Shultz introduced Measure W a month ago, and it passed the Board of Supervisors by a 3-2 vote. So now the measure goes before voters on Nov. 3 - with both sides courting the South Lake Tahoe area for the edge they need to win. Many contend that the measure is Shultz's payback to commercial rafters, who supported Penny Humphreys in her successful campaign against Shultz for his supervisor's seat in June. Not so say Measure W proponents, who claim that they are simply looking out for property owners' rights and are concerned about the health of the river. A recently released Environmental Impact Report prepared by the El Dorado County River Management Plan would seem to indicate that they are not.
People can draw their own conclusions from that.
But Measure W does nothing to address those. It's a bad law. Executive Director Charlie Casey of Friends of the River, an environmental watchdog group, agrees. Floating down that river is one of the least damaging activities going on in that canyon. Our population is growing, and yes, there is a desire for more water.