— Editor’s note: The following is a formal resolution presented by Scherer to the San Diego City Council recently. The council did not vote on the proposed resolution: WHEREAS: History tells us that the 20th century was an aberration as far as rainfall in the San Diego region because it produced much greater rainfall than in previous centuries, thus the San Diego region is not a semi-desert but a desert. WHEREAS: Desert conditions were not important in previous centuries because the population was small and sustainable, but now the numbers of people moving into the San Diego region is about four times as many as the numbers born here every year. WHEREAS: Rapid global warming due to industrialization has caused huge losses of rainfall, loss of most of our imported water (which has accounted for 90 percent of our water from the Colorado River), loss of snowpack runoff from the mountains and loss of most of the Sacramento/Delta water because of the endangered Delta smelt and the huge probability of the destruction the Delta levies in the aftermath of an almost-certain earthquake in the San Francisco area in the next 20 years. WHEREAS: The diminishing water supply to feed the cities has caused Sacramento to drastically curtail water supplies to farmers, which endangers our food supply and our economy and unemployment rate as the costs of food rise when food must be imported. WHEREAS: Climate scientists tell us that changes in rainfall patterns will bring drought to four areas of the world: 1.) Parts of Australia (as witness the recent dust storms, extremely high temperatures and raging out-of-control fires), 2.) Southern Europe, 3.) Northern Africa, and 4.) the American Southwest. WHEREAS: Climate scientists report that even if by some miracle the nations of the world could bring carbon dioxide levels back to those of the pre-industrial era, it would take 1,000 years or longer for the climate changes already triggered to be reversed and carbon dioxide trends are still increasing. WHEREAS: The city of San Diego has declared a Drought Response Level 2, requiring San Diegans to conserve more water starting June 2009. Many San Diegans have expressed resistance to shouldering the burden of water rationing and higher costs while new development projects continue to get approval and our present city attorney ignores this. WHEREAS: Many underground aquifers in San Diego County are infiltrated with brackish water and desalinization is extremely costly and very detrimental to the air and to marine life. Poseidon has stated publicly that should they be required by the water agencies to offset their entire carbon footprint, then the technology would be cost-prohibitive. WHEREAS: San Diego is currently importing more water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) than it has legal rights to (the San Diego County Water Authority uses about 22 percent of MWD’s water supply, even thought it is only entitled to 15 percent. WHEREAS: Property-tax revenues are less than the costs and continuing costs of new developments, e.g. roads, public transit, schools, fire and police stations, libraries, etc. Growth is costly and growth for growth’s sake is the definition of cancer. When Quarry Falls is completed it will add nearly $2.8 million per year in additional revenue to the city. However, there will be over $100 million in unpaid infrastructure costs. Additionally, it and other large developments are in outright violation of state law. WHEREAS: Construction workers can be put to work at green jobs, e.g. solar installation, rapid transit, etc. Suppose that blacksmiths had prevented the automobile from being built because it would put them out of business. Change is of the essence of life — even rocks change over time. The economic argument is manipulative and false. WHEREAS: We need a national water policy and we don’t have one! San Diego could set an example and pave the way because lack of water is the greatest threat to our planet. All other issues pale in comparison. There are no emergency rooms for sick planets! THEREFORE: We propose that there will be no new water hookups as long as rationing endures in order that San Diegans are not forced to conserve water only to see it poured down the seemingly endless hole dug by new development. And in the name of public safety and welfare, exemptions should be made for hospitals, police and fire stations, etc. — Minon Scherer has been a resident of San Diego for 53 years. She is the former chair of the Lesser San Diego, former chair of the Sierra Club’s Slow Growth Committee, worked to enact the 1972 San Diego coastal 30-foot height limit initiative and the 1972 California Coastal Commission ordinance, also serving a 5-year term on the Peninsula Community Planning Board and presently a member of a proposed Peninsula Town Council. Scherer can be reached at (619) 223-0344 or [email protected].