"The city residents receive benefits for paying city taxes that county residents do not receive. I agree that taxes are too high, but what taxes aren't too high?"
"I wouldn't mind the increased rate of the water if I could drink the water, but it is only fit for bathing, if you can stand the odor of the water. What has the city done to improve the quality of the water? I haven't noted any changes in it. If they are going to raise the rates on either the water or sewer rates, they should be in line with the city resident rates. I am a county resident."
"It won't really matter if they charge us more money in the county for our water - they've built so many new developments, we barely get any water out of the tap anyway. Just another example of the greedy individuals who run this town and county trying to suck a little more money out of the residents. Everyone should pay according to how much water they use, not where they live."
"I live outside of the city limits, so I may be slightly biased in my opinion. Did anyone state an actual reason for the rate hike? 'It basically makes people more accountable for their usage' is all I heard that sounded like a reason, and that's darn poor of one. It was a typical politician's statement. Aren't we all accountable already for everything we do?
"I feel bad for the city residents ... they pay ridiculous taxes compared to me, and I'm only two miles from the line, and they don't get much for all of that money spent. But a 111 percent rate hike for out-of-city residents seems like gouging to me. It looks to me like someone is out to make a buck on everyone's expense but their own ... We'll see who votes for this to pass on (Oct. 25) ... we'll know who is making what."
"As a resident of an apartment complex outside city limits, this increase would guarantee a higher-than-normal rise in my monthly rent. A higher monthly rent means I will have less discretionary income to spend at local businesses, most of which are inside city limits. So not only will this short-sighted proposal have a directly adverse effect on me, but an indirectly adverse effect on the businesses the city council is supposed to be serving."
"Why should the city be allowed to try to recoup real estate tax money, that county residents do not have to pay, by charging them twice what city residents pay? It is not costing the city enough more to provide these folks with this service to justify this much difference in charges. Had I known this gouging was going to increase, we would not have bought property along the boundary line to try to fix it up. If this is to continue, then the city should not take on any more customers outside their boundaries."
"I believe that the city has been fined recently for allowing too much untreated water (to) pass through the waste water treatment plant. Also, as the population around the city swells, more people will be tapping into the water supply. So I hope the extra fees would go to upgrading the plant."
"Water fees are not taxes. Sewer and utilities are front-foot benefits paid with taxes. Water supply is a separate billing.
"Outlying water customers require pumping stations to provide water pressure. The further water is pumped, the more it costs. The city gets an allocation from tax revenues for residences that are inside city limits. The piping is installed by the land developer as part of county zoning and permit regulations."
"I think it is fair to charge more for residents not in the city. I also think it would be fair to start charging city residents for county service. Like the landfill. We need a balance."
