Hetch Hetchy Hell

Hello, California. Years ago when I lived in San Francisco, Hetch Hetchy was a constant political problem. Still is, I see.

President Bush's budget plan proposes to drastically raise the rent San Francisco pays for its Hetch Hetchy reservoir inside Yosemite National Park from $30,000 a year to $8 million annually.  article

Now, that's a bit of a hike there.

The Bush administration, which released the $2.3 trillion budget Monday, defended the proposal as an outgrowth of tough times and a projected federal deficit of $521 billion this year.

Peter Ragone, a spokesman for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, said neither the city nor its delegates in Washington were consulted about the proposed increase, which is 267 times higher than the current rent. But it couldn't come at a worse time for San Francisco, where city departments already are considering across-the-board budget cuts of 15 percent for the next fiscal year, he said.

"The federal government is drowning in a sea of red ink, and they're looking for us to throw them a life preserver," Ragone said.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, said she will look into whether the Bush administration is proposing similar rent increases for other western cities or irrigation districts that use federal land.

Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, whose district includes Yosemite, praised Bush's proposal. He said it's only fair for the city to pay for space it uses in Yosemite and that the fees would help improve other parts of the park.

Now, let's see if the Cattlemen's Associations are hit up for their use of federal lands to graze their moo cows. I bet they have a better lobby than S.F. does.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.