Greg Dempsey: Before raising sewer rates, consider cutting costs

Re “Notice on sewer rate increases in the mail” (Page 1B, March 10): In regard to “residential rates,” raising rates 5.76 percent this year followed by increases of 5.98 precent in 2017 then 5.79 precent in 2018 then 6.13 precent in 2019 and 5.68 precent in 2020 is totally out of proportion with inflation and the insufficient cost of living increases that many people are forced to budget with.

This proposal comes on the back of drought-driven water conservation measures which have resulted in less water at a higher cost. Now we are to pay more to get rid of the same water, understanding that it is using the same transport infrastructure and treatment facilities.

As it is inevitable that costs will always increase, maybe the city of Modesto can assess the labor costs involved when it takes one guy to fill a hole while one sits in a truck and another watches. Cutting costs can be as effective as raising rates. As for financing with low-cost loans, that’s a “given.” Anyone who has had double-digit loans in the past knows this is a “no-brainer.”

I strongly recommend against this rate increase until further options are considered.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Greg Dempsey: Before raising sewer rates, consider cutting costs."