Liberty Ratepayers, all 2,450 of you; despite a long and strategic battle, we won some and lost some!
We won a reduction in the propose rate from about 42% to about 15%!
We lost a further reduction to ZERO increase!
Three ACC Commissioners proposed amendments to the Judge’s Recommended Opinion and Order (ROO) further reducing our monthly payment. These were profoundly opposed by the Liberty attorney who declared the Commissioners’ amendments would drive utility investment away from the State of Arizona.
The attorney and the president of Liberty frequently declared that we ratepayers “got exactly what we bargained for, the closing of the plant, allegedly at $15 rate increase agreed upon in 2008”.
The only problem is that, the $15 rate increase was over a then $48 / month rate, and very few of us current 2,450 ratepayers were involved in this agreement. In fact, only about 10% of us were involved.
Carefree Mayor Peterson, who was deeply involved in the 2008 and other later agreements, provided a “grandfatherly” history lesson of the entire 10 year history of noxious odor issue which concluded with him being in favor of seeing a “financially healthy utility service” and seemingly favoring the 15% increase as fair.
Keep in mind:
- The City of Scottsdale passed a Resolution opposing this Liberty Rate increase.
- The Town of Carefree passed a Resolution opposing this Liberty Rate increase.
- The Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce passed a Resolution opposing this Liberty Rate increase.
- The Carefree Restaurant Association wrote a letter opposing this Liberty Rate increase.
- You ratepayers wrote 510 letters opposing this Liberty Rate increase.
- The Residential Utility Consumer Office supported Zero increase.
However, for unknown reasons, the Commissioner folded their amendments, and allowed the ROO and $91.35 /month rate to stand.
Sorry, we did our best for you!
Bob Moore
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