A counter proposal (December 28, 2015)
I have a counter proposal to a proposal in a Dec. 24 letter.
The writer would have the Apple Valley City Council guarantee that water rates and taxes would never go up and that water revenues would not be used for other budget items.
I propose that Apple Valley Ranchos and Liberties Utilities would make a written contract with the town that they would rescind the 28 percent rate increase over the next three years, and not ask for a rate increase over the cost of providing the water and maintaining the infrastructure in all of the years after. If they would do that I am sure the Council would drop the eminent domain suit.
Will that happen? No. But that is what the writer is asking the town to do. I have been following this fairly closely and I do not remember the town ever promising lower rates or the taxes not going up. In the long run it will be much cheaper than having Rancho get a 30 percent raise in rates that will just keep compounding every three years!
— John Pedigo, Apple Valley
Source: Daily Press