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Highlands Today

AP water, sewer rates cause anger, but it's misplaced

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Highlands Today

Published: October 1, 2009

It's the same old story, this time in Avon Park, and people are feeling upset by a decision the city council has been talking about for many months. Then these folks claim they didn't know anything about it. There's not much more the city could have done to let citizens know about water and sewer rates rising. At some point it's up to citizens inform themselves.

The Avon Park City Council voted to raise water and sewer rates because the city can't even break even on the cost to treat water due to low customer rates for so long. At the meeting this week, a crowd showed up to protest raising water rates. The one constant theme is that "they didn't know this was happening."

The city of Avon Park has been discussing the increase in water and sewer rates for some time. Council members voted 3-2 to boost the price. The problem is that nowhere near enough money is coming in to handle water and sewer costs the city incurs. Low rates for many years have forced the city's hand.

About 50 people showed up at the council meeting, upset that rates are going up. We understand that anyone is concerned when services cost more, but we believe plenty of time has passed for citizens to be part of this issue and their voices be heard.

Avon Park's water and sewer rates and issues have been widely reported in this paper and elsewhere for some time. At some point it's up to citizens to stay informed by reading, listening to the radio, attending meetings or communicating with elected representatives.

A democracy is only as good as its informed electorate. Representatives we elect must use their own expertise, but also well-reasoned opinions from the people they serve to make good decisions. Showing up in the final hours to protest just doesn't work.

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