Monday Morning Bullpen: Time for the Water Works

The big item on Monday’s special meeting agenda is the water rates increase.

First, yes this meeting is also a special meeting and that means no public comment on matters not on the agenda.

Start time is 4 p.m.

A word of advice though, using the time to complain about the time accomplishes nothing. City Clerk Mark Jomsky still is going to ring the bell with 30 seconds remaining and you’re going to get cut off when you go over the time.

Let’s talk water.

Pasadena Water and Power wants to increase the rates once in April and against at the beginning of the year.

Impacts will vary based on water meter size and amount of water used, projected cost estimates show most residential customers will likely see a $3 increase starting in April, and an additional $4 monthly increase starting next year.

Commercial customers are likely to see a $19 and $20 increase, respectively.

Notices went out in January to PWP customers.

According to PWP, the increase is necessary in order to increase revenue in the midst of higher costs for water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District, reduced sales due to Pasadena’s assertive conservation goals, and the higher costs for operating and maintaining the City’s water supply systems.

Such additional costs include the pumping and treatment of local groundwater, and an increased level of capital investment on infrastructure projects, PWP said.

Of course most people don’t consider the infrastructure and the cost of bringing the water when they turn the faucet.

Like me, they just want the water to flow and the shower to be hot.

This one should spark a lot of comments and rightfully so, people have a right to not just know, but respond when their utilities bills go up.

Still I’d bet dollars to donuts someone will accuse the city of hiding the increase until the last minute.

That’s just not the truth, the city has held at least three public hearings on the matter which was announced in January.

There have been multiple opportunities to get information on the increase.

Even in the correspondence, a couple of locals claim the city is not telling them what the increased revenue will be used for.

Again that information is out there and has been for some time.

Get informed first and then make decisions.

But to just start with the conspiracy, like one guy who claimed the extra revenue would be used for salaries and retirements, that means you’re not even trying.

Expect a long meeting on Monday, there are quite a few items on the agenda, including a public hearing on weed, excuse me cannabis.

Integral and Harvest aren’t happy about the changes to measure CC. I can’t blame them.

They played by the rules at the beginning of the game and then the rules were changed to allow other players to get on the board.

Still the council reserved the right to change Measure CC without sending it back to the voters, of course most of the voters didn’t know that part.

Read the above about informing yourself, yes even when it comes to weed.