Just yesterday we learned that the November ballot propositions had been given their numbers, starting with Prop 18 – the $11 billion water bond proposal. Today we’re hearing reports that the proposal might not appear on the November ballot after all, according to the Fresno Bee:

Negotiations are under way to possibly delay the $11 billion state water bond from November’s ballot to 2012, according to numerous Capitol sources.

Nothing is final – and there still could be sticking points – but lawmakers could vote soon on legislation to push back the date.

Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, declined to comment on specific discussions, but said: “All the timing options need to be discussed. The main thing for me is to win the bond election and … you make a real assessment of how and when we have the best opportunity to win the election.”

The concern among some bond supporters is that, with the state already mired in a $19.1 billion budget deficit, voters aren’t in the mood to assume more debt. Assembly Member Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore, confirmed that “unofficial discussions are occurring” and said he would support a delay.

However, some lawmakers who have spent years seeking to get the measure before voters might be reluctant to approve a delay.

“Those of us that worked on it wouldn’t want to wait,” said Assembly Member Mike Villines, R-Clovis. “It is time to go forward.”

This wouldn’t be the first time a big infrastructure bond was pushed back. The $10 billion high speed rail bond was originally to have been voted on at the November 2004 election, but was pushed back to 2006, and then to November 2008, when it was finally approved as Proposition 1A.

Still, it’s not quite clear that a 2-year delay would save the water bond. Unlike high speed rail, an obviously good project that united environmentalists, business, and labor, the Prop 18 water bond splits all three groups. Parts of the bond are valuable, such as funding for Delta restoration, but most of the rest of it is a wasteful, unnecessary, and environmentally damaging raid on existing water uses in order to fuel unsustainable sprawl – whether it’s agricultural sprawl on the San Joaquin Valley’s Westside or urban sprawl in Southern California.

Defeating this bond seems like the right move; the only reason I suggested I was “leaning no” was the Delta funding, but that doesn’t seem like enough reason to back this flawed package of a proposal.

From the perspective of Prop 18 supporters, moving it to 2012 would seem like a smart move, hoping for some economic recovery to bring the state’s budget back into the black. And from the perspective of a high speed rail advocate like me, I’d welcome the delay, as it would take some pressure off the Prop 1A HSR bond, as there are a few right-wingers who say we need to postpone selling that bond because of the budget crisis (a Hooverite view if ever there was one).

UPDATE: Arnold Schwarzenegger is now calling for a delay as well – so this story definitely has legs. If Arnold doesn’t want it on the November 2010 ballot, I’m not sure it’ll stay. We’ll see if there are enough Republicans and Democrats willing to go to bat for the water bond to keep it on the ballot, but with Schwarzenegger and Steinberg both backing delay, I’m not sure this has a chance for November 2010 any more.

UPDATE 2: The statement from Arnold’s office:

“After reviewing the agenda for this year, I believe our focus should be on the budget — solving the deficit, reforming out of control pension costs and fixing our broken budget system. It’s critical that the water bond pass, as it will improve California’s economic growth, environmental sustainability and water supply for future generations. For that reason, I will work with the legislature to postpone the bond to 2012 and avoid jeopardizing its passage.”

The Water Supply Act is a crucial component of the comprehensive water package that passed in 2009. The bond will fund, with local cost-sharing, drought relief, water supply reliability, Delta sustainability, statewide water system operational improvements, conservation and watershed protection, groundwater protection and water recycling and water conservation programs.

Delaying the bond will not impact other parts of the 2009 water package, such as enhancing the Delta ecosystem, better monitoring groundwater basins, reducing statewide consumption and improving diversion patterns.

The statement also referenced the delays the high speed rail bond experienced. So I’m guessing Prop 18 won’t be on the November ballot for much longer. If they pull it soon, at least the state doesn’t have to send out two ballot guides or sample ballots, as happened in 2008 when legislators made some revisions to the high speed rail bond, including changing it from Prop 1 to Prop 1A.