More Union Deals in Monterey County's Quest for Water Project Funding

By Kevin Dayton
02/08/2016
More than a year of waiting has proven fruitless for Monterey County. It’s now February 2016 and the State of California still hasn’t provided any funding to the Monterey County Water Resources Agency for a tunnel expected to significantly increase its capability for water storage. California State Assemblymember Luis Alejo, who represents the region, could...

TAGS: Assembly Bill 155 (2014), Luis Alejo, Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Monterey County Water Resources Agency

Unions Win First Victory to Control Projects Funded by Water Bond

By Kevin Dayton
12/09/2014
It was unlikely that a few isolated and marginalized critics would discourage California voters from approving a statewide ballot measure (Proposition 1) authorizing the state to borrow more than $7 billion for water projects. As Proposition 1 stated, “California has been experiencing more frequent and severe droughts and is currently enduring the worst drought in...

TAGS: Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council, Project Labor Agreements

Documents Expose Union Lobbying Scheme to Control Water Project Construction

By Kevin Dayton
09/16/2014
Union dealing and scheming over state legislation in California occurs behind closed doors. The sudden and unexplained recent flip of the union position on a state plastic bag ban is a typical example. Rarely is the true story ever revealed to the public, who ends up paying for those secret deals. A rare exception has emerged with Assembly...

TAGS: Assembly Bill 155 (2014), Luis Alejo, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council

Monterey County Water Officials Abandon Bill After Unions Reshape It

By Kevin Dayton
07/29/2014
Any California local government seeking help from the state should know that union lobbyists won’t let the legislature pass anything unless unions have their own interests satisfied in the process. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency learned this lesson the hard way: it has now withdrawn support for its own bill after the State Building...

TAGS: Assembly Bill 155 (2014), Luis Alejo, Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council, Project Labor Agreements, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California