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League Of Women Voters Joins Support For Prop. 6 Water Fund

Ryan Poppe
/
TPR News
Gov. Rick Perry and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers are pushing for passage of Prop. 6, which would create a water fund to pay for water projects. Opponents say the money would be just another slush fund for Perry's cronies.

The League of Women Voters in Texas is urging a "yes" vote on Prop. 6, the constitutional amendment that will take $2 billion from the state's Rainy Day Fund to create a sort of bank account to fund water projects.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan group that works to get people to become active in their government and to get out the vote. It does not support one candidate or party over others, but does take positions on issues.

"We have studied water in Texas since 1970 and the Texas water plans are updated every five years," said Phyllis Ingram, president of the San Antonio chapter. "What makes this different is that this one has a mechanism for funding it actually establishes. So money will be used for direct loans for bonds. And the Rainy Day Fund right now is in pretty good shape, so using $2 billion from that will be helpful."

Although the Rainy Day Fund has been a sore spot in Texas leadership over the past few years, Ingram said her group supports funding for water supply that uses sound ecological strategies that enhance conservation.

The group said 20 percent of the money would be used for conservation and reuse, and 10 percent would go toward agricultural needs, both goals that are supported by the League of Women Voters.

Eileen Pace is a veteran radio and print journalist with a long history of investigative and feature reporting in San Antonio and Houston, earning more than 50 awards for investigative reporting, documentaries, long-form series, features, sports stories, outstanding anchoring and best use of sound.