Trivedi vetos decision to end water-rate hike

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Updated: March 1, 2012 8:29AM

LOCKPORT — Mayor Dev Trivedi is vetoing the city council’s decision to eliminate water-rate increases that took effect in December.

On Jan. 18, a divided council voted 5-2 to eliminate the increases.

With his veto, Trivedi is defending the increases on several grounds:

“The city must run the water and sewer utility in a business-like manner, not a political manner,” Trivedi said in a statement announcing the veto. “The ordinance to reduce (freezing) the rates by the majority of the city council was done absent of any financial analysis and multi-year planning.”

“There are no financial projections that demonstrate what the rates mean to the city’s ability to pay for ongoing operations, make debt service payments, pay for future capital projects, or take advantage of matching grants and low-interest loans,” he added.

Trivedi also expressed concerns about deferring action on water and sewer issues.

“Deferring water and sewer problems is more expensive for the ratepayers in the long run,” he said. “The city council should fund and address the many water and sewer projects that need to be addressed.”

Trivedi mentioned that Lockport also serves water and sewer customers outside city limits. This must be considered when addressing the rate issue, he said.

“Lowering the water and sewer rates may require city of Lockport residents — through general fund money, which includes property taxes — to subsidize nonresidents in Bonnie Brae (water and sewer), Lockport Heights (water and sewer), Fairmont (sewer only) and the village of Homer Glen (sewer only).”

“A funded Capital Improvement Program, funded in part by water and sewer rate increases, is vital to the city’s broad goals of economic growth, sound fiscal management and protecting the quality of life for our residents. This ordinance contradicts this vision and philosophy,” Trivedi said.

The council will address the issue at this week’s meeting, at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the third-floor board room of the Central Square building, 222 E. Ninth St.