PHOENIX REPUBLIC
Friday April 23, 2010
Residents of Anthem, already dealing with unemployment concerns, new taxes, foreclosures and a depressed housing market, have a new worry: Soaring Water Rates!
Arizona American Water Co is proposing a 100% increase in water and sewer rates for the area. If approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission, the impact of this proposed increase will be devastating to the Anthem community. An Anthem resident's average water bill would increase from $65.91 per month to $132.07.
I attended a recent public meeting and hundreds of my constituents were in attendance to discuss this proposal with the Corporation Commission. Dozens were caught off guard by this bold proposal and expressed restrained outrage.
I have sent a letter to the commission expressing our concerns, and hope that the commissioners will see that already overburdened consumers cannot handle such an unreasonable increase.
Arizona statute allows for water-rate increases to be submitted the Corporation Committee for consideration. The commission is
responsible for reviewing each request on a case-by-case basis with the different water providers serving Arizona's citizens. I trust the
commission will continue to look for cost-effective, fair, appropriate and consistently applied ways to keep our water rates low. There are other options available to ensure that water-service infrastructure is maintained and the cost to the customer is manageable.
Anthem residents continue to overcome the budgetary impact of the last rate increase approved in 2007 by the 100 percent rate increase so soon after the last increase.
Repeated rate increases impact family budgets. Retired seniors on fixed incomes will be devastated. Families that have lost their incomes to job elimination and cutbacks will face the choice of
making a mortgage payment or risk losing water service to the homes they are struggling to keep.
Anthem water rates must remain affordable. If not, homebuyers will look elsewhere, fearful of living in a community where they are unable to manage their household budgets due to rising utility cost. Raising water rates this frequently and at 100 percent increments benefits no one if everyone moves away.
I trust the Arizona Corporation Commission and Arizona American Water will protect the future viability of Anthem and find a solution that guarantees that its residents can afford to drink the water.
State Senator Dave Braswell is a Republican representing North Phoenix and New River.
No comments:
Post a Comment