Dear Friend – Neighbor – and Tustin California Water Customer,
“Pretty soon your Water Bill is Gonna Look Like a Car Payment!”
Yes you can send in a protest letter and attend the Public Hearing on Water Rate Increases but here’s a Reality Check – the City of Tustin Does Not Want to Hear from You – and Does Not Care what You think about this Water Rate Increase.
They’re Increasing Water Rates whether You Like it or Not!
So why the Public Hearing? Well – that’s the only way that the City of Tustin Water Works can Legally Pick-Your-Pocket with this Rate Increase.
During a Drought the City and other Water Departments will Tell You to “Cut Back” on your water usage – because like talking about “Climate Change” – it’s “Politically Correct” – but the “Reality” is that they want you to use as much water as possible – so they can support their “Lavish Salaries” – “Luxurious Benefits” and “Sweetheart Retirement Packages” – “things that “you” won’t get.”
Go ahead and send in your Letter of Protest – and watch the City Clerk Open Your Letter – Roll their Eyes – “Laugh” – and promptly throw it over to a Corner of their desk – or maybe in the trash can – a successful protest requires 51% of water customers to mail a formal protest and for it to be counted as valid.
I don’t have lots of Time to Fight this for “You” – so – You need to “Fight for Yourself”.
There are only a few ways you can negate and Stop this Water Rate Increase.
First and the “easiest” is to conduct a thorough Water use Audit at Your Home or Business – and make a Plan to Cut Your Water Use by at least Half – and even more if possible.
Second and won’t be as easy – is to use a Law Firm to fight and eliminate the Fixed Meter Charge – “around $24.00 a month residential “now” – even if you never use a single drop of water” – this”Penalizes Water Savers” and may be patently “Illegal”.
You can fight this Now – or – you can wait until your Water Bill is $1,000.00 a month – and you and your Family can’t afford to Bathe – because that’s where the Pickpockets are Going with Water!
That’s why I have copied this letter to the Governor of California and other State of California and County of Orange Officials.
You and I have just begun the “Water Fight of Our Lives” and we need to beckon the State of California to “Step In and Take Over City of Tustin Water” and “Stop the Mismanagement and Pimping” of our “Life and Health Sustaining Water Resources”.
This is a Game of “Water Chicken” – that must be Stopped – “Right Now” – You and I Cut Back on Our Water Usage – the City and Water Departments then Raise Rates Again – Cut and Raise – Cut and Raise – and Cut and Raise – when “Finally” You and I reach a “Cut Back Dead End” – where we can “No Longer Cut Back on Our Water Usage” – there’s nowhere left to Cut – without Sacrificing Our Health and Safety – and the Health and Safety of Our Families and Children.
Talking Points and Issues
1. Instead of spending millions building a filtering system for the “polluted wells” – “Water Employee Job Security” – we should just close the wells and buy all water from Colorado River Sources – as is occurring now – closing the Wells and eliminating employees and other expenses will go a long way towards a “Water Rate Reduction”.
2. The Fixed Meter Charge – “around $24.00 a month residential “now” – even if you never use a single drop of water” – “Penalizes Water Savers” and may be patently “Illegal”.
3. We need to hire a Law Firm and “Force” an independent Audit of both the Water Department and City Hall – looking for expenses and people we can “Cut” – and Possibly effect a “Water Rate “Reduction” not Increase.
4. City Hall and Water Employees “Pickpockets and Water Pimps” – live in a “Perpetual Pay Raises” – “Lavish Benefits” – and “Lush Retirement Packages” – “La La Land” – while the rest of us suffer with never ending and outrageous expense increases.
5. Our first line of defense against the “Pickpockets and Water Pimps” is to Immediately audit your household and business water usage – with the goal of reducing your consumption by – fully 50% – as I mentioned – “the System is Rigged” and the Fixed Meter Charge of around $24.00 a month residential “Penalizes Water Savers” – so we must pursue a Legal Remedy to eliminate the Fixed Meter Charge – altogether – this Way Water Savers – Save – and Water Users – Pay.
Best regards, good luck and good health to everybody,
Dave – Tustin Water Customer
CITY OF TUSTIN WATER PROPOSED RATE INCREASE
https://www.tustinca.org/242/Water-Rates
Recent Actual Tustin California Water Bill
2 Month Water Bill Dated 9/11/2023
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $129.60
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $46.03
Total Charges: **** $175.63
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2024
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $142.80
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $49.73
Total Charges: *****$192.53
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2025
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $156.00
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $54.21
Total Charges: *****$210.21
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2026
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $170.40
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $59.09
Total Charges: *****$229.49
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2027
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $186.00
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $64.41
Total Charges: *****$250.41
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2028
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $202.80
Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $70.21
Total Charges: *****$273.01
These New Water Rates represent – a $50.00 “per month” Water Rate “Increase” by 2028 – but – Way – Way – More – than that – if You have a Large Family – or – Operate a Business.
And – It’s Never Ending!
Here’s the last Tustin Water Rate Increase – other Water Companies were Sued and the Tiered Rate System was deemed Illegal.
https://savetustin.com/tag/water/
Rates just went up by 5% each year – already!
