Water rate do-over

If past history is any indication, the increased water and sewer rates are now in effect for most all Village residents.

The Village posted a notice on the website [English version][Spanish version] stating that a vote will be taken by the Board at a November meeting to re-approve the water and sewer rate increases that were approved at a September meeting. When residents, mostly from the west side, received their bills in early October for usage from June 10th through September 10th, the rate increase approved September 18th was reflected on their bills. In effect, folks were retroactively charged for usage before the increase was approved.

Credits are expected to be approved for those who were already billed — totaling about $43,000 — while the Village amends the implementation of the increase.

The latest notice on the Village website reads, in part:

If approved, beginning in January 2008 water rates will be $2.66 and sewer rates will be $2.95 for 1,000 gallons of water used.

It seems obvious that the rate will be re-approved. However, it begs the question … will the January bills reflect the new rate for September – December usage? Or, will the new rate not be seen until around April, for December – March 2008 usage?

What the Village will do is anyone’s guess at this point. The track record indicates January’s bill will again reflect an increase for water and sewer used before the November approval of the amended rate.

It all can be quite confusing. New newspaper reports and notices provided to residents may add to the confusion by some who may think the Village is raising rates again.

Had this been done properly, the Board would have voted for the increase to take effect beginning with the October usage cycle. The October bills would have contained a notice of the water and sewer rate increase that would be seen on the January bill.

That said, what about the proposal to move the temporary environmental surcharge onto the property tax bill? I believe it needs to be voted down, unless it is determined that the reasons for the surcharge will always exist. In such a case, the surcharge should be removed and property tax rates should be appropriately increased for the 2008 tax year. One of the potential problems with that would be that businesses would then be charged for a residential surcharge, barring some exemption for businesses.

The whole thing really calls for a more extensive study of the way the Village handles its billing for water, sewer and waste management. Additionally, it might make sense to switch to a monthly billing cycle.