At the CSD meeting, yesterday the board voted to start the Prop 218 process on raising the monthly service fee. According to the auditor if the board does nothing CSD will be out of money sometime in April. According to our CFO says we could go another year if we use the monies in our LAIF leaving no monies for any major repair needed.
This means that on your Jan 1st bill your monthly service charge will increase by $20.00 (74%) and then go up $2.00 more each year from Jul 1, 2011 to Jul 1, 2015.
At the meeting Wes Barton (ex CSD pres) stated that he was going to an association meeting of Private Water Service Providers and said we would be much better off privatizing CSD. This is something that he has been working on since he was on the board and maybe even before.
Those of you that think we would be better off privatized need to read Private vs Public Water Here is a few facts to ponder.
A 2006 California Water Rate Survey show that households in districts with privately owned systems are paying, on average 20.28 % more per month for clean drinking water than households served by either municipal systems or special water districts created by citizens and overseen by government officials.
In the United States, regulations limit the profits of private water companies to a margin of approximately 10 percent. However, companies get around this by leveraging their assets. In other words, instead of using money they had borrowed for needed improvements to water operations and infrastructure, the companies invest in side businesses or other activities that diversify their operations to increase profits. In general, private companies have incentives to spend more on investments not directly related to the original purpose of improving water infrastructure so that more money goes into the pockets of corporate shareholders and executives.
In California, three of the six corporate water companies reported a combined income of $78.88 million in 2006.
I think what is most upsetting to me is that we ratepayers are always left holding the bag and I saw no real effort from the district in reducing their operating costs. We really do not have a choice on the rate increase; as the board will vote on it end of November. We do have a choice in the directors we elect to get us out of this mess.
Mary Brown and I have real life experience in business and finance and I served on the Assn board successfully for my 3 yr term and improved the finances without raising the dues.
This so called CSD Board has us by the ying/ yang, they can do what ever they want and if we don't or can't pay the high price they just pull the meter.Then you have to hock your home to get it replaced at their rates.That bookkeeper/ secretary needs to go along with this Board. Sally acted like a child by saying "I've had enough" and left the meeting. Time for new blood hope it is better than the old and they take responsibility for their mistakes instead of just laying it on the rate payers. Choose who you vote for very carefully, Look into the past actions of who is running.
ReplyDeleteWake up people! We have 2 very good people running for the water board. They have never been recalled from office and they know what they are talking about. On the other hand one person running four the board has been recalled.He has such a bad temper .That he went so far as to drive to Modesto just to tell someone off that wrote a letter to our Discoverer. My question is how did he know about the letter?? He knew before it hit the paper. Gee who was the editor at that time.Then he had a melt down at Mondays meeting.He started yelling at one person that had the floor. This will happen again and again if he doesn't like what you have to say.
ReplyDeleteThink before you vote.Vote Mary and Vicki.
Boy Lew is up to his old habits of talking about everyone again, He must be a very miserable human.No I am not Vicki and no I will not sign my name.
ReplyDeleteI bet Vicki got the letter before it was published the same place you got your copy before it was published. There must be a snake on the grass.
I don't blame anyone for wanting to remain anonymous. The last person that sent a letter of support for Vicki & Mary to the Discoverer had LuLu appear unannounced on his doorstep in Modesto. Creepy!
ReplyDeleteLuLu never has any comments from anyone on his blog. Guess he prefers talking to himself.
Screwey Lewey, you're so full of pooey! Where do you come up with all this stupid crap? Anybody who would vote for a nut like you would have be screwey too!
ReplyDeleteTo Leweys biggest fan,
ReplyDeleteYou said it the best.