. “Every time I’m out in the garden, someone stops to comment on how beautiful the yard is which then gives me the opportunity to tell them how our water bill is less than half of what it used to be and that they, too, can get approval now to do something water-wise.”
Paula Albrigo gardening in her re-designed drought-resistant front yard.
State law backs drought-resistant landscaping, as well. In 2009, the state legislature passed A.B. 1061, and now HOA rules that interfere with water-efficient landscaping are void and unenforceable. A homeowner also cannot be fined by an HOA for putting in water efficient plants and replacing lawns.
But some HOAs are embracing change, like Casa Murietta in Sun City, California, which is currently replacing 10,000 square feet of lawn with drought-resistant landscaping and working with the local water agency. “We have a lot of green space, which uses a lot of water,” said Jeff Thomas, Casa Murietta homeowner. “There are 130 homes here. Right now everyone has their own green space, but water shortages are an issue that we’re going to have to face, sooner or later. Sooner is better, and when they’re providing incentives like this, it’s the right direction.”
Paula Albrigo, a resident from Laverne, has cut her water use in half by switching to drought-tolerant and native plants. “At first, when we let the grass die, we threw the neighbors into a tizzy. They wanted to know, did someone die? Are you leaving?” Albrigo said. “But now they love it, and we don’t pay for yard maintenance anymore.”
Water recycling is yet another way to increase water supply.
Edward C. Little Water Recycling Plant in El Segundo
Many water agencies and districts are treating sewer water and reusing it for irrigation, industrial processing and groundwater recharge.
After reprocessing waste water with microfiltration, chemicals, ultraviolet light and reverse osmosis, purified water is piped to customers who are hooked up to specific pipes for specific types of water. Chevron, for example, uses “designer” recycled water in its refinery and boiler operations.
California has more than 250 water recycling plants currently operating, and in 2009, the state recycled approximately 724,000 acre-feet of waste water.
An additional 1.85 to 2.25 million acre-feet of wastewater could be recycled by 2030. That’s nearly the average annual flow of the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers.
Purified Water and Noelle Collins, West Basin Media and Public Affairs Specialist
One of the largest recycling facilities in the U.S. is West Basin’s plant in El Segundo. West Basin serves nearly a million people in Los Angeles, and its recycling facility produces five different qualities of water for municipal, commercial and industrial customers.
Some of its recycled water is also used to recharge ground water, which eventually ends up in the drinking water supply. “The recycled water comes from reprocessed sewage, and it has to be put in separate purple pipes, but after processing, it is more pure than bottled water. You can drink it,” said Noelle Collins, West Basin Media and Public Affairs Specialist.
Desalination is another technology being experimented with by West Basin and several other water agencies in California, but currently, its costs, energy expense and potential effect on the environment make it less useful than recycling and effective conservation.
That said, there are still major gaps in California’s conservation policies.
The lawn around the Capitol building in Sacramento
Urban water metering is required by state law by 2025, but the City of Sacramento has installed only 27,600 of the required 110,000 meters since the city began its program in 2005. The city of Fresno and more than half San Joaquin Valley residents are also not metered. The flat water rate for some Fresno customers is $28 per month, regardless of use, and the city has some of the highest water consumption per household. But by 2013, all city of Fresno customers will be metered. The city of Stockton’s water is metered.
But California can’t ignore the largest water consumer—Agriculture, which uses 70 to 80 percent of the available supply.
Senate Bill X7-7 bill requires urban users to reduce use by 20 percent per person by 2020, and agricultural water suppliers to measure the volume of water delivered to customers and adopt a pricing structure based on the quantity delivered.
“We will never adequately manage what we don’t measure. There are challenges to measuring use, but it’s critical,” said Dr. Gleick. “We, at the Pacific Institute, have determined that there is enormous potential to be more efficient, but knowing how much potential requires knowing exactly how much water is being used.”
Thus far, reporting of agricultural water deliveries is set to begin July 31, 2012. No goal has been set for reduced use.
The next Delta article in this series will investigate the costs, conflicts and challenges associated with agricultural conservation and water measurement.
The Peripheral Canal – How much water? At what cost? Who pays?
The Sacramento River near downtown Sacramento
Nearly two-thirds of California residents and the majority of agriculture get their water from the Delta and its tributaries, which surround Stockton in an intricate pattern of levees, rivers and farms. But the Delta faces multifaceted environmental problems, which have led to a crisis for fisheries, wildlife and water quality.
The peripheral canal has been touted as the solution to the Delta’s problems, but it’s questionable whether it can provide reliable water and protect the ecosystem.
The Bay-Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) has spent more than $150 million planning for some form of peripheral canal or tunnel-conveyance system, which would route water around the Delta rather than restoring it. The BDCP is funded by 23 South-of-Delta contractors who receive water from state and federal projects.
According to a Legislative Analyst Office report, $240 million is allocated for the BDCP planning process through the year 2013, and all total, the peripheral canal is currently estimated to cost $12 billion or higher; its actual costs are unknown.
Sign on the West Side of the Central Valley
And the BDCP draft plan has critical missing components, according to a National Academy of Sciences Report, including clearly defined goals and a scientific analysis of the proposed project’s potential impacts on Delta species—and that’s a big piece of the puzzle. Technically, the BDCP is supposed to meet the state’s co-equal goals of ecosystem restoration and water reliability.
The Delta is home to 750 species of plants and animals; 33 of which are endangered, and likely to go extinct within the next 25 to 50 years, if not sooner, said Dr. Peter Moyle, Associate Director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “Many of these are salmon and trout species, and most of the species are found only in California.”
While the Delta’s decline is due to many factors, including pollution, invasive species and loss of wetlands, the primary reasons for species decline are water diversions and excessive pumping in the estuary.
