Astoria City Council member
Drew Herzig has proposed a city fund for people having trouble paying their
water and sewer rates.
“
We’ll probably just start the discussion tonight and continue it at our next
council meeting, but I wanted to get that on tonight’s agenda because I’ve been
talking to a number of people, so that’ll be 6-H, and its proposing that the city
set up a fund to help people who are experiencing financial hardship in paying
their water and sewer rates. Thank You.”
Herzig suggested the fund
start with ten thousand dollars for the assistance. Saying many Astorians on fixed incomes are
facing hardship in paying increased water and sewer rates, he said Clatsop
Community Action would be willing to do adminstrative work for the program so
as not to add to the city’s administrative burden. Program requirements would be similar to
those Clatsop Community Action already administers.
Laurie Caplan of Astoria said not only low
income residents, but many Astorians are upset at the rate hikes, and the
prospect of even higher rates in the next few years.
“Its scary, even if you can write the check. It’s still a chunk of money that you would
rather spend on...I don’t know...fun, or other bills, or clothes or restaurants
or whatever, so I think its sucking up so much of our income.”
She added that the number of
dead lawns around town suggest that people are cutting back on watering in
order to save money on water bills.
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