Following thorough questioning by Supervisor Ally Miller, the Pima County Board of Supervisors denied approval of the County Administrator’s request to raise sewer rates at today’s Board meeting. The Board had previously postponed the vote three times over the past 6 months but today decided the Wastewater department would have to figure out a way to reduce operations and maintenance costs before raising rates on business owners and residents.
Miller was the only Supervisor to question the Wastewater Director and County Administrator on conflicting information the Board had received over the past six months. She discussed the $12.1 million increase in consultant fees as well as claims the Wastewater department had seen a decrease in operations costs. Miller brought up the fact the department financial plan actually projected a 17% increase in operations.
The District 1 Supervisor stated, “Wastewater increases hurt those who can least afford it and deter business from setting up shop or growing existing operations in Pima County. I can’t support an increase in these fees when it is very clear the solution is to reduce wasteful spending and operations and maintenance in the Wastewater department”.
Citing Wastewater’s recent $1 million building purchase Miller said, “You just can’t go and spend millions on unnecessary land and building purchases when the growth and revenue isn’t available to pay for it; that’s poor planning and frankly mis-management of your tax dollars”.
One attendee at the meeting said later of supervisors Bronson and Carroll, “They were grabbing their asses so they wouldn’t lose them.” The two are facing primary opponents.