Column by Chris Graham
I’ve got a suggestion for Waynesboro City Council that could get them out of the corner they’ve put themselves in regarding stormwater-system improvements.
The next time there’s a big storm in the River City, dispatch somebody from public works to the end of the rainbow and seize whatever the leprechaun has in his pot o’ gold in the name of Waynesboro.
My guess is that there would be more than enough there to take care of any issues with having to raise fees on residential and commercial ratepayers – and then some.
Ahem – otherwise, you know, you guys have one hell of a dilemma on your hands.
Because here’s the simple truth – to pay for the stormwater improvements that you’ve laid out, you’re going to have to get the money from somewhere, and there’s only two somewheres, the aforementioned residential and commercial ratepayers.
I understand why the commercial folks are all up in arms about having to foot a good portion of the bill, but let’s just say it like it is – if they pay less, then guess who ends up paying more?
Well, let’s see – there are two groups inputting into the system. Residential and commercial. One of them pays less in. So … the other has to pay more in.
Ergo, cutting the fees that commercial ratepayers pay in means that residential folks are the ones getting soaked, figuratively if not literally.
Unless you go to Plan C – which is to scrap the improvements altogether.
(You might recognize Plan C. It’s been the policy for the last 40 or 50 years. Hey, it’s gotten us this far.)
So there you have it, in a nutshell.
Rob Peter to pay Paul, if you wish – just know that those of us in the Peter sect are going to be watching and remembering who did the holdup next May.
Chris Graham is the executive editor of The Augusta Free Press.
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