Thursday, September 5, 2019

[Sonoma County] Letter to the editor: Mystery taxes and fees

EDITOR: In its report on water service after an earthquake, the Sonoma County grand jury says that measures already implemented “have relied heavily upon state and federal grant funds, but implementation has fallen behind schedules proposed by (the local hazard mitigation plan). A more rapid reduction of risks could be achieved through water rate adjustments.”
If I read that right, that translates into an increase in my bill — residential water users being the lowest rank in the water ratepayer ecosystem.
We’ve put up with substantial rate increases because of drought, which were never rolled back, and we see higher and higher rates while our supplies are no longer threatened.
When is this cable company pricing going to stop, and when we will know the real cost of our water? The small price increases plus fees and taxes method of bleeding customers isn’t appropriate for our public utilities. We get gouged enough with mystery taxes and fees from PG&E; I would expect better from our local water provider.
Oh, wait, I guess I didn’t read my California history lesson today: local water agencies have always put the screws to their customers.
July 20, 2019
The Press Democrat
Letter from John Sergneri, Petaluma


No comments: