Delta Diablo Fee Hike Is Not Warranted

There will be a public hearing on Wednesday, June 8th at 5:30 p.m. in the Delta Diablo Sanitation District board room at 2500 Antioch-Pittsburgh Highway, Antioch.

You should have received a Notice of Proposed Sewer Service Charge Increases, informing us of a proposed 7.5% increase in fees. That breaks down to 4.8% for costs of treatment, capital improvements etc and 2.7% to begin funding a dedicated reserve fund to pay for advanced wastewater treatment facilities to meet new regulatory requirements.

I’m opposed the this excessive rate increase for the following reasons:

The Board previously approved a 4.6% increase in wastewater sewer service charges and recycled water service charges for the fiscal year ending June 2010, and at the April 2010 meeting approved a 4.8% rate increase for sewer service charges for FY 2010/11. Note, expenses increased 9% (2010 vs. 2009) while revenues increased by 18%.

In 2009 the district paid off the 2001 COP and the 2000 revenue bonds and did not issue any new bonded debt. Also at the July 2010 Board meeting, the Board adopted a Retiree Health Funding Plan and employees agreed to start contributing 1 % of their salaries to the fund with the % to increase to 3% by July 2012. (Terms of the bargaining units MOU with the District was extended by 3 years to June 30, 2018)

Another rate increase is not warranted at the present time.


One Comment to “Delta Diablo Fee Hike Is Not Warranted”

  1. Allen Payton says:

    Barbara,
    I agree. Especially after the City of Antioch raised our sewer & water rates twice in the last two years.
    Allen Payton
    Publisher

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