‘Fancy Water Bills’ for Covina Residents

Covina water users should start saving their money. They are going to be hit with some fancy water bills next summer.

On March 16, Covina City Manager John Thomson distributed a letter announcing the city’s new water rates. He declared: “We do not believe they will affect the basic quality of life for our Covina customers.” In his case they probably won’t.

At a time when the economy is soft, and many are concerned as to whether they will have a job next month, his salary will increase by 22% (over the next three years). The salaries of other city employees (also) were increased.

Is the new water rate structure fair? Is it needed? In both cases the answer is an emphatic no.

Last September, my water bill was $75.74. Under the new schedule, it would be $198.56, a 158% increase. When prorated, that would be a charge of $896.72 an acre foot.

The new Covina water rate schedule has nothing to do with conservation. It is simply a scheme to grab every possible tax dollar, and to accomplish that goal it uses the most unfair possible system of taxation, a tax on water.

Clearly, the homeowners of Covina are expected to work for the bureaucracy that runs the city, and someone has to pay the fancy salaries that have been negotiated over the last year.

BOB LOW

Covina

Editor’s note: Low was mayor of Covina from 1988 to 1990.