You can pay small increases over a period of years, or one big rate increase, all at once. Doesn't take a genius to know smaller ones are better on the family budget.
And, this is water and sewer, it's not like you have a choice. Do you think not fixing things will make the repairs needed go away?
For the people who voted no, what would you suggest?
There used to be all kinds of money in the water fund , but it was transferred to the general fund and used up on other things . What is going stop this from happening again , and are we going to keep trying to improve a system that is in great disrepair . The water treatment plant has been neglected for years because the money has not been there to keep it up because of the money transfers to the general fund where avery department has been pulling from . What a joke !!! We had a chance to get out of the water buisness but chose not to because it made money . Ya, it made money for every other department but it's own .
Thomas,
Except for two members on council, the ones that took the money for the general fund are gone. And, now with online sites like this, you can follow what they do.
But, are you suggesting we don't make repairs? Are repairs less expensive than a brand new, from the ground up system?
John, how about a list of law suits in litegation against The City of Batavia. Is this not public knowlege?
I know the city police were never given their mandated raises, have they been payed off?
The city water deal that went down years ago, is still soaking us for more cash then we signed up for,
The flat roofed mall was a disaster from the first nail they installed,
The general funds money transfers, lets not blame the fire dept, cause we all know the real deal,or do we
the stimulus money Batavia was given, has it vanished?,
the cost for the citys lawyer has got to be a pretty penny.
The accusations about Jason simply brushed under the rug.
Maybe the people should have been filled in, as I think they deserve to know how are city is being run.
What info are the taxpayers(legally) entitled to?
I see 2 cases on the Appellate Division calendar for next week captioned "Kenneth Burns v. City of Batavia". It looks like oral arguments are scheduled. Anyone have any clue what these cases are about?
I don't see how we can raise water rates until we get some accountablity for the money that has been spent on the water system so far..Who has been running this Dept.Why haven't they been taking care of this..We have been paying for water all these years and they sound like they haven't spent a dime on the system..Were did all the money go...
And as far as why water usage is down,to say that is because people use less doesn't make sense..I think has more to do with less population,less manufacturing in Batavia.So go ahead and raise taxes some more..
So before we go raising rates how about seeing where the waste in spending is now..Why wasn't that studied...Seems like they always start with we need more money...
Also does this all mean that they will be tearing up all the streets and roads that have just been repaved or reworked..
How much did we pay Stephen C. Waldvogel, from Consestoga-Rovers & Associates to tell us we have old pipes in the ground and they need replacing..Common sense tells us that after so long they should be replaced.Isnt that Sally Kuzon's job...
Karen,
The police won their arbitration. That is one of the reasons there will be property tax increase.
As Howard said, the biggest law suit is the mall, and it is still ongoing There are also other arbitration's going on that will need to be paid for.
Stimulus money has been used the way it was to be. Nothing "vanished".
Nobody is blaming the Fire Department for anything. It is just an added cost that has to be paid.
The accusation against Jason was not brushed under the rug. That's a lie. The person who made the complaint does not want to go forward. And of course they still want the councilman to admit that he leaked everything he could.
Taxpayers only have to call/contact their council member, or maybe even attend a council meeting to get information they want. OR, ask on this site. Howard is good at getting this stuff out.
Mark, as to water usage down, I installed a new toilet and washing machine two years ago- both are water efficient. My water usage last year was half the previous year. It is conceivable that residential water consumption is significantly lower.
C.M.
this is a case where an effort to "go green" or conserve water resources will result in a penalty by the city. You dont' use as much water, so we will raise the cost of the water you use. (this effects homeowners and renters alike).
It is no secret that the water piping system is old. We moved into our house in 1965 and I can remember being told that the city pipes needed to be replaced because of age, corrosion, etc.
This could be considered reverse supply and demand. There is no shortage of water and the demand isn't as great.
Why not keep the rate static and use the extra money saved from not supplying water to a less demanding community for the repairs to the infrastructure?
Just a thought.
Bea, there is no money saved from not supplying water.
The cost of maintaining a water utility remains the same even if usage goes down. The price isn't in the water. It's in the infrastructure and personnel to support it. Those are largely fixed costs and not impacted by a decrease of usage.
Newspapers face the same problem with sinking circulation -- most of the costs of putting out a day's paper are the same whether it's 25,000 circulation one day and 24,000 a year later. There is some savings on paper and ink, but 90 percent of the cost goes to simply starting the press and having people there to operate it.
Just to get water to flow to the city has a fixed cost that has nothing to do with consumption.
John if we pay for maintenance and have no control over the rates .Where does the money come to maintain the system...And is this study saying that if we used more water then this rate hike will be unnessasary..So let use more water we will pay the same either way....
You are going to make the
You are going to make the repairs.
You are going to pay for repairs.
You can pay small increases over a period of years, or one big rate increase, all at once. Doesn't take a genius to know smaller ones are better on the family budget.
And, this is water and sewer, it's not like you have a choice. Do you think not fixing things will make the repairs needed go away?
For the people who voted no, what would you suggest?
