OPINION PIECE BY KATHERINE KELLY
Our City is on the verge of defaulting on the sewer loan and have just gone on bended knee to plead with the State to nix any interest payment on that $43 million loan and make payment “adjustments” so we can stay above water.
But that’s not all our City asked for. Eric Weir asked for an additional $36 million loan for phase two of the sewer plant. That’s right. We can’t afford the $43 million we borrowed, so let’s borrow $36 million more!
And it’s being done fraudulently. They are basing our population to include the inmates at Pelican Bay Prison who are not hooked up to our sewer system (they have their own). That accounts for about half the number of ratepayers on which they are basing our loan payments and our rate increases.
People, we need to stop this travesty before it has a chance to ruin us all. Show up at the council meetings and say no more borrowing and no more rate increases! We already have double increases (for water and sewer) on the horizon forever and they want MORE. We predicted $100 a month sewer/water bills and we were scoffed at. Now it’s looking like $100 sewer/water bills will be something we will someday long for.
That is the way the State does it with the complicity of councils who refuse to say “NO”. They don’t care how much you have to pay. The Board equated the increase to a cell phone bill or cable tv with us. So we just have to give something up so they can have their way? Many of us have to choose between paying these bills and eating. They tend to ignore that.
So, People of Crescent City, stay home and don’t attend your council meetings every other week. You need to give the council hell for bankrupting your town. Tell them if they can’t say no to the State, you will find someone who can.
It is time to say “enough” … but I leave it to you.