Unite against high assessments
To the editor:
I am a retired firefighter from another state and I know people have complained about the sewer-water line work before.
I spend a lot of time at home and see how inefficient the process is. I’m in a rental so the high prices they charge don’t affect me. But to charge $15,000-$20,000 per house is crazy. I have seen them dig a hole in the same places time and time again. It’s like they have to justify the cost by doing all this work that’s not needed. My road was the first one in our neighborhood ripped out in June of 2014. They are currently working on grading the road for paving. Yesterday they graded it and just behind was a guy walking with a level measuring and with him was another guy with a spray can putting an X on the road. Later, a roller went by as did a scoop to remove the extra dirt. They did that whole process four times yesterday and they have started again today. Someone needs to get these people together to be more efficient and cut costs.
I also have a complaint on the high water bills.
I have lived in four states over the years and always paid $28-$35 a month and that’s for a family of four. We have water all around here. It’s only 50 feet down, with canals and a river also. So why the high cost? One place I lived out west pumped the water from 1000 feet below to a lake. They then pumped it 15 miles to town. It then went another 12 miles to another town. Still, I never paid over $35.
I also feel the water company is to blame for some of the foreclosures around. I’m sure the city doesn’t mind getting free land but it’s not right. People were trying to sell their lots before the water came in for $10,000-$15,000 and now they are getting “taxed” $15,000-$20,000 – what’s wrong here? Sure, they can now sell it for $30,000 but who is going to do that? Not many people for sure. People are also taking a loss on the sale of their houses because they can’t afford the assessments. If the house doesn’t sell, then they are getting foreclosed on.
I feel people need to stand together better and this will end.
Dewey Lee
Cape Coral