News Flash

Hi Paul,

 

I watched the Town Board discussion of the proposed water rate increase and I’m very appreciative of your efforts to make sure that the Water Advisory Committee has the opportunity to be heard.  We’re looking forward to the Monday meeting, in part in order to dispel some misunderstanding of our position.  Listening to the discussion, there was some confusion over whether we are proposing smoothed rates or “just in time” rates, with the latter leading to volatility.  That confusion comes out in the notice of Monday’s public hearing that refers to DPW suggesting that our proposal would “result in sudden or drastic rate increases in future years rather than predictability.“   Would it be feasible to clarify that public notice by sending out the final paragraph of the Water Advisory Committee’s recommendation.  That paragraph is as follows:

 

Recommendation

 

In conclusion, the WAC generally supports the rate increases in the five-year plan, but recommends reducing unnecessary front loading and intergenerational equity issues by reducing the 2023 increase to three percent, with levelized rates for the rest of the rate plan.  The WAC does not recommend just-in-time rates because of the risk to the Water District’s financial health and potential problems with very large increases in the later years of the rate plan.  The WAC recognizes that the determination of the appropriate balance between maximizing the Water District’s financial strength and avoiding volatile rates, on the one hand, versus reducing intergenerational equity issues on the other, is essentially a political decision best made by the Town Board.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan Rosenblum