Don Cowart: Modesto water, sewer increases will be cost families $500 more a year

Re “Modesto starts process to increase water rates” (Page 3A, June 10): The sample calculation in the city’s notice for the recently increased sewer rates omitted the monthly account charge. A typical resident’s sewer rate, at present $31.92, is going to be increased yearly so that in four years the monthly charge will be $42.45, i.e. $126.36 more per year.

The city now proposes over the same period to increase water rates so that a “typical” water bill, currently $39.54 (calculated using the data on their notice), will be $71.56, or $384.24 more per year. Families within four years will be paying $510 more per year (not including increased taxes due to increased charges).

The means by which the city “passed” these measures, though “legal,” are reprehensible. Rather than putting it to a vote, as would honest politicians, it is decreed that a majority of citizens must jump through a multitude of hurdles to protest. These same politicians scream discrimination and infringement of voting rights when a simple ID is suggested for elections, yet here people receive no ballot, have to write in, identify their property and themselves. The city council in using this method is anything but democratic or honorable.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Don Cowart: Modesto water, sewer increases will be cost families $500 more a year."