A demonstration in the New Rochelle City Hall rotunda drew elected officials from Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville and New Rochelle who joined together to roundly condemn United Water not just for the proposed rate increase but for not providing services regardless at rate.
Byron Gray, President of Local 273, disclosed publicly for the first time the dangerously low water pressure at New Rochelle fire hydrants. Gray stated that the proposed per hydrant cost will come straight from the Fire Department budget resulting in the loss of 10-12 firefighters and the possible closing of one firehouse. The result goes beyond the City budget and will impact insurance rates for property owes across the City.
In the hearing, Captain Barry Nechis New Rochelle’s Emergency Management Coordinator disclosed that the ISO rating for New Rochelle is projected to drop from 2 to 4 on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the best.
Nechis projected the property owners will see an aggregate increase of 8-12 million dollars.
County Legislator Jim Maisano called the increases “obscene” and reminded the PSC Commissioners that their mandate is concerned with providing low cost services and ask that commissioners keep this forefront in their mind when making a decision.
Many speakers noted that Suez,the company that owns United Water of New Rochelle, is tell investors that their goal is to deliver an 11% profits. Speakers contended that Suez was seeking to achieve those results on the backs of local governments and tax payers in the affected communities.
Chuck Strome spoke and expressed concern about the inequity of not allocating the hydrant costs to all rate payers through their water bill rather to property owners in the form of higher hydrant fees to municipalities which are then passed in the form of high property taxes. Strome cited College of New Rochelle, Iona College and Sound Shore Hospital as non-profits that benefit from the fire safety provided by the hydrants that do not pay taxes. Strome said the two colleges received a disproportionate benefit as there were more calls to the colleges than the typical New Rochelle households.
Trump Cappelli recieved a
Trump Cappelli recieved a bill for 2.4 million and refused to pay. Something was worked out under the table which had them pay a reduced amount for the water infastructure to pipe water to the Trump Cappelli. It got awfully quite when the Journal news reported on it along with the feature writer bringing heat.
Strome worked out a settlement that was never made public. It was always my and many others contention that the home owners would be picking up that shortfall in the way of a rate increase. It would be great to know if this is partially the cause of the rate increase because let face it the homeowners love subsidizing Cappelli profitability. That would be something worth asking Strome. I bet you get a pretty good Jackie Gleason imitation ” Homana, Homana, Homana” from Strome.