Sounding off
Gary Alstot
What will be done, how much will it cost, and when will it be
finished?
You would think there would be more news coverage about the coming
election. When you are talking about asking the Laguna property owners to
spend $25 to $39 millions or perhaps even more, you would think we would
hear more about the issues. Do you know about it?
The city sent you a notice, if you are a Laguna property owner within
the city sewer service area. (Properties within the boundaries of the
South Coast Water District are excluded.) My letter was dated April 19,
2002. No one signed the letter. With the 10% fee increase over the last
two years, plus the 20% increase over the next two years, the total sewer
service fee will have increased 30%.
After two years of study the city has finally determined a it needs to
study the fairness of sewer fees and that it will require hiring a
consultant firm specializing in water and sewer rate structures. The
council must still vote on this issue.
The city letter states: “The proposed charge amounts are based upon
the added costs to maintain and replace sewer facilities to reduce sewer
spills and comply with the Federal Clean Water Act and regulations
established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
Wonder what maintenance and replacement were being provided? The
letter didn’t mention the $60,000 the city was fined for sewer spills and
how close it had been to being No. 1 in spills. Makes you wonder what
repair and replacement the system will receive in the future?
The letter further states: “The estimated cost to complete these
improvements is $25 to $39 million.” Fourteen million dollars seems like
a big difference to me. The school bond was exactly $39 million. Couldn’t
the estimate be a little closer?
The letter went on to say: “The proposed charge increase would allow
the highest priority improvements to be made in the next five to 10 years
but would still leave deficiencies to be corrected.”
I wonder what the deficiencies are and how much they will cost. Are
they telling us they don’t know what must be done, how much it will cost
and when it might be finished?
The Laguna Beach Unified School Board established what had to be done,
the estimated costs and passed two resolutions to reduce concerns. The
first was the creation of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee to oversee bond
proceeds, expenditure and audits and the second a facility repair and
replacement program for the purpose of maintaining school facilities in a
state of good repair. Based on Orange County Treasurer John Moorlach’s
criteria for grading local school bond measures, Measure R received an
“A” grade. Eighty-one percent of the voters approved the school
improvement bond measure.
The City Council will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday., June 18 in
the Council Chambers to consider increases to the sewer service charge
imposed on real property within the city. It is only if you disagree
that you have to protest in writing by June 18. Your parcel number must
be included. Renters don’t get a vote. Maybe your landlord will share the
fee increase.
Wasn’t there a revolution about taxation without representation?
You and 50% of the property owners have to tell the city “no” in
writing to kill the fee increase. The City Council could delay the fee
increase to get additional information. Think they will want to know
what will be done, how much it will cost and when will it be finished?
Just wondering.
* GARY ALSTOT is a Laguna Beach resident.
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