Central Valley Water

Re “Crackdown Planned on Central Valley Water” March 25:

I served as chairperson for the California Water Commission from 1978-82. Leading the charge for the westside farmers was former Rep. Tony Coelho, a real friend of the Central Valley water pirates.

The present members of Congress from the valley are no different.

While the California Central Valley Project (CVP) has raided the federal treasury since the mid-’30s, our next-door neighbor, Arizona, has in place the huge Central Arizona Project that is 100% subsidized by Uncle Sugar (us). The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation should be abolished. It simply cannot manage or collect the water subsidies passed by Congress. The “contract with America” could become practically whole by closing the water subsidy loopholes for Arizona and California.

SCOTT E. FRANKLIN

Santa Clarita