CA Sewerage Tax Increases: Is this reasonable? (134%) (San Diego, Downey: flat fee, rent)

[Charles22]

My sewerage tax is proposed to increase from $295 to $695 next year (134%). I can't say that I'm surprised to see municipal fees increase, but I didn't expect that it would be that much.

Is this in line with other cities' sewerage rates?

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

In times like these, a lot of city councils "wake up" when an audit by an engineer shows that fees charged for services come no where close to covering the cost of the service provided. $295 a year is amazingly cheap for sewer these days. I'd say something around $40 month/$500 a year is more typical.

Still, responsible city leaders should make incremental changes to service rates and keep up with the cost of providing the service to avoid rate shock. Quantum leaps in fee schedules are ordinarily the hallmark of poor leadership in civic policy. Rate increases over 50% are very difficult to justify. It may be that the rate increase was occasioned by some emergency infrastructure that needs to be paid for or the disappearance of some other revenue stream that was subsidizing the cost of providing sewer service in the past. In most states you can ask for judicial review of sewer assessments in the district courts.

[Hemlock140]

I've worked in utilities for many years, and most are charging sewer based on metered water use, not a flat amount. For the average home in Seattle
it's going to run about $55/month, or $660/year, and it's among the highest in the U.S. at $10.28/CCF.

Often huge increases can be due to the need for additional infrastructure, such as a new sewage treatment plant.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Here is your possible answer.

San Diego Reader | "Will Water Rate Increase Be Diverted to Pensions?" by dbauder



Back door pension boosts.

Carl DeMaio // San Diego's Taxpayer Watchdog - DeMaio Makes Final Push to Stop Water Rate Hike - Asks Residents to Return Prop. 218 Notices and Contact Their Elected Officials to Oppose Increase on Eve of Vote; Releases Eight Point Plan as an Alterna (http://www.votecarldemaio.com/newsdisplay.php?flag=readmore&vid=121 - broken link)

[Bulldogdad]

"UNION YES!"

[quang]

Originally Posted by bisjoe

I've worked in utilities for many years, and most are charging sewer based on metered water use, not a flat amount. For the average home in Seattle
it's going to run about $55/month, or $660/year, and it's among the highest in the U.S. at $10.28/CCF.

Often huge increases can be due to the need for additional infrastructure, such as a new sewage treatment plant.

I moved from Seattle and noticed the same thing too. In Seattle, the sewage rate is proportional to the amount of water usage but here in CA it is a flat fee. Here, my wife and I paid like $1.50 for water and whooping $40+ for sewer. Should have rent out all the rooms.

Funny how the cost of everything increased except the salary.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by bisjoe

I've worked in utilities for many years, and most are charging sewer based on metered water use, not a flat amount. For the average home in Seattle
it's going to run about $55/month, or $660/year, and it's among the highest in the U.S. at $10.28/CCF.

Often huge increases can be due to the need for additional infrastructure, such as a new sewage treatment plant.

Waste water is a crappy job but pays decently. When everything is working proper you never smell the treatment plants.
My wife has degrees in water management and waste water, really interesting stuff.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by quang

I moved from Seattle and noticed the same thing too. In Seattle, the sewage rate is proportional to the amount of water usage but here in CA it is a flat fee. Here, my wife and I paid like $1.50 for water and whooping $40+ for sewer. ,,.

Seems to be billed differently city to city. My Downey house was by water usage. My Bellflower home was flat rated.