Negative impact of Morro Bay Mayor Iron’s actions gets watered down

I offer comment about the Sept. 28 Tribune questions to Morro Bay candidates and their answers (“Morro Bay mayor’s race: 4 questions for the candidates”).

The Tribune’s question regarding water rates understates the huge negative impact of Mayor Jamie Irons’ administration’s actions affecting water and sewer services, which appear on the same monthly “water bill.”

A better question would have included charges for maintaining the sewer collection system and financing/operation of a treatment plant. The present 2019 schedule combining the $75.50 water and $83 treatment plant costs projects to a $158.50 monthly bill for The Tribune’s “average family.” But that was calculated before Cayucos was driven to end our partnership, increasing the treatment plant cost for Morro Bay ratepayers. Furthermore, there will be additional cost to provide for the use of reclaimed water.

In his answer justifying the water rate increase, Mayor Irons stated that “ other city services, like street repair, were underfunded in order to subsidize water rates.” Since he has been our mayor for almost four years, he should know the water fund is an enterprise fund and by law is walled off from other city funds.

Gentrification is the future of Morro Bay.

This story was originally published October 17, 2016 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Negative impact of Morro Bay Mayor Iron’s actions gets watered down."