Parks And Water Bond Linked To Housing Deal At California Capitol

As California lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown work to hammer out an affordable housing deal that includes a multi-billion dollar bond measure, they’re also negotiating a parks and water bond that would advance at the same time.

The governor and Democratic leaders have said their first order of business once the Legislature returns from summer recess later this month would be to pass a package of housing bills that includes a bond measure.

But housing isn’t the only bond under discussion at the state Capitol. Legislative sources tell Capital Public Radio the governor has also agreed to a second bond that would fund parks and water projects. The sources say Brown has set a $7 billion limit for the two bonds combined – short of what housing, parks and water advocates have hoped for.

The governor has repeatedly criticized bond measures as poor public policy because the state must repay the high borrowing costs over several decades. But he agreed to these two bonds as part of negotiations to extend California’s cap-and-trade program last month.