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Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan
Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan

Miami Herald

time19-06-2025

  • Business
  • Miami Herald

Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed two major bills into law on June 18, launching a landmark $20 billion investment aimed at tackling Texas' growing water shortages. Final funding approval for part of the plan will require voter consent in a November statewide ballot. Newsweek contacted Abbott for comment on Thursday via email outside regular office hours. Texas faces mounting water challenges driven by rapid population growth, frequent droughts and rising demands from agriculture and industry. Leaking infrastructure and dwindling supplies threaten quality of life and economic growth. Abbott's plan aims to secure the state's water future while addressing ongoing environmental concerns. Texas suffered from severe drought in the summer of 2023, with only 11 percent of the Lone Star State drought free, according to the U.S. Drought Map, though more rainfall improved the situation in 2024. In September 2024, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the state loses "about a farm a week" because of water shortages. Details of the Water Investment The bills signed by Abbott-Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) and House Joint Resolution 7 (HJR 7)-target repairing aging water systems and investing in new supply sources. Half of the $20 billion allocation is earmarked for infrastructure upgrades and the other half will support projects such as pipelines and desalination. Voter Approval and Immediate Funding The plan requires voter approval of HJR 7 in November to dedicate $1 billion a year from state sales tax revenue, beginning in 2027. However, the $2.5 billion allocation for the Texas Water Fund is secured regardless of the November ballot result. The Texas Water Development Board will oversee project selection and funding distribution as the state shifts to a coordinated, regional strategy for water management. Texas Water Context Water scarcity is a recurring crisis in Texas. Years of drought, persistent population increases and intensified industrial use have stretched existing systems, forcing some cities to consider restricting development. The state also faces a backlog of expensive infrastructure repairs, with Houston alone reporting a $4.93 billion need because of leaking pipes according to city officials. Texas Governor Greg Abbott: "We lose about 88 billion gallons of water a year because of broken, busted, and aged pipes." State Senator Charles Perry: The new law represents "a cultural shift from the way we do water in Texas" and moved the focus to coordinated regional strategies. Texas voters will decide on final funding through a constitutional amendment in November. If passed, the initiative will set aside $1 billion annually for water projects, beginning in 2027, with immediate funds supporting urgent infrastructure needs across the state. Related Articles Texas Defunds Border WallGreg Abbott To Sign Texas Property Tax Bill: What To KnowTexas' Largest Newspaper Trashes Greg Abbott Protest Move: 'Expect Better'Texas to Deploy Thousands of National Guard Troops for Anti-Trump Protests 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan
Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan

Newsweek

time19-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Newsweek

Greg Abbott Launches $20 Billion Texas Water Plan

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed two major bills into law on June 18, launching a landmark $20 billion investment aimed at tackling Texas' growing water shortages. Final funding approval for part of the plan will require voter consent in a November statewide ballot. Newsweek contacted Abbott for comment on Thursday via email outside regular office hours. Why It Matters Texas faces mounting water challenges driven by rapid population growth, frequent droughts and rising demands from agriculture and industry. Leaking infrastructure and dwindling supplies threaten quality of life and economic growth. Abbott's plan aims to secure the state's water future while addressing ongoing environmental concerns. Texas suffered from severe drought in the summer of 2023, with only 11 percent of the Lone Star State drought free, according to the U.S. Drought Map, though more rainfall improved the situation in 2024. In September 2024, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the state loses "about a farm a week" because of water shortages. Texas Governor Greg Abbott takes a question from a reporter outside the West Wing after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on February 5, 2025, in Washington. Texas Governor Greg Abbott takes a question from a reporter outside the West Wing after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on February 5, 2025, in Washington. Andrew Harnik/GETTY What To Know Details of the Water Investment The bills signed by Abbott—Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) and House Joint Resolution 7 (HJR 7)—target repairing aging water systems and investing in new supply sources. Half of the $20 billion allocation is earmarked for infrastructure upgrades and the other half will support projects such as pipelines and desalination. Voter Approval and Immediate Funding The plan requires voter approval of HJR 7 in November to dedicate $1 billion a year from state sales tax revenue, beginning in 2027. However, the $2.5 billion allocation for the Texas Water Fund is secured regardless of the November ballot result. The Texas Water Development Board will oversee project selection and funding distribution as the state shifts to a coordinated, regional strategy for water management. Texas Water Context Water scarcity is a recurring crisis in Texas. Years of drought, persistent population increases and intensified industrial use have stretched existing systems, forcing some cities to consider restricting development. The state also faces a backlog of expensive infrastructure repairs, with Houston alone reporting a $4.93 billion need because of leaking pipes according to city officials. What People Are Saying Texas Governor Greg Abbott: "We lose about 88 billion gallons of water a year because of broken, busted, and aged pipes." State Senator Charles Perry: The new law represents "a cultural shift from the way we do water in Texas" and moved the focus to coordinated regional strategies. What Happens Next Texas voters will decide on final funding through a constitutional amendment in November. If passed, the initiative will set aside $1 billion annually for water projects, beginning in 2027, with immediate funds supporting urgent infrastructure needs across the state.

