Gov. Brown should block stormwater-fee bill

A bill that would allow local governments to impose fees for stormwater projects without voter approval passed the Assembly by one vote and is now on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. He should veto it.
Senate Bill 231 by California state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, redefines “sewer” to include stormwater, a semantic change with big implications for taxpayers and utility customers. Under Proposition 218, passed in 1996, local taxes and property-related fees require the approval of t