By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – August 10, 2022 On three separate occasions in the last twenty years, voters have gone to the polls and approved billions of dollars in spending to improve our current water problems in California. This money, much of it spent on things that have done just the opposite, continues to be misspent. Billions of dollars on "feel good" restoration projects spent from those pools of money, but not a single new water storage site in thirty years. In the sixties when it was recognized that California was rapidly out growing its useful water supplies, the State had the sense to construct enough water storage ample for the needs of its twenty million citizens. California has grown to just short of twice that number and Democratic leadership in the State have done nothing to increase the availability of more water for the State's residents. A recent resignation by one of Governor "empty suit" Newson's man in charge of all things "water" gave a rather illuminating view of what three years of Newsom's policies haven't accomplished for Californians and the need for more water. It would appear that "Climate Change" Newsom's sole tool in his toolbox to fix the problem is "water conservation". He, in fact, was called on the carpet by his departing "water czar" for not closing the spigot even more in the name of "the environment" and "climate change". The basic concept of storing water while there is plenty seems to be lost on Sacramento leadership. Waters from California rivers are to be left unimpeded in their flight to the Pacific Ocean. We here locally are in the process of seeing this absurd policy play out first hand with the destruction of four water reservoirs on the Klamath river. Similar activities are being undertaken on other California rivers. A proposal to desalinate ocean water in the San Diego area has been shelved for you guessed it, environmental reasons. In the mean time, Californians are being asked to conserve, stop watering lawns, wash cars, take shorter showers, and only "flush once". Not a single word about the billions of dollars approved by California voters to improve and increase water storage in the State. True leadership from Newsom. Aren't you happy now that this clown remains in office Democrats of California? Every summer it is hot and dry in much of California. Drought is always a possibility for much of the State. It has and always will be prudent policy to keep those basic details in mind when planning for the water needs of California's citizens, something Sacramento and our governor have failed to account for despite billions in funding provided by tax payers to correct that particular deficiency. Instead we have Climate Change Obsession, abysmal forest and grassland maintenance, and no pretense of supplying sufficient water during summer months. It is this and many other Newsom policies that have failed Californians for the past four years. Most folks would agree that water is a fairly essential part of life for a human being. The fact that wars have been fought over water sources is a pretty good indicator of its importance. The question must be asked of Sacramento, "why is this simple concept of insufficient water in the State being ignored in the face of things that are completely irrelevant to basic needs for human life?" This unfortunately seems to be a repeating scenario at all levels of government in the State, including here at our local level. Basic needs ignored, and life made unaffordable, such that those in government can be made to feel important with things that do not matter to most of us in the State, or even here in Del Norte County.