Letter to the editor: ‘Outrageous’ utility rates

Editor:

Why can’t Edmonds operate on a budget? To put in five years of high utility rate increases to already outrageous charges, is totally out of control and should be turned down. County residents pay $132.54 annually for residence for stormwater. We pay over $300. Something’s very wrong that Edmonds needs three times as much and going for even more.

Also, why does the example only show bimonthly customers? What about the ones charged annually, billed semiannually? Are we not included in the ordinance? Is that because we have been billed wrong (for over 10 years now) — we pay first half at current rate, second half at increased rate because of deliberate billing in February of next year at that increased rate rather than rate in effect for dates being billed. Not an oversight, but intentional! Individually a small amount, but 3,000-plus of us, a tidy sum and we pay it seven months before bimonthly, because of billing practice.

Per a city finance director, they “like it fine the way it is.” Per another city rep, “you probably have to sue the city to correct it.” Not a city to be proud of, or want to be part of.

Jean Holtrop
Edmonds

  1. Totally agree with Jeans response, not only are we paying extremely high Rates, the sewer plant stinks . Some days on third Avenue the smell is so bad I can hardly take it.

  2. Whether it’s Edmonds or otherwise, this state cannot budget!!! We are paying too much in everything and it’s because of the budgeting!

  3. EXACTLY!! Stop electing these liberal politicians in every office from the bottom to the top. They have never owned or ran a business and think it’s just fine to spend other people’s money as long as it isn’t their money. They have no concept of budgeting or how much people are struggling in this time of out of control inflation. The well is running dry and it’s time to flush the out of control spenders down the drain.

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