Water wranglings
Check out Tuesday's issue of The Sun for an article that explains the reasons why Redlanders and others served by the city's water utility could face higher rates in the near future.
Water will be one issue discussed at Tuesday's City Council meeting, which looks to be a busy one.
Water rates rose by 7 percent this month and by the same rate last year. Municipal utilities/public works commissioner Stephen Stockton said rates could increase by 15 percent or so.
The reasoning behind the potential rate increase is complicated. City Manager N. Enrique Martinez and interim utilities chief Chris Diggs have recommended that the city's water utility reimburse the general fund for using Mill Creek water. The city acquired those water rights after issuing bonds in 1926 which means that the water rights were purchased with taxpayer dollars.
The water utility has its own account, since it makes money by collecting fees The view from city offices is that taxpayers have improperly subsidized water operations since the water utility has not paid for Mill Creek water. Of course, many of the water utility's customers are also Redlands residents and taxpayers so it's almost as if some segments of the public owe themselves money.
It could cost millions for the water utility to reimburse the general fund, either by purchasing or leasing the water. Tuesday, the council is scheduled to vote on consulting contracts for firms that would look at water rates as well as a potential $17-million bond that would allow the water utility to buy Mill Creek water rights.
The upshot of such a reimbursement plan is that water payments would end up going to the general fund, which raises the question of whether city management has proposed the idea in order to establish something like a tax-in-disguise. I expect that question to be asked at Tuesday's meeting.
But the water issue is only part of Tuesday's agenda. Read on to see a few other ideas that are on the day's schedule:
During the 3 p.m. session:
-The City Council is slated to decide whether to ask San Bernardino County supervisors to include land north of the 10 Freeway and west of teh 210 Freeway in the proposed San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone. Enterprise zones are intended to catalyze commerce in depressed areas through economic incentives such as hiring credits, tax credits and preferences in state contracting.
During the 7 p.m. session:
-The council will have the option of going on record in supporting Measure J, a $65.5-million bond to finance the completion of Citrus Valley High School as other as other Redlands Unified School District projects as well as measure M, a $500-million bond issue for San Bernardino Valley College.
-The city could launch a red-light camera program. The Police Department wants to use photo enforcement at the intersection of Citrus Avenue and University Street. Between Nov. 26, 1997 and Oct. 31, 2006 the city has recorded 120 collisions at that intersection, including a single fatal crash.