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HOW IT WORKS |
True crisis or Scam?
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In July of 2018 City Council passed a 12 month emergency new building moratorium in Big Dry Creek drainage basin. They claimed that sanitary sewer interceptor use had increased by 40% and the sewer was in danger of spilling raw sewage. They then claimed unmet "critical needs" as the justification for huge increases in water and wastewater rates.(3,4)
In April of 2019 Council lifted the moratorium, but nothing had been done to increase the interceptor capacity. The entire "emergency" was false. The claim of a 40% increase in wastewater was completely dishonest, a bald-faced lie. According to the 2017 CAFR, page 157 (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) (5) wastewater in 2017 was 2,460,000,000 gallons and in 2008 the total was 2,345,000,000, an increase of about 5%. The claim of critical financial needs for water and wastewater was also dishonest. According to the 2017 CAFR, page 26 (5) the water/wastewater fund had over $100 million dollars in cash and investments. $100 million is enough to meet ANY needs. |
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1. https://www.cityofwestminster.us/Portals/1/Documents/Residents%20-%20Documents/Water/2019And2020RateSheet.pdf?ver=2018-11-14-082209-397 - the first 6 thousand gallons of water @$3.57 per thousand is enough for inside water uses in the majority of households.
2. https://www.broomfield.org/916/Water-Rates 3. https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/23/westminster-sewage-problems/ 4. https://www.cityofwestminster.us/DevelopmentApplicationMoratorium 5. https://www.cityofwestminster.us/Portals/1/Documents/Government%20-%20Documents/Departments/Finance/2017%20CAFR%20for%20Web.pdf |
Why will Westminster residents pay $7.35 per thousand gallons of water (or more)(1) to water our landscapes while residents of Broomfield pay $3.22 per thousand (for any and all useage)(2)
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