Brown: California needs long-term vision on water

Gov. Jerry Brown says he will focus on a long-term strategy to cope with California’s water problems if he is re-elected in November.

The Democratic governor told a water conference at Stanford University on Monday that he expects water to be a dominant issue in the state Legislature and in Congress.

Brown says he has been addressing California water issues since he first was governor from 1975 to 1983. He says it’s not something a “flash-in-the-pan” governor could take on.

He also used Monday’s forum to pitch Proposition 1, the November ballot measure that would provide $7.5 billion for water infrastructure.

Polls show voters supporting it. But Brown faces strong opposition to his other major water initiative, a $25 billion plan to build twin tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.