Susan Longville Runs for SBVMWD Division 3

San Bernardino resident Susan Longville is running to represent the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District’s Division 3, and she’ll bring the necessary leadership to “tackle… tough issues,” Longville said. A current Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control board member, Longville explained the SBVMWD faces two main concerns: the sale of imported water to Los Angeles while local basin levels are at historic lows; and the District’s authority to raise property taxes to construct the $25 billion State Water Project—two tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta designed to provide drinking water to residents throughout the state—without voter approval. “If I am elected, I will not increase taxes to pay for State Water Project improvements without a ‘vote of the people,’” said Longville. “I… will work with my colleagues on the water board to convince them that residents should decide how they want to pay for something of this magnitude that will affect generations to come.” Longville said she wants residents to “decide whether the District should increase property taxes or raise the wholesale price of water,” as the District relies wholly on property taxes to pay State Water Project costs, she explained. As a community partner, Longville said she has helped develop and would support and continue the following projects if elected: the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Integrated Regional Water Management Plan; the Santa Ana Watershed’s One Water One Watershed (OWOW) Plan; and the Inland Empire Garden Friendly project with Home Depot. Longville said she would also like to see various community education and training programs at the Water Conservation Demonstration Garden at Cal State San Bernardino. Longville works with organizations statewide on infrastructure financing and stormwater capture solutions. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Redlands. Longville, a former director of Cal State’s Water Resources Institute, said her “expertise as a respected water policy analyst and water leader, and in-depth understanding of the District’s history, its accomplishments, its failures and its challenges” qualifies her for the seat. She runs against candidates Joe Arnett, Steven Gutierrez, Wayne Hendrix, Melody Henriques McDonald and Danny Tillman.