As of February 1, 2020, the City of Tustin moved to a fixed-rate fee system from a tiered-rate system. This means all customers will be charged the same flat fee of $2.79 for each unit of water (748 gallons) used regardless of how much water is consumed. Since 2014, Tustin’s unit cost has ranged from $0.84 to $4.05 per unit depending on amount of usage (i.e. tiered system). On each January 1 over the next four years (2021-2024), the new unit cost of $2.79 will increase by 5 percent as part of this five-year rate plan.
https://www.tustinca.org/DocumentCenter/View/3441/Water-Rates—FAQ-041520
Trivia:
In 1958 the Privately Owned Tustin Water Works Installed No Residential Water Meters – and Households Paid a Flat Total Fee for Water Use of just $5.00 per month.
TO PROTEST WATER RATE INCREASES:
Get involved!
Attend a public meeting December 5th, 2023 7 PM – Tustin California City Council Chamber about the water rate adjustment to hear from the City about the proposed water rates and why the increase is needed.
Call the hotline for more information at (714) 573-3099
Email Customer Service on Water Rates [email protected]
Attend the Public Hearing and or:
Address your letter as follows and Postmark Prior to Public Hearing December 5th, 2023 7 PM – Tustin California City Council Chamber.
“I Protest any and All Proposed Water Rate Increases”
In California, Proposition 218 allows customers to comment on the proposed water rates prior to or during a public hearing. Consistent with the provisions of Proposition 218, and California Government Code § 53755, this notice has been mailed to all customers whose names and addresses appear in the current customer database of the City of Tustin and property owners within the service area based on the most current information published by the Orange County Assessor. If you object to the proposed fees as described in this Notice, you may file a written protest with the City Clerk prior to the close of the
public hearing.
Written protests can be mailed or personally delivered to:
City of Tustin – City Clerk’s Office
300 Centennial Way
Tustin, CA 92780-3767
A valid protest must include all of the following information:
1. Customer name and account number or name of property owner;
2. Service address;
3. Assessor parcel number;
4. A statement of protest (“I protest” will suffice); and
5. The original signature of the protesting customer/property owner (photocopies will not be accepted).
The City Clerk will accept only one protest per parcel served by Tustin Water. The City Clerk will determine the validity of all protests submitted and exclude any invalid protests from the final tabulation.
The City Clerk may confer with the City Attorney in determining the validity of written protests. As part of this process, the City Attorney may review contested or suspect protest forms. The City Clerk’s decisions shall be final and binding. In the preliminary determination of validity, the City Clerk will disregard as invalid all protests in the following categories:
1. The purported protest is a photocopy and does not contain an original authorized signature;and/or
2. The purported protest does not identify the customer/property owner by name; and/or
3. The customer/property owner has not signed the purported protest; and/or
4. The purported protest does not have an identifiable statement of protest; and/or
5. The purported protest is one of multiple protests returned for a single service address; and/or
6. The purported protest’s appearance or method of delivery reflects any other circumstances which reasonably demonstrate that the protest has been tampered with or is otherwise invalid.
7. The purported protest is received later than close of the public hearing on December 5th 2023 7 PM
For questions regarding this Notice or protest procedures, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (714) 573-3000
If you or your Law Firm has received this message and is interested in representing Tustin California Water Ratepayers – a Retainer Payment of $5000.00 may be available – immediately – inquire.
If you received this message and aren’t sure if your neighbor or other Tustin Water Customer did – Please Share the Love – and Forward this Message as You See Fit.
“Doing nothing is always “easier” – but – doing “something” – is better!”
How to challenge an unfair water rate increase:
https://savetustin.com/blogfiles/WaterRatesProp218_Eng.pdf
GET PAID TO REMOVE YOUR LAWNS AND SAVE BIG ON WATER!
The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and your local water agency are proud to offer the Turf Removal Program to qualifying residents and businesses across Orange County.
Use 50-70% less water outdoors by replacing thirsty turf grass with beautiful, climate-appropriate landscape!
Rebates start at $3 per square foot of turf grass removed – the savings really adds up!
Get paid to transform your landscape and upgrade your outdated irrigation system.
FREE customized *Design Assistance and **Maintenance programs also available to Turf Removal Program participants!
Save water, save money, and save time on maintenance!
Attractive landscaping increases property values by 6-13%!
Rebates are limited. Apply today to take advantage of these significant benefits and more!
Artificial or Synthetic Turf is not eligible for a rebate.
Please do not remove your grass until your application is approved. Projects that are underway or already completed prior to the receipt of the “Notice to Proceed” email are not eligible to participate.
For questions about the program, please call (714) 593-5036 or email [email protected].
https://www.mwdoc.com/save-water/rebates/residential-rebates/turf-removal/
Remember you can also protest Water Rate Increases by Buying Your Next Car – TV – Refrigerator and Other Larger Purchases – Inside a City – that is “Outside” the City of Tustin California!
If you operate a Business in Tustin California – You already Know – that these could be the Water Rate Increases – that – Put-You-“Out”-of-Business!
| We Love You Howard Jarvis – RIP – and Thank You for Everything! After years of work by tax revolt leaders Howard and Estelle Jarvis, Proposition 13 was overwhelmingly approved by voters on June 6, 1978. But Howard and Estelle knew that taxpayers’ gains would be temporary without a permanent citizens organization to protect Proposition 13 and to continue the movement against higher taxes. To meet this need, they founded the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (originally called the California Tax Reduction Movement). Although Howard Jarvis passed away in 1986 and his wife Estelle in 2006, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association continues their important work. And with the constant pressure from government for higher taxes, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s role as the legal and political watchdog of Proposition 13 is more important than ever. https://www.hjta.org/about-hjta/the-history-of-hjta/ |
