Drowning in your water bill?

No, you’re not drowning in your water bill, but if Global Water’s argument to the ACC on a proposed rate increase is convincing enough, due to the lack of a counter-argument, you may find yourself with yet another financial burden that will certainly make staying financially “afloat” a whole lot tougher.

Fact is, there’s never a guarantee that when an individual or business makes any investment, they’ll make a return on that investment. If you or I lose money in the market, we can’t simply go door to door asking our neighbors for a hand-out to recoup or offset our losses. Should it be any different for Global Water? Calculated risk is part of the business of doing business, and, lately, it would seem we’re all paying for the choices of others. Many of us have witnessed our life savings take a significant hit, property taxes have gone up, additional secondary property taxes are on their way, many have lost their homes, electricity rates have already increased, and now we’re being challenged at the tap.

I’ll assume that you’re in the know, and are aware of what’s at stake in our local community. I’ve been quoted before as stating that increasing local utility rates could be Maricopa’s “Achilles Heel.” Whether it’s young families, seniors on a fixed income, or local business trying to keep their doors open, many in Maricopa are scrambling to make the incoming dollars equal the outgoing dollars on their balance sheet. It would seem everything is costing more, and it would be easier to manage if only our paychecks were increasing as fast as the cost of everything around us.

I thought I was doing everything right… I had sunscreens installed on the windows, switched to compact fluorescent lighting and installed programmable temperature controllers in my home. I thought I would see a noticeable decrease in my electric bill this year, but I didn’t; instead it went up. I’ve replaced all of the original faucets in my home with water conserving models, try to make sure we’re washing full loads, installed water saving shower heads and have xeriscape landscaping, but now even with all of that, my family is looking at another possible rate increase for water, an absolute necessity in life.

What can we do to have a voice? To be heard? Well, if you haven’t heard, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is coming to town to hold a public comment meeting; to hear what you have to say. The only thing required is that you show up. If Maricopa’s residents are going to draw a line in the sand on saying no to increasing water rates, then you owe it to yourself to ensure that you, or a member of your household, express your concerns to those who will have the power to decide just that.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Maricopa Wells Middle School Cafeteria/MPR, 45725 W. Honeycutt Ave.

It’s my hope to see you there,
Alan Marchione

(Candidate for Maricopa City Council, Former U.S. Marine, and Vice-President of the Villages at Rancho El Dorado HOA: www.marchione2010.com.)

Submitted photo

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