Water, sewer rate increases unfair
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Editor,
I recently spoke with Cindy Dooley regarding the increased water/sewer rates. I expressed my concerns, which mirrored the public’s mass attendance/concerns over Carl Brown’s rate increases at that first public hearing. The majority said they can’t afford the increases. Cindy explained that this increase is the first. There could be another increase in the fall. Also the use was increased up to 5,000 gallons. My average use is about 2,000 gallons per month. I have inquired of others, single or two people in a household, that would be similar or less usage. I told Cindy such low use saves the city 3,000 gallons per month. I felt the low users should be credited for the savings, but it seems instead a penalty, to be a subsidy for those using the most — as Carl Brown’s first analyst indicated with his columns of percent increase and decrease. I see this as being most unfair to the low-volume users. I had a conversation with Mayor Heather Knutson a month ago, stating these same concerns.
The water shortage has been going on for years here. It’s unreasonable to me that the city continues to approve annexations and permits construction of big projects (new Red Lion and others) that require huge amounts of water, depositing huge volumes into the sewer when they plan to drill another well due to water shortage now, and don’t have sewer capacity now. I’m not opposed to growth, but this doesn’t appear to be reasonable. It further appears the public’s concerns are still ignored, and the city doesn’t care about the local resident’s dilemma, or that of seniors on Social Security who got a 1.7 percent increase. That won’t pay these rate increases.
Whether my comments are viewed as a protest or objection, I’m strongly objecting to increases on local residents as proposed. I believe the city needs to recalculate these rates. At this point there seems to be no choice but to pay the billed amount of $53.07 for 2,000 gallons – to which I object.
Elsa Duford
Polson
