Glendale Chamber of Commerce Opposes GWP Water Rate Increase on City Council Agenda March 20


The Glendale Chamber of Commerce opposes GWP’s water rate increase proposal, announcing its position in an email blast which is also posted on the home page of the Glendale Homeowners Coordinating Council. Chamber members will appear at the City Council meeting o express their concerns. Excerpt:

RESOLVED, that the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as representatives of Glendale businesses, is concerned by the absence of any request by GWP of business community input during the development phase of this “Water Rate Redesign” and the subsequent lack of sufficient notice to the business community to respond to the proposed rate and fee increases;

that the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as an association of businesses, understands the budgetary, legal and political demands and constraints faced by GWP in order to provide safe, dependable water and conditionally supports, pending review of additional information, GWP’s proposed 2% first year overall revenue increase; however,

the Chamber Board of Directors, as advocate for Glendale business, expects that rates and fees be equitably determined and believes, based on data and information provided by GWP, that such rate and fee increases have not been appropriately distributed among the user classifications. The Chamber therefore is opposed to the proposed distribution of the proposed rates and fees which in part would increase commercial rates and fees while decreasing other user rates and fees and would impose a 460% to 607% increase in fire meter fees.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors requests that the City establish a committee which would include members from each user classification in order to review the proposed rate redesign and advise GWP of the concerns and constraints of each user classification in order to best advise GWP and the City Council of the economic ramifications to each user classification, the community and the utility.

Representatives of the Chamber’s Board of Directors will attend the Glendale City Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, and will voice their concerns and opposition to the proposed distribution of the rates and fees.

We encourage all businesses to go the the City Website to view the Staff Report to City Council, which includes the proposed rates at:
http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/government/council_packets/Reports_032012/CC_9a_032012.pdf

Please pay special attention to the rates shown on Page 8. These rates are for 2012 only and will increase significantly beginning in 2013.

You may view the GWP consultant’s final report at the following link:
http://www.glendalewaterandpower.com/pdf/GWPWaterRateRedesignFinalReport.pdf