The Shadrach Solution: Slush Fund #6 - Utilities Capital Reserve-Timing
- Tom Shadrach
- Jul 12
- 1 min read
When I review the City's budget, I don't start with what we're told; I start with the numbers. The City's own documents show we're collecting millions of dollars from water and sewer customers today to build reserves for projects that may not be needed for years. At the same time, residents have already seen their water and sewer bills increase by 37% in just the last three years. I believe taxpayers deserve to know whether we're collecting the right amount of money at the right time, or simply building reserves faster than necessary. That's not being against infrastructure, it's being for responsible financial management.
The documentation you're about to see raises questions about the timing of more than $300 million in planned utility expansion projects and whether current residents are being asked to finance growth before growth actually arrives. If these projects can be phased to better match development and demand, we can reduce the pressure on today's ratepayers while still meeting the City's long-term infrastructure needs. My goal isn't to stop growth, but to stop making today's families pay tomorrow's bills. That's why I'm calling for an independent Utility Board to review these assumptions, challenge the financial models, and make sure every dollar collected from residents is truly necessary before it's ever added to their monthly bill.
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