City to Launch Series of Reports on Budget Process

Margaret Wiggins September 26, 2012 at 05:54 pm

I read the first episode and even though I have been educated on the subject of water and sewer rates for the last 14 years after getting elected to the Northshore Utility District board... even I found it overly technical. And it left out little things like WHY the water supplier for half the city has to pay into a new "flume" that only benefits Lake Tapps waterfront property owners. Because it's in the deal the Cascade folks made with the power company when they sold them the water right. Not that having a water right means they can sell drinking water from that lake, oh no, that will require a hugely expensive treatment plant.
But Seattle has TWO treatment plants that the citizens of Kirkland are already paying for until Cascade Water gets off of their supply. No time soon from the looks of it. Oh, and the other thing about water and sewer wholesale rate increases that get passed along.. it means the tax on those utilities will bring in more money for the general fund, just a little thing that doesn't often get mentioned.

Greg Johnston (Editor) September 26, 2012 at 07:02 pm

Thanks for your input Margaret. I think one if the difficulties in getting citizens interested in this budget process is because it is so very complicated. It's a challenge putting in in terms regular people like me can easily understand.