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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. In reading the Denver post article of January 8, 2021 it is interesting to read: "But that higher price tag is due to the city’s decision to include a “conservation price signal” for those at the heavier end of water use. In other words, said Westminster Director of Public Works and Utilities Max Kirschbaum, those who use more water pay disproportionately more for it." This seems to contradict the claims of unmet "critical needs" causing the high prices. Were they lying then, or are they lying now? Tellingly, the "heaviest water users" are NOT residential users. According the City, 93% of water users are residential users and they use 51% of the water. The other 7% of users consume 49% of the water. They are the heaviest users and hey do not have a "price signal" in their rates. We are being scammed. Vote the liars out. Vote yourselves lower priced water. |
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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 $8.15 per thousand gallons of water (or more)(1) to water our landscapes while residents of Broomfield pay $3.28 per thousand (for any and all useage)(2)
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Last Summer, Summer of 2020 had significantly less than average rainfall. Our water bills were outrageous. Many homeowners in the city made the decision to forego parts of their landscapes. The end result was ripped-off rate payers for those that watered their lawns and dried-up landscapes where the could not afford to water.
This is just wrong. We have the water and the City should allow our homeowners to use their water to have beautiful, green neighborhoods. I ran in 2019 on a clear call to lower the water rates. For the welfare of our City, you need me on Council to lower the water rates. |
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