Tonight, Town Council considers substantial increases to two water fees: One deals with getting adequate water supply; the other with bring the water to a specific development or home. One of these fees has not been adjusted since 1996; the other since 2000. We all know, there's been a lot of growth since. Two reports by an engineering consulting firm (available here) detail why, based on the costs of doing these things, new rates are needed.
Now, none of us escape increased rates. One report recommends a five fold increase, to $1.25 per 1000 gallons, in the Groundwater Preservation Fee we all pay as part of our month water bill. This money is being accumulated to pay for the cost of getting water water sources like CAP to Oro Valley and for the added costs of treating it. Existing customers will pay 40% of the total cost of the $140 million for doing this. The rest is to be paid, based on the report, through substantial increase in the fee developers will have to pay on the basis that "growth should pay for growth."
The second fee is strictly the result of the increased water infrastructure needed to support a new development, like wells and booster stations. This fee is paid for only by the developers. It too is recommended for an increase, though not as much.
SAHBA and other developers will claim that increasing these fees will drive development from Oro Valley. They'll claim developers won't build here- that they sky is falling.
Truth is, of course, that these fees, all one-time in nature will either be passed on to potential buyers in terms of slightly higher prices or offset in terms of reducing construction costs. Either way, if there's a buck to be made developers will not abandon Oro Valley as long as people want to live here.
And people will want to live here only if there is sufficient water.
Will Town Council buckle to developers? We shall see.
2 comments:
This should be interesting. If you can't make the meeting you can listen
via the town of Oro Valley web site
Well last time I checked anyway.
I hope that somebody mentions or asks if its true that Vestar the developer of the Marketplace is grandfathered or exempt from paying this increase
Imagine that!
Oh well if the developers leave Oro Valley, which I doubt, Pinal county is ripe for the pickins.
There must be a point where the residents of Oro Valley will no longer be able to afford the taxes that are needed to support the growth that has no pay off for anybody but the land developers.
If we aren't there we are very, very close with this and the giveaways.
Post a Comment