The San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers are the Delta’s primary tributaries; the San Joaquin River has often run dry due to diversions, and the Sacramento River, which once flowed out to sea, is often used to convey water to federal and state pumps, which send the water uphill and south to farms and cities in Southern California. The reduction in freshwater flow has eliminated much of the habitat, and as a result, populations of flow-dependent species have collapsed, including Chinook salmon, steelhead and Delta smelt.
To address this, the state passed the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act in 2009, which required the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to develop flow criteria to protect public trust resources and a suite of native fish.
The SWRCB public trust recommendations indicate the need to reduce use by 13.7 to 14.6 million acre-feet annually, which is about 22 percent of the state’s annual average water supply, or almost half of the Delta water supply.
That’s roughly equivalent to the annual flow of six Sierra Nevada Rivers, including the Tuolumne, Merced, Stanislaus, Feather, Yuba and American. While the SWRCB must balance economic needs with ecosystem needs, those flow recommendations imply that all Delta water users, including state and federal water contractors, will have to significantly reduce use. As such, a coalition of water and power districts recently sent a letter to the SWRCB requesting a delay in further establishing the Delta flow criteria until the BDCP is further along.
Thus far, the BDCP has not taken the public trust flow recommendations into account, it has no plans for a cost-benefit analysis, and the cost per acre-foot of peripheral canal water is unknown. BDCP representatives did not respond to phone calls or email requests for information.
The California Aqueduct sends water south and uphill towards cities and farms. It was renamed the Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct in December 1982.
According to Dave Paulson, Chief of the State Water Project’s (SWP) Cost Branch, there are several factors that make determining costs of conveyance difficult. First, conveyance costs vary annually based on the costs of power, operation, maintenance and new construction. Second, contractors are billed only for their share of the annual costs, and it’s difficult to project the impact of a potential BDCP program layered on these existing costs. Third, the total projected BDCP costs are undetermined, the repayment period is not defined, the share of transportation and conservation costs are unknown, and no preferred alternative has been presented.
However, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California, which supplies drinking water to nearly 19 million people, has made estimates of its own.
According to MWD, water from the proposed conveyance system will cost the district $810 per-acre foot, on average. MWD pays, on average, $296 per acre-foot for Delta water, which implies that the project will increase costs without necessarily yielding a more reliable supply. By comparison, MWD conservation programs yield additional water for $118 per acre-foot.
“From a Southern California perspective, we don’t want more imported water,” said Conner Everts, Executive Director of Southern California Watershed Alliance. “We’re over-built, and we’re better off when we are forced to live within our means.”
State contractors on average pay $185 per acre-foot of water, and San Joaquin Valley contractors pay about $52 an acre-foot under the current contract, which expires in 2035.
The Capitol Building
The BDCP is also linked to the Delta Plan, which is supposed to establish a more reliable water supply while protecting the Delta ecosystem, as well. The difference? The 88-year Delta plan will contain legally enforceable regulatory policies. It sets deadlines for the completion of the BDCP and Delta flow objectives. To be included in the plan, the BDCP must meet certain requirements, including flow requirements and approval from the Department of Fish and Game.
The Delta Plan is in the fifth draft of seven, and thus far, more than 200 environmental organizations have criticized it for failing to take the doctrine of public trust into account.
“It’s nebulous. It’s vague. It doesn’t include a cost-benefit analysis, and it doesn’t deal with flow issues and public trust recommendations,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Campaign Director for Restore the Delta. “They set themselves up as a super regulatory agency, the way it’s written, but it’s a plan without a plan. There are 12 recommended actions, 61 potential actions.”
The public can comment on the Delta Plan’s 2200-page environmental impact report until February 2, 2012. The sixth draft will be published in March.
In regards to the BDCP, Assemblywoman Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills) and Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) are attempting to bring fiscal accountability to the BDCP process. This January, Huber re-introduced Assembly Bill 550, to prohibit the construction of a peripheral canal without a full fiscal analysis and a vote of the state legislature. The bill failed on a 5-7 vote, with seven votes needed for passage. “We have made great progress from last year, and I am still committed to pressing for a full fiscal analysis and a vote of the legislature before any Delta water conveyance program can move forward,” Huber said.
Wolk also recently issued a statement on the Delta. “I accept the Governor’s invitation to engage constructively to find a solution to restore the Delta and improve water supply reliability for the state. However, I don’t think it will require what the Governor described as an enormous project, a giant canal, and taking 100,000 acres of Delta farmland out of production,” she said. “But it will require supporting everyone’s effort to reduce reliance on the Delta as their primary source of water and relying more on sustainable regional water supplies.”
Budget Shortfall Sign at Tule Elk State Natural Reserve
Gov. Jerry Brown, in his 2012 state of the state address, expressed his support for the BDCP, but more recently indicated that he would support delaying the $11 billion water bond currently on the November ballot, saying an overhaul of the state’s water system can begin without voters approving borrowing this year.
Brown advocated the peripheral canal in his last term as governor, but it was defeated in a referendum in 1982. Notably, his father, former Gov. Edmund G. Pat Brown, helped develop the State Water Project, when he served from 1959 to 1967.
Despite Brown’s enthusiasm, the state’s budget woes present a formidable roadblock. The general bonds that fund large infrastructure projects are financed by state taxpayers who pay the interest and principal out of the General Fund. According to the state’s fiscal outlook, the General Fund cost for debt service on infrastructure bonds is currently $6 billion for 2010-11 and $7.2 billion for 2011-12, and will continue to rise until 2015. Funds from bonds provided 78 percent of the financing for the construction of the State Water Project.
If you missed it: The State of the Union Address
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