On the front page of today’s Glendale News-Press are two related articles: one on Glendale’s growing obligations to supplement CalPERS pension payouts, and the other on GWP’s proposed water rate increase.
Officials in Glendale and elsewhere are using various means to address deficits caused by falling revenues, rising benefit and pension obligations, and other unanticipated problems (why were they unanticipated?). Last week, council members in Glendale imposed a compensation contract on city employees. Tonight they will vote on a water rate hike the News-Press calls “unpopular.”
In letters published in yesterday’s Glendale News-Press, Harry Zavos questions GWP’s investment in smart meters while basic infrastructure is in disrepair, while Bob Getts urges the city council to stop GWP transfers to the general fund. Did the promise of federal stimulus funds tempt Glendale to incur unnecessary costs at this time to install controversial new technology? Do GWP water revenues need to be transferred to cover increased employee benefit and pension costs?
City councils in Glendale and the city of Sierra Madre will both vote tonight on water rate increases. In Sierra Madre, the issue is keeping up with payments on a municipal water bond, and there as here, the rate proposal is unpopular.