Diana Tittle, a member of the board of Sierra County Public-Interest Journalism Project, was the editor of the Sierra County Sun, the Citizen's precursor. A former resident of Truth or Consequences who now lives part-time in northern New Mexico, she spent her 42-year professional career in Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer and editor, book author and publisher and publishing consultant. She is the recipient of a Cleveland Arts Prize for Literature.
Sadly, the word “ENTERPRISE” is a ploy too commonly used by the leaders of a community to treat the money paid by users of community services like water, electricity, etc. as a profit center rather than a fee paid cover the expense of obtaining the commodity (water, power, etc) AND maintaining the system in good condition to continue to deliver the commodity. Government is NOT a corporation out to make money and expand to make more money. I want to pay what it costs for water to come out of my tap, not to buy other cool things and let the pipes go until you can’t even keep up with the repairs. Government in its base meaning is a “collection of people who share the cost of the “common” necessities.” Yes, it’s nice that the state happens to have a pile of extra money NOW so they can bail us out but that was pure accident. Is our electric infrastructure in the same sorry state? Sewers?? Roads?? What, exactly, are our taxes and fees paying for if the infrastructure that defines a “town” or “City” are not covered?? I thought that was part of the deal!!
Yes, our electric, wastewater are in the same shape. Roads are not “enterprise” funds, so it is not a comparable department. But other enterprise funds, such as the golf course, airport, swimming pool, are in similarly bad shape.
Bad management for multi generations.
The people keep voting in city commissioners who do little beyond cheer leading city staff and themselves. City commissioners who do not exercise fiscal oversight.
Just read the Sentinel and reporter Chuck Wentworth says City Manager Swingle is going to raise water rates again, beyond the nearly 50 percent increase in 2020, the 5.4 percent increase in 2021, the over 9 percent increase in 2022. Currently rate increases are tied to the consumer price index. But Swingle says that is not enough.
No mention of the millions still being transferred out of the water, wastewater, electric and solid waste departments–about $2 million or so this fiscal year.
Sadly, the word “ENTERPRISE” is a ploy too commonly used by the leaders of a community to treat the money paid by users of community services like water, electricity, etc. as a profit center rather than a fee paid cover the expense of obtaining the commodity (water, power, etc) AND maintaining the system in good condition to continue to deliver the commodity. Government is NOT a corporation out to make money and expand to make more money. I want to pay what it costs for water to come out of my tap, not to buy other cool things and let the pipes go until you can’t even keep up with the repairs. Government in its base meaning is a “collection of people who share the cost of the “common” necessities.” Yes, it’s nice that the state happens to have a pile of extra money NOW so they can bail us out but that was pure accident. Is our electric infrastructure in the same sorry state? Sewers?? Roads?? What, exactly, are our taxes and fees paying for if the infrastructure that defines a “town” or “City” are not covered?? I thought that was part of the deal!!
Yes, our electric, wastewater are in the same shape. Roads are not “enterprise” funds, so it is not a comparable department. But other enterprise funds, such as the golf course, airport, swimming pool, are in similarly bad shape.
Bad management for multi generations.
The people keep voting in city commissioners who do little beyond cheer leading city staff and themselves. City commissioners who do not exercise fiscal oversight.
Just read the Sentinel and reporter Chuck Wentworth says City Manager Swingle is going to raise water rates again, beyond the nearly 50 percent increase in 2020, the 5.4 percent increase in 2021, the over 9 percent increase in 2022. Currently rate increases are tied to the consumer price index. But Swingle says that is not enough.
No mention of the millions still being transferred out of the water, wastewater, electric and solid waste departments–about $2 million or so this fiscal year.