More Water Profits found

8/13/2018

The above chart comes right from the City of Plano. It shows the city profits from water. It also shows the city takes the profits and transfers it to non-water funds. This is morally wrong!
This is Plano's Political Pit Bull Signing off.

2 Comments

Steve Latimer

8/13/2018 02:17:01 pm

If the overcharge for Utilities is $37M thats almost 11% of the total City Budget for 2019. Approximately 100,000 households in Plano so ... $370 yr per family.

Mike Hill

8/17/2018 06:34:38 am

PPPB, thanks again for bringing facts out in the open! As William Bennett used to say often, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
I've been thinking about this, which I sort of knew was the case. It didn't really bother me in the past, because city government is necessary and the expenses have to get paid somehow.
But now that I think about it, this is a surprisingly regressive tax. As Steve pointed out here, this works out to about $370 per household annual tax. Granted, those who have more wealth often have more land, and thus use more water and pay a little more. But I'm thinking of a lower income household of 5-7 people, who take daily baths or showers and use more water for cooking and cleaning. They are being taxed on their water bill at a much higher percentage of income than an empty-nester retired couple who has plenty of money but uses little water. (Apartment residents pay too; it's just hidden as a component of their rent.)
There is a valid consideration of discouraging water overuse by higher rates. That probably did factor into this pricing strategy. I just wish Council would be upfront with a rationale for the approach they have taken on water charges. If they were more transparent, they wouldn't have to worry about PPPB exposing their ways.

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More Water Profits found

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