In This Issue:
45% Water Rate Increase May Be Delayed Until After Election
Upcountry Vote on GSL Property Tax Planned for February 2013
Jackson To Pay Over $19,000/Year for Pipeline They Don’t Use
Camanche Outreach Meeting September 13
About RPA
Ratepayer Protection Alliance (RPA) was formed to support the rights of the people of Amador County against
unfair rate increases, which are usually used to subsidize special interests. Recently, RPA has assisted
citizens who successfully protested several water rate increases. RPA is committed to ensuring that water,
wastewater and garbage rates in Amador County are justified, and do not unfairly burden local residents.
Donations
RPA works hard to minimize
costs of informing the public of unfair rate increases.
RPA operates on the donated time of volunteers and no one is paid for their efforts.
Donations for postage costs can be sent to:
Ratepayer Protection Alliance
P.O. Box 51
Pine Grove CA 95665
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45% Water Rate Increase
May Be Delayed Until After Election
After learning that two AWA Board seats will be contested in this November's election, the AWA Directors twice decided to stall sending
out water rate increase notices. They voted to postpone approval of the rate notice a full month until September 13th, despite
their attorney having expressed great urgency to get the rate increase notice sent to the ratepayers. When asked why
last-minute revisions to the rate plan had not been presented sooner, General Manager Gene Mancebo confirmed that it was
after RPA had publicized that the original proposed rate increases would be as high as 45%.
Politics may be at play here. Directors Thomas and Farrington face re-election in November. After the AWA meeting on
August 9th, Jim Ulm (Ione, District 2) and Gabe Gottstein (Volcano, District 3) filed to run against Thomas and Farrington,
respectively. Bill Condrashoff observed, "Raising rates during the campaign period will hurt the incumbents' chances for re-election. I believe AWA
will stall the rate increase until after the election."
Read on for a timeline of events surrounding the delay
Upcountry Vote on GSL Property Tax Planned for February 2013
To pay for the Upcountry Gravity Supply Line, AWA is proposing an estimated $100/year tax on all properties in the GSL Community Facilities
District (Upcountry). The ballots should be sent out around February 1, 2013 and the vote certified in March 2013. If more than 1/3 of voters
object, the tax will not be enacted.
More...
Jackson To Pay Over $19,000/Year
for Pipeline They Don't Use
On August 14, City of Jackson leaders met with AWA to discuss AWA's latest systemwide rate plan, which requires
Jackson to pay $19,196 per year for debt service on the Plymouth pipeline. Jackson does not use the Plymouth pipeline,
and were told before it was built that it would not cost them anything. Now that the pipeline is complete, AWA consultant
Bob Reed has devised a new rate study that requires Jackson to pay part of that cost.
More...
Camanche Outreach Meeting Set for AFTER Rate Decision
AWA will hold another outreach meeting under the auspices of the Lake Camanche Village Owner's Association
(LCVOA). LCVOA Board member Vera Ferguson has asked AWA to bring documentation for the cost of providing
service to the Camanche area. That information was first requested in March 2011, but the Directors have refused several
requests to make it available. The meeting will be held on
September 13 at 7:00 PM at the Camanche Hunt Club (2951 Curran Rd). Interestingly, this meeting is
scheduled AFTER the AWA meeting at which the Board will consider sending out rate increase notices.
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