There used to be all kinds of
There used to be all kinds of money in the water fund , but it was transferred to the general fund and used up on other things . What is going stop this from happening again , and are we going to keep trying to improve a system that is in great disrepair . The water treatment plant has been neglected for years because the money has not been there to keep it up because of the money transfers to the general fund where avery department has been pulling from . What a joke !!! We had a chance to get out of the water buisness but chose not to because it made money . Ya, it made money for every other department but it's own .
Thomas, Except for two
Thomas,
Except for two members on council, the ones that took the money for the general fund are gone. And, now with online sites like this, you can follow what they do.
But, are you suggesting we don't make repairs? Are repairs less expensive than a brand new, from the ground up system?
John, how about a list of law
John, how about a list of law suits in litegation against The City of Batavia. Is this not public knowlege?
I know the city police were never given their mandated raises, have they been payed off?
The city water deal that went down years ago, is still soaking us for more cash then we signed up for,
The flat roofed mall was a disaster from the first nail they installed,
The general funds money transfers, lets not blame the fire dept, cause we all know the real deal,or do we
the stimulus money Batavia was given, has it vanished?,
the cost for the citys lawyer has got to be a pretty penny.
The accusations about Jason simply brushed under the rug.
Maybe the people should have been filled in, as I think they deserve to know how are city is being run.
What info are the taxpayers(legally) entitled to?
I see 2 cases on the
I see 2 cases on the Appellate Division calendar for next week captioned "Kenneth Burns v. City of Batavia". It looks like oral arguments are scheduled. Anyone have any clue what these cases are about?
I don't see how we can raise
I don't see how we can raise water rates until we get some accountablity for the money that has been spent on the water system so far..Who has been running this Dept.Why haven't they been taking care of this..We have been paying for water all these years and they sound like they haven't spent a dime on the system..Were did all the money go...
And as far as why water usage is down,to say that is because people use less doesn't make sense..I think has more to do with less population,less manufacturing in Batavia.So go ahead and raise taxes some more..
So before we go raising rates how about seeing where the waste in spending is now..Why wasn't that studied...Seems like they always start with we need more money...
Also does this all mean that they will be tearing up all the streets and roads that have just been repaved or reworked..
How much did we pay Stephen C. Waldvogel, from Consestoga-Rovers & Associates to tell us we have old pipes in the ground and they need replacing..Common sense tells us that after so long they should be replaced.Isnt that Sally Kuzon's job...
Karen, The police won their
Karen,
The police won their arbitration. That is one of the reasons there will be property tax increase.
As Howard said, the biggest law suit is the mall, and it is still ongoing There are also other arbitration's going on that will need to be paid for.
Stimulus money has been used the way it was to be. Nothing "vanished".
Nobody is blaming the Fire Department for anything. It is just an added cost that has to be paid.
The accusation against Jason was not brushed under the rug. That's a lie. The person who made the complaint does not want to go forward. And of course they still want the councilman to admit that he leaked everything he could.
Taxpayers only have to call/contact their council member, or maybe even attend a council meeting to get information they want. OR, ask on this site. Howard is good at getting this stuff out.
Does anyone know how much
Does anyone know how much this consultant study/report cost?
Mark, as to water usage down,
Mark, as to water usage down, I installed a new toilet and washing machine two years ago- both are water efficient. My water usage last year was half the previous year. It is conceivable that residential water consumption is significantly lower.
C.M. this is a case where an
C.M.
this is a case where an effort to "go green" or conserve water resources will result in a penalty by the city. You dont' use as much water, so we will raise the cost of the water you use. (this effects homeowners and renters alike).
It is no secret that the water piping system is old. We moved into our house in 1965 and I can remember being told that the city pipes needed to be replaced because of age, corrosion, etc.
This could be considered reverse supply and demand. There is no shortage of water and the demand isn't as great.
Why not keep the rate static and use the extra money saved from not supplying water to a less demanding community for the repairs to the infrastructure?
Just a thought.
Bea, there is no money saved
Bea, there is no money saved from not supplying water.
The cost of maintaining a water utility remains the same even if usage goes down. The price isn't in the water. It's in the infrastructure and personnel to support it. Those are largely fixed costs and not impacted by a decrease of usage.
Newspapers face the same problem with sinking circulation -- most of the costs of putting out a day's paper are the same whether it's 25,000 circulation one day and 24,000 a year later. There is some savings on paper and ink, but 90 percent of the cost goes to simply starting the press and having people there to operate it.
Just to get water to flow to the city has a fixed cost that has nothing to do with consumption.
Bea, The Monroe County Water
Bea,
The Monroe County Water Authority sets the water rate, and passes it on to the County, and they pass it on to us.
We have to pay for maintenance, but have no control over the rates.
Thanks Howard, and John.
Thanks Howard, and John. Good info.
John if we pay for
John if we pay for maintenance and have no control over the rates .Where does the money come to maintain the system...And is this study saying that if we used more water then this rate hike will be unnessasary..So let use more water we will pay the same either way....
Mark, That is why they are
Mark,
That is why they are asking for the rate increase. It will add to the water fund to pay for this. Too bad we can't set the water rates our self.