By Monday night, the votes will be in, and it’s looking very
much like the city of Hollister will have citizens’ endorsement to
proceed with a rate hike that clears the way for a new wastewater
treatment plant.
Hallelujah.
By Monday night, the votes will be in, and it’s looking very much like the city of Hollister will have citizens’ endorsement to proceed with a rate hike that clears the way for a new wastewater treatment plant.
Hallelujah.
Hollister has been under a state-imposed moratorium on new sewer hookups for more than three years, and if an end to that moratorium must wait for a new sewer to be operational, it’s destined to continue for at least two more.
The stagnation (forgive the pun) brought about by the moratorium is incalculable.
However, the state-mandated respite from the boom-boom development of the 1990s has brought welcome opportunities to the region, opportunities that have not been squandered.
It’s during this period that Hollister and San Benito County officials forged new working relationships. A broad segment of the community met and, through a years-long consensus process that came to be known as Vision San Benito, crafted a vision for the future of our communities. The city of Hollister dusted off its general plan and created its own vision, one that promises a revitalized downtown and a bright future for the city.
For the sewer rate hike to proceed, the city had to give residents objecting to the increase the opportunity to voice their opposition by writing to City Hall. Many did, but it appears almost impossibly unlikely that enough will object to prevail.
While that’s certainly good, there’s one issue at the center of the rate hike that nags at us: economic justice.
The city proposes to set a flat household rate, just as it does now. The city recently began assessing schools based on enrollment. That strikes us as eminently reasonable. We would urge a similar approach for private customers and businesses. While asking every resident in town to report how many people are living in a dwelling during a given month is impractical, another solution offers itself.
Water users are charged based on usage, and water flowing to each customer is metered. What goes into a home that does not go into irrigating landscaping ultimately comes out as effluent. Basing sewer fees on averaged water meter readings accomplishes two important goals. First, it encourages conservation, which will extend the life of sewer treatment and water facilities. Second, it is just.
As several writers of letters to the editor point out this week, it is unfair to ask two empty nesters to pay the same as a family of six. While applauding this important milestone toward a wastewater treatment plant, we would hope that the City Council finds a way to consider a more equitable fee structure.
