Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, July 20, 2015, 12:00 PM
https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2015/07/20/tuesday-hearing--on-menlo-park-water-rate-increase
Town Square
Hearing on Menlo Park water rate increase
Original post made on Jul 20, 2015
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, July 20, 2015, 12:00 PM
Comments
Posted by George S. Cole
a resident of Menlo Park: South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks
on Jul 20, 2015 at 4:20 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks
on Jul 20, 2015 at 4:20 pm
This water plan rewards the big users at the expense of those who have been diligently reducing their water use. Leaving out of the Bartle Wells Associates' study the "drought surcharge" element, seems to be an effort to conceal the inequity. (With the drought surcharge included, the change for those using the least is +37.3%, for the average household, +29.63%, and for the largest industrial user, -4.79%.)
This billing scheme blatantly, overtly, favors commercial and industrial use over household use -- despite (a) the fact that commercial and industrial users, are the most cost-effective 'point sources' for water savings and re-use; and (b) the fact that commercial and industrial users should be factoring the cost of their water use, into the cost of doing business.
I'd like an explanation of why this proposal benefits the citizens who live in, and have families invested in, Menlo Park.
Posted by stats
a resident of Menlo Park: South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks
on Jul 20, 2015 at 5:57 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: South of Seminary/Vintage Oaks
on Jul 20, 2015 at 5:57 pm
@George,
It all stems back to the idiocy of Prop 218, which we, the voters of California said yes to. Prop 208 deemed that governmental agencies cannot set prices for services, including utilities, that aren't based on the cost of providing the service. Prop 218 pretty much prohibits government set tiered pricing, even for the the purposes of conservation, and the 4th District Court of Appeal concurred in their ruling against San Juan Capistrano.
Web Link
Prop 218 totally flies in the face of conservation. I'm hoping the drought will wake voters up to the ugly side effects of what seemed to be a legitimate "smaller government" proposition.
Posted by menlo resident
a resident of Menlo Park: The Willows
on Jul 21, 2015 at 12:48 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: The Willows
on Jul 21, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Barbara,
Thank you for writing about the water rate increase! I posted three times about the new 2-tier rate scheme that pits the average user against the large home owner, industrial users and other large businesses.
We will be there.
Posted by water waster
a resident of Menlo Park: Fair Oaks
on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:11 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Fair Oaks
on Jul 21, 2015 at 1:11 pm
why not 100% or maybe even 200% or 300% why stop at 30% in fact increase the rates by 1000%.
Posted by Or better yet
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 21, 2015 at 2:10 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 21, 2015 at 2:10 pm
Why not just have us queue up with buckets every morning at City Hall for our daily allocation? Isn't that where this is heading?