Unpacking the dangers of the proposed amendments to Zambia's constitution, Part II
Unpacking the dangers of the proposed amendments to Zambia's constitution, Part II

Mail & Guardian

time08-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Mail & Guardian

Unpacking the dangers of the proposed amendments to Zambia's constitution, Part II

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema. In this series on Zambia, Part II looks at legalising the use of public resources for election campaigns. ( The second benefit that Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema seeks to achieve through Article 81 (3) of Once parliament is dissolved by operation of law, MPs are no longer MPs and lose access to all the Dissolving parliament long before the election is important to the democratic process for two reasons. First, it allows those who were MPs before dissolution to focus on political campaigning instead of being encumbered by parliamentary business. Second, it prevents MPs from using Through Bill 7, Hichilema is proposing two amendments to the provisions governing dissolution. The first proposal is to amend article 81 (3) to read: 'Parliament shall stand dissolved a day preceding the date of the next general election . ' The The second proposal is to make MPs retain their position for this additional three-month period but In making these two proposals, Hichilema has three objectives. The primary objective is to entice all MPs to support the passage of Bill 7 by dangling a carrot in front of them. If there is anything that Hichilema learnt from his predecessor's This lesson explains why Hichilema could not embark on these constitutional changes Hijack and take control of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) by Delay the resolution of the resultant PF leadership wrangles using Induce vacancies in several constituencies by using the police to arrest incumbent MPs on what appears to be Prevent the main opposition party from sponsoring candidates in the ensuing parliamentary by-elections either by Use incumbency advantage and Combined, these legal manoeuvres have enabled the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to easily secure This abbreviated history of Hichilema's political schemes provides the clearest evidence that the president knew earlier that he would take self-serving and personally-driven amendments to the Constitution to parliament, rather than implementing his party's 2021 manifesto that Hichilema's hope is that the UPND will win the forthcoming by-elections before Bill 7 is tabled in parliament to reduce by one or two the number of MPs whom the ruling party might need to bribe to pass the dire constitutional changes. In the meantime, however, the president is offering a more transparent form of bribery that he hopes will appeal to all MPs — a The second objective is to enable MPs to campaign for their own re-election using public resources. Campaign finance is ordinarily difficult to raise in Zambia, making attractive any interventions that would help deflate Moreover, MPs receive constant requests for financial support from their constituents and are required to make monthly financial contributions to their political parties for by-election and day-to-day operational expenses. Allowing them to draw salaries for three months, The third objective is enabling MPs to campaign for Hichilema using public funds drawn from the free salaries and the consequent increase in their pensions . Currently, lawmakers receive about 3 million kwacha (the equivalent of $110 000) as payment for Altogether, the proposed changes would encourage electoral fraud, corruption and unfair practices during campaigns and gravely Furthermore, the proposals are likely to work to the advantage of the UPND because candidates belonging to parties in government generally find it much easier to attract external financing or resources from Sishuwa Sishuwa is a senior lecturer in the department of history at Stellenbosch University.

NDP under fire, Conservatives divided, and Greens struggle as B.C. legislative session ends
NDP under fire, Conservatives divided, and Greens struggle as B.C. legislative session ends

Vancouver Sun

time30-05-2025

  • Business
  • Vancouver Sun

NDP under fire, Conservatives divided, and Greens struggle as B.C. legislative session ends

