Letter: CCWD’s rates set by politics, not accounting

NOTE: The following letter is from Jim Marsh, who is a candidate for Coastside County Water District board.  Jim sent it to Coastsider after the Review declined to run it. All candidates are welcome to submit letters to Coastsider, or to comment on the letters of other candidates, as long as they can maintain a civil dialog.

At their budget meeting July 12, 2005 the CCWD board approved next year’s budget with a draconian 19% "across-the-board" increase - equally applied to the base charge and to usage.  This represents a regressive application of local tax collection due to the State’s fiscal malfeasance. Oh well, as they say: "stuff floats downhill" - but I wish to speak to a deeper issue.

An issue of trust.

The board studied their long awaited, overdue finance committee recommendations and spent hours hand-wringing and self-aggrandizing only to raise rates to cover the state takeaway (unavoidable).  The accountant calculated 20.8% and finally the board decided to make the rate increase 19%.  Why?, because 19% sounded better than 20% - "more palatable", it’s "psychological", easier to sell.

What?  Yes, the board approved a budget increase that was not based upon accounting facts.

The accountant then asked how they would square up the budget as they still had an imbalance, and by law, the budget must be balanced.  So the board found some "savings" in employee funding, and in reducing the "reserve fund".  Bottom line - the budget is now balanced by a jury-rigged, "acceptable" increase while the public takes the hit.

The CCWD Board just makes it up as they go along.  You’ve read about their recent attempts to overcharge families with failed wells.  Now this fiscal hokey-pokey.

Some would say this is an outright disregard of the public interest. Register your opposition this November when two of its directors, Mickelson and Ascher, seek re-election.

Jim Marsh