C.R. utility increases too much in lean times

Mayor Ron Corbett: Help! Has anyone noticed the rate increases for the Cedar Rapids Municipal Utilities Water Department? Why does the city fail to keep its costs and increases in concert with the economy and inflation rate? Many companies in 2009 received no pay increase. What did the city employees receive?

While a large number of individuals in Cedar Rapids are not receiving increases in pay, the utilities department is increasing the cost of its services at an astronomical rate during the worst economic downturn in recent history.

Approximate increases for 2009 from my water/garbage bill: water cost per CCF, 7.5 percent; sewer treatment per CCF, 3.5 percent; storm sewer unit per unit per day,

18 percent; solid waste per unit per day, 6.4 percent; recycling per unit per day, 5 percent.

When times get lean, you don't increase costs dramatically to make up the difference. Especially when people don't have a choice on services.

Cedar Rapids needs to get its cost structure in line with the real world.

Perry Smith

Cedar Rapids