This is a flyer that will be handed out at today’s informational and council meeting.
Bread for the World chimes in;
2. A proposal to raise water rates.
Increases for sewer rates have already been approved. Now there is a significant rate increase (14% proposed for water).  Since 2006 water rates have already been increased 89%. This new proposal would mean a 115.6% total (cumulative) rate increase since 2006.
For example, a $10 water bill in 2006 would be $21.56 next year for the same amount of water used.
• Presentation at 4:00pm tomorrow (Monday) at the Informational Meeting about why the proposed increases.
• Public input allowed, early in the 7pm city council meeting: tomorrow (Monday) June 6.
• First reading at the 7pm city council meeting: Monday June 13. Public input allowed.
• Second reading (ie, the vote!), at the 7pm city council meeting: Monday June20. Public input allowed.
About the 4:00pm Informational Meetings:
They are located at Carnegie Town Hall, 235 W.10th St., same as the evening meeting of City Council. There are a few free parking spots on 10th St. Otherwise, ride the bus, or pay parking, or ask at the bank next door about their lot.
The public may come but there is no public input at that time. But I hear it is very good to be in the room for these, if you can, because (1) it shows an interest (2) you see not only the presentation, but the questions from the council to the presenters and their answers, (3) you have the same info the council has and you can make up your own mind.
The presentations can be found at this web address:
http://docs.siouxfalls.org/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1506&doctype=AGENDA
You find the item of interest in the agenda, click on it, and look on the right side for the pdf of the presentation.
About the 7:00pm City Council meetings:
They are located at Carnegie Town Hall, 235 W.10th St., the Carnegie Building. Parking is free at that time of day, but there is no bus service to get you home from the meeting.
There is time for public input near the beginning of each meeting. Anyone may speak on any topic for a max of 5 minutes. If your topic is something on the agenda, you may be asked to wait til it comes up during the meeting.
It would be really good to have people at any or all of these meetings. But if you cannot come here is
How to contact City Council:
If you cannot come, you could express your opinion to the city council members. (Please use your own words. A forwarded email does not have much impact.)
Here are their emails:
vbrown@siouxfalls.org, kandersonjr@siouxfalls.org, RRolfing@siouxfalls.org, saguilar@siouxfalls.org, jentenman@siouxfalls.org, gjamison@siouxfalls.org,dkarsky@siouxfalls.org, MErpenbach@siouxfalls.org, mhuether@siouxfalls.org
You could call them or write to council members at home, or leave messages at their city phone numbers, found here:Â Â Â http://www.siouxfalls.org/Council/members
Thanks on behalf of so many people who are struggling in this economy.
While I greatly empathize with the water rate payer in Sioux Falls; it also is true that perhaps water remains too cheap as evidenced by the proclivity to senselessly pour vast quantities on the invasive blue grass.
The city should have a conservation-tiered billing: a low rate for the first so-many gallons per month (1000? gpmonth); then double or quadruple the rate at each increasing increment of water use.
TY John – I suggested this to councilor Jamison. I told him that rates for conservators should be less. Obviously this isn’t about me. Besides changing the water in my hot tub every 4 months, I don’t use much water. Conservation rates should be set on how many in your household.
The water/sewer rates for this city are the cheapest of any other place I have lived. Does that mean I like to see the rates rise? No, but if the city can support the rate increases based on the need to replace aging infrastructure how can we, as citizens, keep complaining? We do want water and sewer services working in our neighborhoods right? We just need to trust that these rate hikes are needed and why.
I do like the idea of conservation-tiered billing. The city can surely tell who the water sucking monsters are and should be able to increase rates after a certain limit is reached for those households or businesses. You can tell how many are in the household by how much water is used and you can tell who the “lawn waterers” are by usage also.
Exactly, and should be a sliding scale. I have also suggested this for fuel. You should pay less for a gallon of gas based on the mpg of your vehicle. It could be something as simple as a electronic device that scan a code when you stick the nozzle in your vehicle. Commercial vehicles would be exempt and pay a flat rate.
Since Huether wants to run the city like a business, he’d probably want to charge those who use less more, and give those who use the most a discount.
Don’t give him any ideas.
Oh Lewis, you know how that gas proposal would go over wi the Belfrage crowd.
Oh, I know, “I have a right to drive my SUV, who cares about global warming and the flooding of Dakota Dunes.”