Why is Central Basin Municipal Water District (service area pictured at right) continuing its financial support for the proposed $30 million San Gabriel River Discovery Center at the same time that it's raising rates on its customers and making internal budget cuts?The revenue report from the Discovery Center Authority's June 18 board report shows that Central Basin contributed $80,000 for fiscal year 2008/2009. And a table on the Discovery Center website shows that Central Basin has contributed at least $750,000 in total to the project.
This year's $80,000 from Central Basin is troubling in light of the water district board of director's approval last month of "a more than 100-percent increase in its surcharge that will be phased in over the next year," which was reported by the Whittier Daily News.
"This is on top of an already approved 21-percent increase . . . from Metropolitan Water District that goes into effect Sept. 1, " writes journalist Mike Sprague.
"We can't understand the justification. The rates are excessive, unsubstantiated and inappropriate." -- Joe Serrano, Santa Fe Springs City CouncilCentral Basin is one of the four member agencies in the San Gabriel River Discovery Center Authority, which is trying to build a controversial 18,230-square-foot watershed education and meeting center on the Whittier Narrows Natural Area.
But the rate hikes aren't the end of the story. Apparently, money is so tight at the water district, "officials said they've made $1 million in internal budget cuts."
News of Central Basin's fee increase went over like the proverbial lead balloon with local officials.
The news story quotes Santa Fe Springs Councilman Joe Serrano, among others: "We will have no choice but to raise our rates. We can't understand the justification. The rates are excessive, unsubstantiated and inappropriate."
Unpopular rate hikes, internal budget cuts--but Central Basin continues to throw money at the expensive, unnecessary and environmentally destructive Discovery Center.
Interesting priorities at Central Basin right now.
There ar SO many things on which the Discovery Center money could be spent--or just SAVED. One thing that could help do both and conserve water would be for the Water District to have its own folks (like the gas and electric companies) who could come to the houses of people with plumbing problems, perhaps fix easy stuff, or in any event advise folks whose experience of commercial repairpeople has made them justifiably wary of cheats who insist on ma$$ive renovations for what are actually small problems that could be simply and cheaply repaired or improved.
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