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9A Page 8 . Republicans want billions of dollars Included in a proposed bond measure to build dams, saying only new surface storage can resolve shortages. Democrats say aggressive conservation and groundwater storage can do the job. . Both sides want the price of a bond measure whittled down. The most recent proposal Includes a $9.3 billion bond. . Northern California water agencies want assurances they won't have to give up water for a controversial canal proposed to divert Sacramento River water across the Delta. . The five Delta counties are concerned about how the canal will be approved, how thousands of acres of proposed restoration lands will be managed, and whether they will have an adequate role in both. League Water Task Force The League has been actively monitoring the work of state legislators on water issues and at the same time been working hard to update our 20-year old water policy. The League's Water Task Force has been regularly meeting over the past six months to update the League's policies on water issues. The Task Force initially broke the issues down in to three subcategories and is now preparing for a final vote on the document. A final vote is expected by the Task Force during the first week of November. The Guidelines will then be discussed and voted on by the League's Environmental Quality Policy Committee during the first and second week of November and could be taken up by the League's board of directors as early as the November meeting. A copy of the draft guidelines can be found on the League's Web site at www.cacities.ora/watertaskforce. Legislature's Governance Reform Committees Release Work Plan Joint Meetings Scheduled Across California on Substantive Topics The upcoming months promise to be busy for the Senate and Assembly Select Committees on Improving State Government as members travel across California holding joint meetings on reform issues. Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) is chair of the Senate committee, and Assembly Member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) chairs the Assembly committee. While each committee Is tasked with examining reform issues individually, the committees are also meeting jointly. The committees are scheduled to discuss various state legislative and budget reform Issues. Of particular interest to city officials will be the meeting on Dec. 15 in the Central Valley which will focus on the relationship and responsibilities of state and local governments. The location of the meeting has not yet been determined. The topics scheduled for the meeting on state and local government include the following: . Should certain services and programs administered by the state government be administered by local governments (and vice versa)? . How can realigning the roles and responsibilities of state and local governments for certain services improve the services provided? . How can the realignment of the responsibilities of state and local government for specified services bring government closer to the citizens? . How should revenue options to fund the respective state and local services be preserved or enhanced to ensure the provision of quality services? . What measures are pending in the Legislature now to achieve this objective? Other reform topics to be taken up by the committees: . Context for reform; . Legislative branch reforms; 8