Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Water rates in Buffalo could jump 30 percent

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Buffalo, New York, United States
    Posts
    65,177

    Water rates in Buffalo could jump 30 percent

    Full Story in the Buffalo News


    Buffalo property owners could see their water bills go up by as much as 30 percent in January, the fourth increase since last summer. Water bills most recently increased by 4 percent last month.
    Full Story in the Buffalo News

    Perhaps this is a good time and reason to remove all unneeded patronage hires from the erie county water authority. Perhaps put them on staff to repair the broken parking meters in buffalo.


  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    West Side
    Posts
    271
    isn't the ec water board and the buffalo water authority two seperate entities?

  3. #3
    Gold Member Night Owl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    shhhhhhh
    Posts
    6,141
    The water company has every excuse in the book to raise rates. Last year they said their rates had to go up because everyone is using too much and this year because of the amount of rain, people aren't using as much water so they have to compensate because of that.

    They are no better than the gas and electric companies, they know we need these utilities and they know that they can increase their rates at any time because we'll have to pay it. If it isn't the amount to pay for the service of it, they'll increase their fees and fines to make up the difference.

    It's no wonder people are applying for financial assistance from the county, because the cost of everything keeps going up and residents are having a hard time getting ahead. A majority of people who sign up for heap are not lazy dead beats allowing the taxpayers to foot the bill, they are average citizens having a hard time making ends meet during the tough times of the year.

    The water company, like the gas and electric is doing what they can to screw us over, why? because they can!

  4. #4
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Buffalo, New York, United States
    Posts
    65,177
    Originally posted by morphinebrian
    isn't the ec water board and the buffalo water authority two seperate entities?
    OH good point.. i thought they took it over or were talking to. But the idea holds true. Buffalo water can take some of those employees and fix the parking meters.. Enless there's some union rule that doesn't allow that.

  5. #5
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Buffalo, New York, United States
    Posts
    65,177
    A majority of people who sign up for heap are not lazy dead beats allowing the taxpayers to foot the bill, they are average citizens having a hard time making ends meet during the tough times of the year.

    It's a lot warmer in the southern states. I hate to say this but either way it's taking money from someone else to subsidize someone elses high gas bill.

  6. #6
    Gold Member Night Owl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    shhhhhhh
    Posts
    6,141
    It's a lot warmer in the southern states.

    I wish I had a nickel every time I've heard that.

    It's not up to others to say where people should live because of the high cost of utilities. The additional taxes, fees and etc. that are charged to the costomer is what's more the problem than how many residents qualify for heating/electric assistance. Think about it, if the utilities weren't as highly priced as they are then people wouldn't have the need to lean on the county to help pay for it.

    If you are stuck in the relm of "...either way it's taking money from someone else to subsidize someone elses high gas bill." then take a trip to Washington DC and lobby the big guys/gals there to put an increase freeze on necessary (sp?) water, gas, electric utilities.

  7. #7
    Member Curmudgeon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    2,576
    Price controls - what a great idea...

    We need to stop subsidizing gas bills altogether. A lot of the properties that get subsidized are rental homes in Buffalo that are incredibily inefficient. If people couldn't get their heating subsidized, they'd look for apartments that were energy efficient. In fact, the gas company should post on the internet the gas bill histories for any residental property. Then prospective tenants can get some idea of how much they will pay before signing the lease. The propery owner may be more inclined to upgrade his furnace if he has a harder time renting the property.

    In general, subsidies and price controls do much more harm than good in the long run.
    Data is not the plural of Anecdote.

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    2,474

    the heat stays on

    continually. If they get too hot , they open the windows (rarely is it too hot for them). I would love to know what it would cost a paying customer to keep those old , uninsulated houses as hot as they do. It is ridiculous.

  9. #9
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Buffalo, New York, United States
    Posts
    65,177

    Re: the heat stays on

    Originally posted by Deerhunter
    continually. If they get too hot , they open the windows (rarely is it too hot for them). I would love to know what it would cost a paying customer to keep those old , uninsulated houses as hot as they do. It is ridiculous.
    How do you know this in general?

    It's not up to others to say where people should live because of the high cost of utilities.
    It's not up to others to take other people wealth and re-distribute it to others. Charity for the truely needy is only one thing, re-distributing wealth is another.

    Is heap covered by federal money or the county money or state?

    If people couldn't get their heating subsidized, they'd look for apartments that were energy efficient.
    MIght be a good idea to make a "heap" authorized rule. If the house is bad to heat the owner/renter can't get heap. Furnace over 20 years old they don't qualify.

    Just for curiousity how much is given away to heap each winter?

    ---

    Good thing we didn't have politicians that gave un-metered heap away during the time people took wagon trains west. Just picture the look on 100 wagon train families if the politicians said "take these 20 people with you. You must chop thier firewood and let them stay as toasty as they like."

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •