STPUD contemplating water, sewer hikes
While a decision about the future of sewer and water rates for South Tahoe Public Utility District is two months away, the notice that it’s a possibility will be in the mail next week.
This week the utility board was given a detailed presentation by CFO Paul Hughes and Assistant General Manager Paul Sciuto about the proposed 2012-13 budget. The board is expected to vote on it May 17. That budget goes into effect July 1.
What staff presented was a budget with the assumption rates do not increase.
However, during the nearly two-hour hearing this week the board upon members’ request were given scenarios for 2 percent and 4 percent increases.
State law under Proposition 218 mandates the board give ratepayers at least 45 days to comment on the possibility of a rate increase. Letters going out on March 21 will state the board could approve a maximum 5 percent increase on sewer rates and 2 percent on water rates.
The district is also expecting to alter the structure of metered water rates. This information will also be on the Proposition 218 notice.
Instructions for how to protest the potential increases will be on the mailed form.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
Why not a rate increase. After all the underpaid workers are suffering mightily.
126,000 a year barely makes it.
Who does the board represent? The citizens and ratepayers or the struggling overworked employee?.
Again!
Why should ratepayers be forced to pay for costly gold-plate health insurance for part-time Board members?
And gourmet coffee delivered by a local coffee company for the delightful pleasure of STPUD employees? While ratepayers are home drinking Folgers and MJB?
Time to buckle down and close the purse strings.
Who is the board working for is a valid question. Follow the money. Eric Shaefer and Jim Jones have both had their campaigns funded by the unions. Kelly had her campaing funded by local 39 union employees out of San Francisco, a PAC out of San Francisco and several fundraisers attended by STPUD employees where they were able to give less than $100.00 and not be named according to the campaign finance record California Form 460. When it comes to reccomondations given by staff as to rate increases, wage increases and health benifit increases how do you think they are going to vote. Randy and Chris are outnumbered. Yes I can back up my information on this one but better yet if anyone is interested as to where the campaign money came from ask them and see what they say.
Instructions for how to protest the potential increases will be on the mailed form.
Waste of time,last time 16 people mailed a letter,people rather work THROW THEIR MONEY AWAY, *****, than Act,MAIL A LETTER BACK.
Forget all the details,no one cares!
The new Ford pickups they’re driving look nicer than the almost new Chevy’s.
Why don’t people who have a well, pay for fire protection, which could be 40% of your water bill, (because of storage and flow requirments), when they are in STPUD area of service??? They would use STPUD water to put out a fire, their well would not do it.
If we are now metered and most people are paying substantially more, ( at least according to many locals and second home owners I have spoken to) is a rate hike necessary? We are not using more water or flushing the toilet more.
Lou, I think they DO pay for fire protection through property taxes.
The only people raising rates and fees at the present time are government agencies! Private businesses have had to maintain or reduce prices to keep the little business we have. Government increases rates because it CAN. Whether or not it actually NEEDS to is irrelevant. I (and everyone else I’m sure) am doggoned tired of water, trash, tax, license, and FEE (translate: tax) increases every few months. It’s bull.
Rates better be becoming more fair across the board I say! Meaning that metered customers and “flat rate” customers will be billed fairly until all customers are metered!
Makes me want to sink a well out back, and live off the grid! STPUD would never know : )
Isn’t this just fancy! All the argument, facts, alternatives, and STPUD still refuses to work with the community, be fair and comparable to other areas with similar utility problems. Locally…has anyone looked at what Kingsbury General Utility District is doing with a similar problem?? Local, “similar issues”…..STPUD. How about other California “rural” areas?
Frankly, whatever STPUD’s argument……how do you apply metered rates to a fraction of the customers, while charging the rest of the customers flat fee? This argument is the proverbial “dead horse” that has been beaten over the last few years.
Public servants?
They don’t pay anything for fire protection if they are in STPUD service area. So it’s free for those(apx. 4000) who rely on the fire hydrant in front of their house provided by STPUD, not on their well to provide fire protection.
This is just outrageous to hear of a rate increase. Being a metered customer with low flow toilets, low flow shower heads, high efficiency washing machine, small parcel to water in the summer months and basically being water usage fearful, we average roughly $450-$500 a quarter on our water bill.
It’s nothing short of highway robbery if STUPD gets away with a rate increase.
How the heck is it even a little bit legal for STUPD to charge most of this town’s households a flat rate regardless of how much they over water their sprawling lawns and here we are the metered households, minding every fricking drop and we pay exorbitant rates?
How they can justify this in their minds is beyond me.
Greed MRS.Wilson.
THERE’S NO WAY BEAT THIS ,68% Of THE MAILED BILLS ARE OUT TOWNERS WITH LARGE POCKETS BOOKS,AND WE LITTLE LOCALS JUST HAVE TO SUCK IT UP LET THE GREEN TURN BACK TO WEEDS AND START GROWING POT TO PAY THE WATER BILL.
Sometimes to be honest, you have to a criminal to keep up with the criminals in the agencies that cramp it down our throats.