City council solidifies plans to raise water rates

I predict a boom in desert landscaping, except on the golf course, don't cha know.

After 13+ years here, I'm glad I'm finally leaving Mtn Home! To think all the money this town sucks out of it's residents, and for what? Pretty sidewalks? Oh that would be nice except they just lead to vacant buildings. I have tried to understand the ecomony is weak and times are tough, but every chance this town has had to improve has been turned away. You know it's bad when Romantic Treasures has to close it's doors. Good Luck Mtn Home! It's been fun! Oh, what ever came of the race track off of Simco?

Good Question nlimbo1 ? Haven't heard anything more in a very long time about the race track.....

Looks like I'll be going for a desert/rock landscape in my yard as well, my family's water rates are way too high as it is, when will this town learn, us homeowners "well's" have run dry, I simply cannot afford any more rate/tax hikes without a pay hike, period! If I could sell my home now, I truly would...

TANSTAAFL.

I am going to shut off my yard irrigation.

And it won't come on next Spring.

Councilman, I don't understand? What does TANSTAAFL mean exactly?

Councilman Shroeder, you may be right, "There Are No Such Things As A Free Lunch", but when the good people of MH either move away, or decide enoughs enough, you will be wondering where "your" free lunch went to. I am very glad I have a well and live in the county. Im wondering how long these "needed" issues were known, when the city was doing good and had money to spend?? I see the public buildings get a nice dose of water daily, dern near hourly. Tax payers, we have the will and the way to make changes, gain the knowledge and issue the pink slips.

REALLY??? That was a councilman's response, real mature. Thank you "scoutin" for enlightening me and I agree with you 100% and you Councilman, your name will be on my lips talking to all my neigbors about your reply to our dilemma. FREE LUNCH!!! When have we taxpayers ever had a free anything in this town? With your salary, guess you don't have any worries, well I'm a widow raising two boys on my own and I have money worries. I want to keep my home, but with all these rate/tax hikes it's sure making it hard to do. At this rate, I will probably be like many others in this town and lose my home before I even have a chance to maybe sell it. Thanks Councilman, for all you do for us hardworking citizens of Mtn. Home! Sleep well!

I'm not the one who said it, it was Nobel laureate economist and free-market champion Milton Friedman in a book with the same title. That acronym was what John Wenders, another conservative free-market economist, wrote on the blackboard in the economics class I took from him at the University of Idaho in 1987. The principle is simple, well defined and irrefutable- read the wikipedia entry you will find when googling it.

The city's water enterprise fund is a perfect example. Had you looked at the data, attended the meetings, or asked someone in the department about the situation, you would have learned that for the fiscal year beginning October 1, water rates were not high enough to cover what it costs to deliver the water to you, and worse, improvements on the system are needed in order to continue delivering water at the present rate. In short, had we left rates alone, we would have had to stop delivering water when the funds ran out- funds provided by you, the users, in proportion to the amount you use. Everyone who uses water must pay what it costs to deliver that water to them, and no less. If you are not willing to pay what it actually costs for your water, then someone else will have to pay it- or we will have to stop delivering the water. Water rates are not taxes- they are fees for water service, based on metered usage, and monies collected for that service may not be used for anything outside that service- those monies do not pay my salary, or for anything other than the system that delivers your water to you.

If no one wants to pay for the water delivered, we have to stop delivering, plain and simple- the water will not flow without electricity to turn the pumps, without chemicals to treat it and insure its safety, without pipes to deliver it- those all cost money, and that money appropriately ought to come from the people who use the water in proportion to the amount they use. The principle does not imply that anyone is seeking, or even getting, a free lunch- it says that free lunches simply do not exist, no matter how much it may look like it is possible. Failing to increase water rates would look at first like a free lunch, getting water for an lower rate than its cost- but you can't make up a loss sale on volume- it only gets worse, until there is no money left to pay the expenses, and the system stops.

For the record, my salary as a city councilman is $850 per month, paid from the general fund, and not with water monies. My last water, sewer and trash bill totaled $126.49 Since I am a high water user, I will have to pay more right along with everyone else when the rates go up.

zooka,

I've told you on more than one occasion in the past that I AM NOT a liberal. IS THAT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND??? (sorry, I borrowed your "shouting" method for that one)

I'm registered Republican, but consider myself an independent. What is so hard to understand about that?

When people make comments here that don't jive with your thoughts, you take it upon yourself to brand them as "liberal".???

One thing I am not, is a liberal. Another thing I am not is a broken record continually playing the same song over, and over, and over again.