All three of B.C.'s political parties will be licking their wounds this summer as the last few months have left First Nations and municipalities united in their anger at the governing NDP, the Conservatives dealing with a number of defections, and the Greens' caucus of two struggling. Premier David Eby in February said the session would be focused on addressing the 'existential threat' posed by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats. It ended this week with the premier using all the political capital at his disposal to push controversial fast-tracking legislation, despite condemnation from Indigenous leaders and local governments. And one former member of the NDP government opposes the government's direction. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'What is most astounding and disheartening is why David Eby and his cabinet are turning their backs on such a diverse group of leaders and allies like the First Nations Leadership Council, local governments, environmentalists, and business leaders,' said Melanie Mark, a former minister in John Horgan's government and the first First Nations woman to hold a cabinet portfolio. Both Eby and Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma said Bills 14 and 15 — which would speed up renewable energy projects and transmission lines, and grant the provincial government broad powers to expedite major infrastructure projects — are needed to build hospitals, roads, schools, clean power projects and mines. Those opposed argue the government didn't consult before bringing forward the legislation and that the bills give the provincial cabinet carte blanche to pick winners and losers for development. It took a tiebreaking vote from Speaker Raj Chouhan on Wednesday night to save the government from potentially falling, after government house leader Mike Farnworth had made the bill a matter of a confidence vote. The fracas over Bills 14 and 15 wasn't the only issue as a previous attempt by the NDP to give themselves broad emergency powers over the economy through Bill 7 ran into public outcry. The bill, which grants government the power to respond to tariffs or other economic measures taken by other jurisdictions, was widely criticized. Farnworth told reporters Thursday there are always going to be disagreements but the government passed its agenda. 'The public expects things to get done. They expect things to be built. It's about our economy. It's about jobs. It's about dealing with the threats that we are facing from south of the border and the recognition that we have to diversify our economy,' he said. As well, Eby came under fire for hiring former Legal Aid CEO Michael Bryant as his Downtown Eastside czar without disclosing the contract, tabling a budget with an almost $11 billion deficit, and scrapping the carbon tax without a plan to make up a $1.8 billion shortfall. Meanwhile, the Conservatives struggled to maintain unity after o nly two weeks into their first legislative session when three MLAs defected after Rustad sided with house leader Á'a:líya Warbus against Vancouver-Quilchena representative Dallas Brodie's residential school denialism. Rustad also faced issues with Heather Maahs of Chilliwack North, who hosted an anti-abortion group inside the legislature, and Surrey-Panorma MLA Bryan Tepper welcomed a far-right influencer. In December, Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko was at the centre of another controversy when 13 MLAs signed a letter disagreeing with her comments that former Vancouver police board vice-chair Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba was correct to resign over comments on gender transition and immigration. Rustad will have to deal with a leadership review this year while members of caucus and MPs are reportedly lining up to replace him — and if he is worried about keeping his party together and his job as their leader, he didn't show it Thursday. 'We are very united in terms of everything that we are fighting for and I am proud of the fact that there could be some differences in voices,' said Rustad. As for the Greens, its new MLAs Rob Botterell and Jeremy Valeriote started out signing a responsible government accord that gives the NDP their backing on certain confidence motions in exchange for cooperation on specific priorities, such as an expedited review of the CleanBC action plan. But the pair failed to gain traction and government scrapped the carbon tax despite their objections. They also faced a potential threat as the third party if any independents form their own party. This could come with a reduction in party funding and potential staff layoffs. Despite the disagreements and lack of attention, Botterell and Valeriote said the agreement has been successful, but it will be reviewed this fall. 'We get our voice heard by being measured, moderate, reasonable representatives who don't fly off the handle, don't indulge in personal attacks, or cast back 20 years to something that might have happened,' said Valeriote.

B.C. Greens, NDP working constructively despite challenges, accord updates say
B.C. Greens, NDP working constructively despite challenges, accord updates say

Yahoo

time23-05-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

B.C. Greens, NDP working constructively despite challenges, accord updates say

VICTORIA — New Democrats in British Columbia under Premier David Eby and the provincial Greens say an agreement between the two parties has yielded challenges, but the two sides are committed to keep working with each other. The first quarterly update on the two parties' Cooperation and Responsible Government Government Accord did not specify the challenges, only that both sides are planning to resolve them in "good faith." The agreement seeks to stabilize Eby's slim one-seat majority with the two B.C. Greens supporting the government, in exchange for specific actions in 12 policy areas including health care, housing, environment, electoral reform and B.C.'s response to American tariffs. The accord differs from the confidence-and-supply agreement that the two parties had signed in 2017 because it allows the B.C. Greens to disagree with government in areas not explicitly covered by the accord. A number of disagreements have risen between the New Democrats and the Greens since last fall's election, including the government's decision to axe the consumer carbon tax and Bill 15 — which proposes to speed up public and private infrastructure projects as a response to American tariffs. Neither disagreement appears in a joint statement signed by Eby and interim B.C. Green leader Jeremy Valeriote. The statement instead says Eby and Valeriote are "pleased to report" that a "number of policies" and reviews have been implemented and launched. They include enhanced rental supports for low-income seniors, $50 million for heat pumps for low- and middle-income households in each of the next two years, and the recently started review of CleanBC programs one year ahead of schedule. Both parties also say that they have so far "largely" lived up to their commitment to consult each other on legislation, adding that "when challenges arise, both parties are working to address them in good faith." The progress report specifically points to the talks that happened around Bill 7 -- the Economic Stabilization Tariff Response Act, whose initial wording would have given cabinet unprecedented powers to sidestep the legislature in response to tariffs from a foreign jurisdiction. The report says this regular communication between the two parties "was largely tested" during the debate around Bill 7, with the resulting agreement between government and the B.C. Greens leading to the removal of "certain clauses" and the government accepting "certain amendments." The B.C. Greens said in a separate statement that they are "confident" in the progress described in the first quarterly report, pointing to "wins" around key Green priorities such as "democratic reform, expanded rental assistance for low-income families and seniors and accelerated investments" in climate-friendly technologies. Valeriote says much of the work outlined in the two parties' agreement is still in progress, adding that the Greens are aware that "there is far more to do on health care, on housing, on climate, and on building a democratic system that earns people's trust." The four-year-long agreement includes an annual renewal clause and includes a provision for quarterly updates. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025. Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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