Laredo Highline Neighborhood Association

Welcome

   Council Member Broom invited us to his November 6th ward meeting to present our position on Aurora's reduced water tap fees. The following is our presentation.

   We are not here tonight to tilt at windmills. The new, improved and reduced water tap fees have been approved and passed by City Council. However, we are concerned about the impact these reduced water tap fees will have on all of us in the future.

    Ambassador Moynihan said: "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts." So let's agree on some facts.

1. 93% of all tap fees have been reduced.

2. The average reduction per residential unit is $8,000.00.

3. Over 84 thousand new residential units have already been approved by the City of Aurora.

4. The Water Department will lose 672 million dollars in water tap fees from these units.

5. The Water Department says the new tap fees are revenue neutral. In other words, the City will lose no money.

6. Large irrigation and industrial water users will make up the lost income through increased tap fees.

   So far the new, reduced tap fees don't sound too bad, however there is a political reality that needs to be addressed.

7. The City Manager has said: Before any large water user pays an exorbitant water tap fee, a serious policy discussion will have to take place. And this is just what happened with the Niagara Water Bottling Company.

   Niagara Water appeared before City Council and told them that the reduced water tap fees would cost Niagara Water 12 million dollars more for their planned expansion than the old water tap fees.

    City Council delayed the vote on the new, reduced water tap fees. The Water Department gave Niagara Water an exemption from these new tap fees. In other other words, Niagara Water saved 12 million dollars and the Water Department lost their first opportunity to recover lost tap fee income.

    This seems to be a fair indication that no large commercial or industrial water user will ever pay an "exorbitant water tap fee", nor will they recover the 672 million dollars lost in residential tap fees.

   If you and me lost a similar portion of income, we would have to reduce our spending. However, City Council has another option. Raise the water rates for Aurora's water users.

   The Water Department says these reduced fees will not cause increased water rates because the new tap fees are about use, not operational costs. The monthly water rates are for operational costs.

    But, we all remember several years of double digit ware rate increases to pay for the Prairie Waters Project, and the Water Department has several major water projects on their to do list; in fact they have not removed a single project from their to do list.

    So tonight we would like you to consider the LHNA as the canary in the mine shaft. In a couple of years, after Council Member Broom is term limited, your new council member may want to raise your water rates to help pay for a major capital project, we hope you will remind that ne Council Member that there is another way to help pay for the project, raise the water tap fees.

Our presentation Term Limits VS Term Hiatus is posted below.  

The 2013 wages and benefits schedule for the Mayor and City Council members is posted below;  the total cost for wages and benefits in 2013 is $689,308.01. The compensation chart for the Mayor and Council Members is posted below.        

                   AURORA'S  BEST LITTLE RETIREMENT PLAN

Aurora''s City Council Members preserved the greatest little retirement plan in Colorado.

Aurora's city council , on May 7, 2012, amended their retirement plan but did not change the amount of money they contribute,($0.00), nor did they change any multipliers. Council members will still be able to collect a pension for serving 6 years and at the present rate, collect more than 100% of their council salary after serving 12 years.

POSTED 11/20/13, COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION

 POSTED SEPT. 23, 2012, Aurora's proposed water sales through the WISE partnership

POSTED: May,21 2012 , the amendments to city council's retirement plan.