Will The State Close The Department Of Boating And Waterways?

Gov. Jerry Brown's latest budget proposal includes shutting down the state Department of Boating and Waterways, which is the agency that loaned Martinez the money in 1959 to build the Marina, and which has kept the facility afloat over the years, despite not getting the original loan repaid.

Earlier this year, the department when it announced that it would not approve the city's request for a $3 million loan to repair the eastern seawall and keep silt from filling up the berths, a problem which has closed a number of berths and threatens the remaining facility.

So it would come as no surprise if city officials were less than distraught over the news of DBW's potential closure.

But Mayor Rob Schroder said he wasn't celebrating the news, and doesn't believe the closure will actually occur.

"This happens every couple of years," Schroder said last week. "The last time this proposal happened was in 2009, under Arnold Schwartznegger. Even though we've had a long history, more recently it's been a little rocky. But I don't think the state achieves any efficiencies with closing DBW. All of its funding comes from boat registration - it doesn't take any money from the state's general fund. The state is probably thinking of raiding that pot of money. Whatevery money is generated by those fees will just go into the state's budgetary black hole. I really don't know what it would mean to Martinez, but we plan to work with them as long as they're around."