Providing for public health and safety is the first responsibility of city government. Central to this mission is provision of fresh water and sanitary sewer service.
Over the last four years, three successive Durango City Councils have voted unanimously to impose unwelcome rate increases needed to maintain these essential services, following roughly two decades during which the rates were maintained at unsustainably low levels.
In particular, the sewer rate increase was necessary to assure a revenue stream sufficient to repay a $68 million bond for reconstruction of the Santa Rita Wastewater Treatment Plant that was overwhelmingly authorized by Durango voters in the 2015 election.
In turn, this construction is imperative for timely response by the city to new regulatory requirements from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The fact that the city recently secured the extraordinarily low interest rate of 1.7 percent on the construction bonds allowed us to reduce the planned 2017 increase from 25 percent to 10 percent. From 2018 forward, the city plans to maintain annual inflationary increases to avoid need for future residents and businesses – and city councils – from facing such steep rate increases again.
In light of these facts, we are concerned by Judith Reynolds’ editorial cartoon in the Jan. 21 Durango Herald, which seemed to single out Councilor White for a decision made collectively by the City Council. Further, we are troubled by the fact that the cartoon also seems to suggest a citizen initiative as an appropriate response.
Given the complexity of infrastructure funding and the assurances provided to our lender, the Colorado Water and Power Development Authority, by our current rate structure, an attempt to alter utility rates by initiative and referendum would be fraught with the potential for unintended consequences.
It also would distract the city council and city staff from necessary public business.
Christina Rinderle, Mayor; Dick White, Mayor Pro Tem; Sweetie Marbury, Dean Brookie and Keith Brant, Councilors
Durango
