STATE CAPITOL

Delay likely for water bond, Senate leader says State lawmakers are likely to delay voters' consideration of an $11 billion water bond from this November until 2014, the leader of the state Senate said Thursday.

It would be the second time the measure is pushed back. The bond was originally set for voters' consideration in 2010, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation delaying it until this year.

"In all likelihood, the water bond will be put off until 2014, that's what I think," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

He said the priority this fall is promoting Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to raise taxes to help state programs and cut the deficit.

Money from the bond sale would go to cleaning up contaminated groundwater, increasing conservation efforts, improving sewage systems and researching construction of at least two dams.
$11 billion water-bond bailout delayed