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Last updated 7:41 am CT February 09, 2010.
Citizens Meet to Oppose Sale of Water & Sewer
Several budget ideas have been laid out. All but one include cuts, taxes increases, or a combination of the two.
That option relies on the sale of Carbondale's water and sewer system. A group of concerned citizens who met Tuesday night say that option should be off the table.
"A little bit of property tax increase, a little bit of sales tax increase and then let’s look at our costs and manage our costs," suggested Berardino Barrata of Carbondale.
He and the several dozen citizens that gathered hope city leaders get the message: don’t sell the water and sewer system to a private corporation.
Selling the system is just one of the proposals put forth by Mayor Brad Cole.
According to Cole’s report there are benefits to selling the $42 million operation. It would eliminate debt from that division, fully fund city pensions and building projects at the police and fire stations, and create a one-time cash infusion into the city's general fund of close to $3 million.
Still, to some, it doesn't make long-term sense.
"What happens, you find out, is you no longer own your own water and you have no control over your own water," said Karin Lanchester of Carbondale.
"The quality of the service goes down, the costs go up, it limits the availability to the people who really need it," Barrata said.
"The profits go to the share holders and I doubt any of them will be from here," said Scott Rogers of Carbondale.
The mayor was on hand to hear what the group had to say Tuesday, and Councilman Joel Fritzler says he expects city leaders to choose some sort of tax increase instead.
"I think you need to find more of a long-term, or long-range plan to meet your goals, to meet your expenses, as opposed to just start selling off your assets,” Fritzler said.
The council is expected to discuss ways to solve budget problems at their meeting on December 1. They could take a vote on the issue on December 15.
By Dana Jay
djay@wsiltv.com
Additional Links:
Mayor Cole's Budget Planning Memo
Now: 1265724541
