Bid to roll back SLO water rate increases sinks Activist wanted to gather signatures for a ballot measure, but he says he won’t make the Tuesday deadline By David Sneed San Luis Obispo Tribune February 9, 2008 A signature-gathering effort in San Luis Obispo to turn back water rate increases earmarked for the Nacimiento Water Project will not meet an elections deadline next week. Activist and former City Council candidate Terry Mohan has until Tuesday to gather 2,830 signatures to qualify his petition as a ballot measure, said City Clerk Audrey Hooper. On Friday, Mohan told The Tribune he’s not going to make it. “I didn’t get enough participation,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve ever tried anything like this.” Mohan said he is the only one gathering signatures. He is talking with supporters about getting organized and circulating a new, simpler petition with more signature gatherers. “I would write it in a more simplistic way,” he said. He also said he hopes the recent rains will convince voters that the pipeline is not necessary. San Luis Obispo is one of five communities in the county that are now contractually obligated to participate in building the $178 million, 45-mile pipeline. The others are Paso Robles, Atascadero, Templeton and Cayucos. The pipe will bring water from Nacimiento Lake to those towns. Monterey County owns the lake but San Luis Obispo County has had a right to 17,500 acre-feet of lake water since 1959. San Luis Obispo Mayor Dave Romero describes the Nacimiento pipeline as the most important infrastructure improvement during his 30-year career with the city. Before becoming mayor, Romero retired as the city’s public works director. “With this project, we will be one of the few cities in California that doesn’t have to worry about an adequate water supply,” he said. In San Luis Obispo, double-digit water rate increases through 2012 are anticipated to help pay for the pipeline. Mohan’s petition sought to roll back those increases, forcing the city to find another way to pay for the pipeline bonds. If that were to happen, Romero said, the city would pay for the pipeline from its general fund, reducing money available for police, firefighters and other services. “People who use the water should have to pay for it,” Romero said. In October, the Paso Robles City Council fended off a ballot measure that would have challenged its participation in the project. The council agreed to fee increases based on usage rather than a flat fee increase. Ground was broken on the pipeline in October. Construction is expected to last through 2009. David Sneed can be reached at 781-7930. Copyright 1999-2008, California Coastal Coalition Phone: (760) 944-3564