NEW YORK—Assemblymen James Brennan and David Weprin denounced proposed water rate hikes at City Hall Park on Sunday. The New York City Water Board plans on raising their rates by 12.9 percent on July 1.
The proposed rate increase will raise the water bill for an average family home by $816 and an apartment by $513 annually. The Water Board has been raising rates by double digits for the last three years.
“Charging excessive rates for water, which is a basic necessity of life, is doing real economic harm to our ratepayers,” Brennan said.
Brennan added that his office had done research and found that a 3 to 4 percent increase is all that is necessary to cover additional costs at this time.
The Water Board currently consists of only mayoral appointees. Assemblyman Brennan says that Mayor Bloomberg has repeatedly shown indifference to the water rate hikes and that the Water Board should be under control of people with more understanding of the situation. Assemblyman Weprin is proposing legislation that includes board member appointments from other New York City offices, plus establishing term limits for the members.
“It is time to take Water Board control from the hands of the mayor and put an end to years of unnecessary water rate increases,” Weprin said.
New York City is currently making surplus money from the city’s water system. Assemblyman Brennan has introduced legislation to limit the ability of the city to profit from it.
The Water Board will be holding public hearings in May in the following locations:
Bronx:
May 6, Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 14
3041 Bruckner Blvd.,
Bronx, NY 10461
Brooklyn:
May 13, Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 102
211 72nd St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11209
Manhattan:
May 7, Friday 2:00 p.m.
City Planning Commission
22 Reade St.,
Ney York, NY 10007
May 12, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 124
40 Division St.,
New York, NY 10002
Queens:
May 11, Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
Edison High School
165-65 84th Ave.,
Jamaica, NY 11432
Staten Island:
May 4, Tuesday 8:00 p.m.
Wagner High School
1200 Manor Rd.,
Staten Island, NY 10314
The proposed rate increase will raise the water bill for an average family home by $816 and an apartment by $513 annually. The Water Board has been raising rates by double digits for the last three years.
“Charging excessive rates for water, which is a basic necessity of life, is doing real economic harm to our ratepayers,” Brennan said.
Brennan added that his office had done research and found that a 3 to 4 percent increase is all that is necessary to cover additional costs at this time.
The Water Board currently consists of only mayoral appointees. Assemblyman Brennan says that Mayor Bloomberg has repeatedly shown indifference to the water rate hikes and that the Water Board should be under control of people with more understanding of the situation. Assemblyman Weprin is proposing legislation that includes board member appointments from other New York City offices, plus establishing term limits for the members.
“It is time to take Water Board control from the hands of the mayor and put an end to years of unnecessary water rate increases,” Weprin said.
New York City is currently making surplus money from the city’s water system. Assemblyman Brennan has introduced legislation to limit the ability of the city to profit from it.
The Water Board will be holding public hearings in May in the following locations:
Bronx:
May 6, Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 14
3041 Bruckner Blvd.,
Bronx, NY 10461
Brooklyn:
May 13, Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 102
211 72nd St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11209
Manhattan:
May 7, Friday 2:00 p.m.
City Planning Commission
22 Reade St.,
Ney York, NY 10007
May 12, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Public School 124
40 Division St.,
New York, NY 10002
Queens:
May 11, Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
Edison High School
165-65 84th Ave.,
Jamaica, NY 11432
Staten Island:
May 4, Tuesday 8:00 p.m.
Wagner High School
1200 Manor Rd.,
Staten Island, NY 10314
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