Public Utilities

While the rest of us have ‘enjoyed’ stagnant wage increases, the city still needs it’s monies

l3wis June 22, 2010 8Comments

Squeezing water from a rock?

Not surprised that this passed the city council last night, but I was a little disheartened that not one single councilor voted against the fee increases;

These and other rate increases are being made to pay for upgrades to city services – such as expansion of the water treatment plant – or to build reserve funds, city officials say.

The utility rate increases, for instance, will generate more than $5.2 million in additional revenue in 2011.

Three reasons why these rate increase SHOULD NOT have been approved;

1) Rate of inflation over the past few years has virtually been nil. A 14% increase seems a bit ridiculous.

2) A rate increase to ‘build a savings account’ during the worst recession since the great depression is unconscionable.

3) Other cuts to city government could have been made to supplement that $5.2 million revenue.

This vote just proves how out of touch our city government is with it’s citizens, but hey, we already knew that.