Say What???

Say what????

The El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board (PSB) uses double talk to cover up their subsidies to builders and developers.

For example, an honest, trustworthy, straight forward and transparent government might say: "The PSB spent $200 Million of customers' money to subsidize local builders and developers."

The PSB said it this way.

On February 17, 2008 the El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board (PSB) published an open letter in local newspapers. The letter said "Your point that existing customers of EPWU pay part of the cost of growth is certainly valid.""The cost of capital projects, including service to new development, is defrayed by sources of income other than water and wastewater fees, but is also borne by El Paso rate payers."

On October 8, 2008 the PSB approved a resolution that states, in part, that EPWU has spent $200 million in the last 10 years on "growth related projects that could have been funded in whole or in part with impact fees," which if in effect "would have mitigated rate increases and/or allowed more rehabilitation projects."
The truth was obfuscated over an eight month period.

 

In June 2009 the PSB reported "Until now, all customers have subsidized growth and new development costs. With 20 percent of the current bill going toward new development costs, the average residential customer will pay more than $1,000 toward new development costs over the next 10 years." (see http://www.epwu.org/whatsnew/216090615.html)