Thursday, I had a three hour hash out with our local city governments and two higher ups in state water agencies. I discussed why collaborative regional “governance” over resource planning (Integrated Regional Water Planning): (1) Completely violated the Planning authority delegated by the legislature to local government; (2) Removed the checks currently on elected officials which restricts them to the regulatory relm of “public health and safety” (police powers of regulation) - replacing them with unelected, unlimited “stakeholders”; (3) Removed accountability of decisionmakers at the voting booth and possibility of recall; (4) elevated the clout of special interests over property owners and structured them in parity with elected representatives in decisionmaking and governance; and (5) violated the due process rights of property owners.
They all got an earfull and at least one of the agency people said it made sense. We will see if it changes anything.
That was a lucid, intelligent, well thought out objection.
Overruled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD-AXgYO0lo