Water Charge

I can’t believe it! After all the public furor associated with the West Basin Municipal Water District trying to fund a water reclamation plant with an inherently inequitable parcel tax on district property owners, the Metropolitan Water District has the arrogance to attempt the same ploy. They are even using the same euphemism, calling it a “water standby charge.”

At least the proposed levy is smaller; $5 per year per parcel under one acre; $5 per acre per year for those larger parcels. And yet the same fatal flaws exist in this plot that were present in the West Basin one. Every condominium owner pays $5; every apartment owner (not renter) pays $5 per acre.

But wait! There’s more! MWD also wants to impose an “annual availability of service” charge on member agencies (such as West Basin), the amount unspecified. Maybe West Basin can finance that with another parcel tax.

MWD, read my lips. There is only one equitable way to finance the business of supplying water to this region, and that is by adjusting the cost of the water used by the consumer based on amount used. Use more, pay more; use less, pay less.

I’d love to go to one of their scheduled public hearings, but the nearest one is in North Hollywood or Paramount. Well, given the uproar associated with the West Basin fiasco, I guess they’re afraid to come to the South Bay.

STEPHEN R. GARFIELD

Redondo Beach