To the editor:
Just in case you are not aware, allow me to explain
As we may or may not already know, the city water rates are increasing and that the property tax that a business person pays on his building here in the city limits is exactly 2.5 times the rate that any person would pay on their residential property.
This is why so many local business owners are looking to move or re-locate, for example, to Oliver Paipoonge Township, or elsewhere outside of the city limits where their commercial rate of taxation would be even less than that of a residence here in the city....
OK, so back to the water and sewer rates charged to commercial building owners. Why oh why are they paying 2.5 times more for flushing their toilets as you do in your own home? Why oh why are they paying the higher amount for the very same glass of water that you draw from your own residential faucet?
The potable (drinkable) water is delivered by the very same piping underground system that delivers water to the residents in this city where there are commercially zoned buildings. The same goes for the sewers that not only accept the materials from your own homes toilet. Believe it or not they also connect to once again commercial buildings.
So again, why are they stuck paying 2.5 times the rate of any homeowner for usage of the sewer and water lines??Because the city can is the only logical reason behind it.
Plus the city had accrued massive debt when it comes down to our Bare Point water treatment facility and equally on the sewage treatment plant located in the east end of town.This is the real reason, plain and simple.
I have asked city hall administration numerous times to explain this to me, and have to this day have never even gotten an answer let alone some kind of feeble excuse.
So there you have a fine example (just kidding folks) as to how this city can simply choose to ignore you or me, the taxpayer when it comes down to questioning them on most things; as I do most days.
I keep wondering exactly the city will settle and pay out the $350-million lawsuit filed by Chris Watkins and company.
Where will the city come up with those funds? Well they will have one of two choices as I see it:?either borrow the money or cut back on much needed capital infrastructure improvement expenditures from our city capital reserve funds.
One last option might be that mayor Keith Hobbs, city council and upper management just might have to turn the lights out and hang a closed sign on the door over at 500 Donald St.
Jim Gamble,
Thunder Bay
