Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Here's A Thought...or Two":
Okay... I just paid my water bill last night. When will I see a DECREASE in the water bill? Anything short of that will not be considered a success of your cause.
It's fine to get other to pay their share (ie. parks) but unless it gives me a reduction, all you have done in increase the revenue to the Town.
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Water rates are fixed at an annual rate. The bill you paid last night would naturally be at last year's rate.The rate will not change until May 1st.
Next year's rates will be increased again because the region is responsible for the wholesale price of water. God Knows what they've included in the calculation. If all regional councillors were so easily persuaded as Aurora's Mayor that" water is a bargain" ain't nobody up there minding the store. .
The town determines how the money is raised to pay the region's bill. That's how all kinds of stuff gets thrown into the rates charged to meter users.
For example. meter users pay maintenance of the distribution system.
The system services the urban area. Vacant properties where meters are disconnected continue to
require servicing . But no bill is issued Cost of maintenance is not shared equally.
Many areas such as parks, wood lots, vacant industrial lots and miles of public frontage, receive infrastructure maintenance. No share is contributed to the cost.
Water and sewers create an urban municipality. All residents enjoy the amenities. All residents should share the common costs of providing them. Infrastructure maintenance is a common cost.
Currently only meter users pay.
That's not equitable.
It allows the tax rate to be artificially deflated by loading the water rate.
That's not competent.
Neither is it honest.
The same principle applies to maintenance of storm water ponds, which is the surcharge on the water bill. Meter users pay the whole cost .
I do not expect the commenter above to be persuaded by logic. The intent of the comment is clear.
But I'm glad the question was asked because the issue is not resolved.
Until it is, I too will consider the effort only partially successful.
Monday 16 January 2012
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8 comments:
I respect logic, sometimes to a fault. However, when I read this reply, I have more questions. Excuse me if they have been asked and answered before.
1. Is it your intent that metered water users will see a reduction in water rates? It does not appear to be the case.
2. Is it your intent that water revenue will actually increase as you charge more users for the "non-metered" services (ie. ponds, maintenance, etc)?
3. Is it your intent to raise property taxes to offset the lost water revenue instead?
4. Sounds to me that equity will come by increasing the fees that are paid by those that don't pay now but will not include any reductions in what I pay.
They say water finds it's own level (usually by going down), but I think in Aurora water rates will find their level by going up. This does not sound like a good deal to me.
I would appreciate your honest and competent reply.
Now that the weather is going completely whacky, towns are going to have to be very smart on their water management and Aurora seems to be starting from behind the curve to modernize thinking. We may all have to use our cell phones and drive staff nuts by reporting stupidities until they feel the need to change.
One easy step would be to ban landscaping outfits from just taking water whenever they want. Even during water shortage periods, I see them drawing from the Marsh on the St. John's Sideroad. There can be a ban on using water in Aurora but you can call a water truck from another town and they will get the water from the town of Aurora. We need to know that permits are supervised and cut off when there is a problem.
I'm not sure how water is used on the various golf courses. Beacon Hall has its own water source but the days when golf courses could just keep spraying because they were classed as business may be coming to an end. If we get serious droughts, taxpayers will resent seeing their small patches of green vanish while recreation facilities serving fewer people get water.
@1:41 Evelyn's point isa simple one.
Those that were paying for unmetered water (water loss - ha!), as well as costs for retention ponds etc., (people on town water) were paying for what should have been equally apportioned across all town residents, whether they were on town water or not.
Those costs, should either be metered and charged to the town department using them, and/or added to the tax rate (retention ponds etc.).
Does that mean that the tax rate may go up? Absolutely - as it should! Does it mean that our water bill will go down? Well, theoritically, yes. However, as Evelyn clearly explains, water rates are changing at a higher level (i.e. the region), so, even if the right thing is done re: historically unmetered water etc., it may not result in a lower water bill this year.
Clear enough?
Anonymous @ 16 January, 2012 5:27 PM said...
"Clear enough?"
Thank you for the condiscending reply. It used to be that the only stupid questions were ones not asked. I guess you have to have a minimum intelligence level to participate here.
But.....
Yes very clear. Evelyn has stood on her soapbox asking us to vote for her so that she can prevent stupid spending at Town Hall. Seems that this water issue is going to not only keep our water rates where they are and potentially rise, she is also going to raise our property taxes too.
I hope everyone is happy.
Anonymous - 16 January, 2012 4:48 PM said....
"I'm not sure how water is used on the various golf courses. Beacon Hall has its own water source but the days when golf courses could just keep spraying because they were classed as business may be coming to an end. If we get serious droughts, taxpayers will resent seeing their small patches of green vanish while recreation facilities serving fewer people get water."
You should have re-read the first sentence of this paragraph above before you wrote the rest of it.
Golf courses have over the last few (10+) years been quite dilligent around water use (and pesticide use). Golf courses very rarely use municipal water supplies. They have their own ponds that are used to store water or they have their own wells. Get you head out of your butt before you make statements after telling everyone you don't know anything about the topic.
I did know about how well Beacon Hall managed. My question was about other
places and was asked because, wait for it, I did not know their practices.
And yet another morning Grouch has a hissy fit. Do you all drink too much the nights before ?
Evelyn,
It's off-topic but have you ever figured out why people with no understanding of semantics or logic keep demonstrating that fact when they seek to detract from your posts ? Would it not be more comfortable if they were to actually read what you have written before launching a barrage of poorly-constructed rhetoric ? Surely self-injury on a regular basis must be painful.
To 17 January, 2012 12:33 PM
My thoughts exactly, I think we know to much, a definite advantage over most of the contributors here, cut em some slack, they know not what they speak, it also shows that Ev is not the least bit concerned by allowing them air time
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