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To the Editor,
When you look at the sewer rate increase schedule, something interesting stands out: the 3,050 gallon category's first rate increase of 66.8% is nearly double that of the next Category's (3,400 gal.) rate increase of 36.1%! All other categories differ 5% or less! Why?
A logical explanation would be: the bulk of the 8,117 Weirton residential water/sewer households fall within the 3,050 gallon monthly range and therefore are the easiest group to fleece to pay for the sewer expansion project. To add insult to injury, the 8,117 Weirton residential customers use, on a daily average, one million gallons of water and its equivalent in sewage disposal which is only 25% of our present capacity and yet are being dinged the most to double our capacity for "future development."
It is odd, since 2006, seven different bond issues have been floated by the city almost every three years for the water/ sewer department totaling $22 million, 14 of it is still outstanding.
Now council wants to add an additional $24 million of debt to double our sewer processing capacity. When that is completed, they will indebt the public yet another $28 million to double our water purification capacity.
Then we will owe $66 million for water and sewage.
Add $10 million for a new police department as well as the $31 million shortfall in the police pension fund, our true liability will stand at over $100 million to be shouldered primarily by 8,117 households.
Think about how that is going to affect our "developed future."
Blaise Hogan
Weirton