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Home arrow Opinion arrow Editorials arrow NEVER ENDING RATE HIKES
NEVER ENDING RATE HIKES PDF Print E-mail
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Submitted by Administrator   
Monday, 14 May 2007
Daniel M.,

Remember the recent 'increase MID electric rates' overflow crowd meeting' ... where MID Board eventually decided to minimize raising electric meter $ rates? 
I was thinking, a little after that decision, MID upped the COST estimate of the Waterford-CA  water plant expansion from original approx. $40 million to $77 million, today. 
Makes me wonder if MID found another synergistic way to pay for new transmission infrastructure they desperately need by getting of the backs of Modesto Water System RatePayers.  Who audits the MID's Revenue streams application to ventures?

The $77 Million appears to me to be EXCESSIVE considering MID has basically the entire building for expansion already built in Phase I, and they just have to fill the rooms with Processing Equipment.  I'm not sure if their quote includes Cost Estimate for 'water transmission lines' to Modesto, or City of Modesto RATEPAYERS further pay for those?  And, who pays for the EASEMENTS that have to be secured and paid for to bury ALL the water transmission lines, and what will that Cost be?

Either way, Modestans, Salidians, Del Rio'ans, Cere'ans, and other small cities Water RatePayers will be burdened with the immediate Millions of $$$'s in BONDing Costs by  RatePayer Rate increases doubled, and probably later tripled.

Considering Modesto City Council and it's 'Finance Dept.' want to finance near 1/2 Billion $$'s for Water Plant Expansion, and for Us to Pay-4 for 'Water transmission Build-Out' before 'Connection fees' to Pay For an Unknown Future to meet requirements, according to Pinhey clear to "2019" [e.g. to meet future expansion of housing, new hospital and old hospital expansions, future buildings, factories and offices, industrial park building, etc.,
and another 1/2 near Billion $$'s for the same financing through Bonding of 'Sewer System Rehab., and expansion to meet 'Build-out unknown Needs'; plus add-on another 1.1 Billion for 65 million plus water meters planned to be installed....

......it's ALL just To Much, To Fast, To Soon!  A good estimate over 50% of Water & Sewer RatePayers will be 'on-the-edge' or squeezed to uncertainty to Pay for doubled and later tripled Water, Sewer Rates!  The general Public has little Idea what's going to Hit Them in near future!

Then, I doubt if anyone in the Modesto City government has thought or calculated the ABILITY of Citizen Population [e.g. 2600 Moms with Children & No Husband, Seniors on Fixed Incomes, 'Sub-Prime financed HomeOwners', Non-Profit Organizations Helping Poor, etc. To-Pay doubled/tripled Sewer/Water Rates.
And, all the above in a current 'Real Estate Markets Climate' of 'quadrupled number of monthly Foreclosures' and those yet to be 'Bank Defaults' yet to be listed as Foreclosed?
Foreclosure References:

http://www.foreclosure.com/          and     http://www.foreclosures.com/

Then, why is City of Modesto NOT putting 'SEWER EXPANSION & BOND Amounts' on the Public Ballot, like Sewer Expansions were left up to Voters in many past year Elections?  This City of Modesto BONDing RatePayer OBLIGATIONS by Prop 218 'railroading' subject smells to high heavens!

Then, add on the 'expanded' 6% Utility Taxes for each Water and Sewer ... what an illicit  way to make solvent a fatter General Fund for City of Modesto; even though other cities will not benefit from the tax.  At least, Modesto should NOT add Utility Tax to Water and Sewer bills of Salida, Del Rio, Waterford, Ceres, and other small towns Modesto system serves!

Look for May 22nd City Council meeting to Vote the BONDing of Sewer Rehab. and Expansion; without full Public Ballot Vote ... but say, 'Prop 218 2/3's vote will be our only opportunity to Vote.'  And, what does it Cost Taxpayers to do a mailer and Count Prop 218 Vote...$50,000 plus?  What a Waste of TaxPayers' dollars when they already know the 'NO Votes' will NEVER Reach 2/3's majority Vote!

We NEED to Elect a whole new slate of City Council in favor of reversing, or slowing down drastically the 'financial boondoggle' created by current 'YES parrots' who did not think this impending high speed train crash through! 
Financial SAFETY of it's Citizens is also a priority of a local City Council!

Danny Gottlieb

P.s. It appears the local Real Estate SALES Industry, and the Builders of future subdivisions-industrial parks-shopping centers, etc. will be the majority beneficiaries of the RatePayers Public Works BONDings.
How many Single family Homes will be empty or reduced 'For Sale' to accommodate the exodus from Modesto?



Daniel Marsh wrote:
Yes, at this point, the best alternative would be not to epand the plant at all..just stop everything...I do not care if Modesto grows at all...
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 15 May 2007 )
 
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