CUB Takes Neutral Position on Water and Sewer Ballot Measure
Posted on April 16, 2014 by Janice Thompson
Tags, Consumers and Utility Customers, Legislative & Political, Portland Water, Sewer and Wastewater
This story was originally printed in a press release, submitted to Portland local media outlets on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 16th. You can view the press release here.
Earlier today, CUB announced a neutral position on Portland Ballot Measure 26-156, the proposed initiative to remove water and sewer services from the Portland City Council’s authority and create a district to deliver those services. Portland residents will vote on Measure 26-156 in the upcoming May 20th election.
CUB’s best role in the upcoming election is to help ratepayers separate fact from fiction. We believe that it’s important for Portland’s water consumers to determine for themselves what’s in their interest and what’s not.
CUB has a 30-year track record advocating for residential customers of energy and telecommunication utilities. In January 2014, the Portland City Council designated CUB as the residential ratepayer advocate for the City of Portland’s water, sewer, and stormwater services. (You can read more about that decision here.)
Concern is high around water and sewer rates in Portland, and rightfully so. But we must make sure that any action we do take will actually benefit ratepayers in the long term. CUB has also observed that other proposed changes have been put forth in recent months, and each must be evaluated on its own merits.
To the extent that reforms center on changing ratesetting and investment decision-makers, we have to ask whether different decision-makers will really help ratepayers. To our mind, two things are needed right now under either the existing structure or a new structure: 1) more independent analysis, and 2) a greater focus on impacts on ratepayers as budget decisions are being made.
Interested Portlanders wanting to know more about water, sewer, and stormwater services can follow the issue on our website. CUB gave a full analysis of proposed structural changes to city water and sewer services—that document is viewable here.
To keep up with CUB, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
04/05/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Takes Neutral Position on Water and Sewer Ballot Measure