posted August 27, 2008
Yesterday, the city announced plans to discuss a rate increase by the city’s sewer department. City Council member Manny Rico explained that the city needed to increase my sewer bill to cover increased costs for chemicals, labor, fuel and federal mandates and to fund needed improvements to meet federally mandated environmental regulations. That sounds very similar to what Tennessee American Water cited as the reasons for their recent rate increase request.
But for some reason, Ray Childers cannot seem to figure out the correlation. He said he doesn’t like any increase, but he understands that the city’s needs have to be met. Why does he blindly accept the claims of the city, but will not accept the claims of a private organization?
The same question should also be asked to Randy Baker. The continued silence by “Fight the Hike” and all of its supporters is deafening as TVA, EPB and the city’s sewer department also pass large rate increases.
The main difference between the city’s sewer system and the water company is that with a single vote, the City Council can approve a rate increase without so much as a hearing from the public. However, a private company has to subject itself to months of reviews and legal proceedings before the state tells them how much they can charge for their services.
Mr. Childers is a pawn in a dangerous game being played by Mayor Littlefield. Our mayor wants to consolidate power into his own little oligarchy where he will control almost every aspect of the city’s operation. His plans can be seen through his attempts to takeover the management of the Fire and Police Pension Fund, getting control of the City Council’s internal audits and his ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for a hostile takeover of the water company.
If this ever happens, we – the taxpayers – will have no control over what we pay for our utility services. Just like TVA and EPB, if the mayor wants to charge more for something, it will only take a mere single reading and vote to get it accomplished.
I don’t know if the two have ever met, but it seems like Littlefield is positioning himself as the Vladimir Putin of Hamilton County. The world needs to keep a keen eye on the activities of Russia’s leadership just as we need to keep an eye on Mayor Littlefield.
Howard Horning
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There will be many voters keeping an eye on Mayor Littlefield to verify that he is willing to take the hard road and return ownership of the water supply to the public. The public is sick of increases from this greedy European company, 20%. My favorite news source, the Chattanoogan, poll lists that 77% feel that Chattanooga government should intervene. This is why we like our mayor - he will pursue the will of the people.
In the last attempt to return the water company to the public, describing this company as aggressive would be an understatement. After all, the stock returns are to the tune of $4 million a year. The government lackey running the company is certainly better than the greedy European.
It is absolutely appropriate for a metro area to own its utilities, because all metro areas own their utilities that are essential for the economy, and water is at the top of the list. The stockholders and European investors of American Water enjoy large annual returns on charging this community for their own water supply. Tennessee American is the only utility that does not pay substantially for their base product, and this is why their utility bill is lower than other services.
Come on, we get this. Contrary to the image makers for this European company, we expect our mayor to insure that water that is essential for life is owned for non-profit, not for stockholders.
Allison Graham
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