Contact: Matt Cruz 574-235-5849,
press@southbendin.gov
March 27, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BUTTIGIEG: WE CANNOT AFFORD FURTHER DELAY ON WATER FUNDING After more than a year of public conversation about the City’s water capital needs and several months of debate on legislative solutions, Mayor Pete Buttigieg issued the following statement today regarding water funding: “Delivering safe, clean drinking water is one of our most fundamental obligations to the residents we serve. I have confidence that the Council, as the established fiscal body, is prepared to make good on that obligation. We cannot afford further delay on critical funding for needed repairs to our water infrastructure. After months of dialogue with the Council, we presented a compromise proposal nearly three weeks ago that covers only the most urgent needs for the near term, and the time for action has come.” Substitute Bill No. 66-16 adjusts the City’s water rates on a phased basis and would increase the average household monthly bill by $3.20 in 2018 and by an additional $3.78 in 2019. This corresponds with a 3.9% increase of a typical household’s total city utility bill in 2018 and an additional 4.5% increase in 2019.
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