Remember not to long ago the increases to your water bill? Well that was apparently only for reclamation/sewer. They are proposing another increase to water (Document).
Some would ask why this wasn’t just done all at the same time? IMO – because they want to jack up rates in baby steps. It’s time for citizens to start questioning these massive rate increases during a time when COLA for most people doesn’t even exist. Need to fix current infrastructure? Pull it out of the general fund. Stop increasing rates. The city has plenty of revenue to keep up with infrastructure, they just need to change spending priorities like the rest of us have during a down economy.
Stop looking at the percentage and instead the actual amount. Besides, if you knew what actually happens and is needed to provide clean water for the city you would find it quite the bargain.
Can’t legally pay for S and W improvementsd out of general fund $$$. Those systems – by law – must be self-sustaining based on fees.
Show me the ordinance. I think you are wrong.
But the Mayor has said our Cost of Living hasnt went up?
rufusx is correct, s&w improvements are self-sustaining. look in chapter 41 of the city code “utilities”.
I just don’t trust the city. They’re not democracy so doesn’t help but they should get used to citizen protest for when the city charter is revoked.
If I recall correctly, this may actually dictated by a state law – as are MOST controls over municipal financial structuring statewide. City finances must pass STATE audits, for example, to qualify for any state aid. In order to pass those audits, they mjust conform with state requirements as to financial structure.
The mayor and the council have the power to write any spending resolution they want. How do you think bonding for Lewis & Clark came about? If they want to spend 2nd penny money on infrastructure, they can vote to do so.
But I do understand where you are coming from when referring to ‘self-sustaining’ but to me, that means operational expenses, not infrastructure, there is a difference. Water usage has actually gone down or leveled out over the past few years while users have increased. What does that tell us? Well first off, we should be having rate decreases instead of increases. If everyone is using less water and more people are paying into the system – why are rates going up? Less water use – less maintenance. More users – more revenue. The increases are unjustified, plain and simple.
Yes, they can BORROW money for sewer and water system infrastructure improvements – BUT – paying off those bonds must come from FEES collected for sewer and water use – NOT out of the general fund. And so, Lewis, PART of the increase in fees has to do with meeting those debt obligations incured in support of L and C – by – you guessed it – INCREASING FEES.