Paula Cox: City getting greedy, stands to make extra $4.3 million by selling water

Re “Modesto starts process to increase water rates” (Page 3A, June 10): Hear ye! Hear ye! Residents of Modesto, Salida, Empire, Grayson, Del Rio and portions of Ceres. Our water rates are going up unless we as a group, delete this extra charge. Not only are our rates rising, but we still cannot water more than two days per week!

With the base increase rate of $5 per residence multiplied by at least 73,000 households, Modesto stands to take in an additional $365,000 per month for the same amount of water used. That’s $4.38 million in extra revenue for the same amount of water used per year! This is robbery.

I’m sure that, like me, you know family members and neighbors who are on fixed incomes. With Social Security going another year without a raise, senior citizens are already pinching pennies. I am shouting for these fixed-income seniors who are already struggling. Please take a moment to cast your “no” vote by writing to: City Clerk. P.O. Box 642, Modesto, 95353. It must be received before Aug. 9th.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Paula Cox: City getting greedy, stands to make extra $4.3 million by selling water."