LETTER TO EDITOR: SEND YOUR OPINION ABOUT PROPOSED WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE RATE INCREASE TO UCC

SEND YOUR OPINION ABOUT PROPOSED WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE RATE INCREASE TO UCC

If you didn’t know about the hearing on the city’s plan to raise our water bills even higher, you still have a chance to let the state know what you think about it. Everybody needs to get involved in this because it is a burden for all of us, a burden we just can’t handle and a burden that involves more than money for water and sewers.

You have until July 13 to send your opinion by email to this email address: UCCinfo@oucc.In.gov.

Write what you are talking about Cause 45073. You will have to give your name, mailing address, email address and daytime phone number. Say that you are a customer. Don’t be afraid to give this information because this is important. Say in your own words what these higher bills mean for you already and what even higher bills will do to you.

If you have friends or neighbors that might not have a computer or email, offer to help them send a message too.

I went to the meeting at Bosse High School because I wanted to speak for the people who are already having a hard time paying their water and sewer bills. I really didn’t expect many people to attend because there wasn’t much publicity about it, even on social media. 

I have seen that these fees and other costs are having a very negative impact on the way citizens are living in Evansville. I am especially worried about the elderly and everybody with low income. I am afraid for the single mothers and everyone just trying to feed their families and keep them in decent housing.

I went to speak for the people who I didn’t think would be able to come.

But I wasn’t the only one there for this reason. People in this community care about each other. Some came to talk in the same terms. They told of their own struggles and the problems being caused for their neighborhoods. Some talked about the negative impact the water line work is already having on their property.

People made comments for several other reasons, gave other facts. I learned there are many more sides to the issue, even though I believe the most important side is that we cannot pay these bills.

I heard comments about how the water & sewer department operates and how the city operates and the financial aspects of both of them. I heard people give details of money being used also to make new parks and bike trails and just being used for things that have nothing to do with water and sewers.

I listened to county residents talk about the impact on them because they get city water. Some people talked about science and engineering and what the water department actually does to get water to us and clean the water we put back in the sewers.

Older people spoke. Young people spoke. There was diversity in the group. Some gave specific details. Others spoke through emotion. One lady started to cry.

It was a good meeting, and I made new friends and contacts. We have to work together for all of us because it impacts all of us.

SINCERELY

William Payne

Evansville