One cannot deny that the water and sewer upgrades now being undertaken (Sewer regulator upgrades lauded, Neco Cockburn, Ottawa Citizen, July 23, 2010) are long overdue. However, Councillor Peter Hume’s statement that ratepayer can expect a 10% annual increase in sewer surcharges over the next 10 years makes me bristle (Residents can expect sewer rate hikes, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/07/22/ottawa-sewer-rate-hikes.html July 22, 2010).
The CBC article also notes that the average Ottawa homeowner now paying $600 a year could end up paying more than $1,300 a year by 2020. However, the way I see it, based on a 10% pa rate increase, a $600 payment in 2010 will result in a payment of $1,556 in 2020, a 159% increase over 10 years.
Residents cannot exist without access to water and sewer services. There would not be a viable city without them; so costs for these services should be covered by basic property taxes. It is incomprehensible that residents are being asked to pay additional surcharges for these services. This city must learn to prioritize its projects (need over wants) so that tax payers are not burdened by surcharges on top of already huge tax bills.
The city as a whole lacks vision, does poor planning and creates irresponsible budgets. In October we need to elect a new council that will listen to residents and act responsibly by finding a way to move forward within the constraints of an affordable budget. This will require reevaluating all major capital projects, planned and existing.
It is interesting to note that the developers profit above all others from capital projects. There is no doubt in my mind that the scope of many of the city’s plans results from the influence of developers; hence the need for election candidates to refuse campaign donations from them.
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