A legal notice was published with proposed new rates for some PMUA services. I leave it to you, dear readers, to figure out the differences. The Sanitary Sewer Connection Fee is the same as one proposed last year. I could not find any minutes on last year's hearing so I don't know why it is the same.
Correction: The fee of $2,080 is scheduled to be increased to $2,130, according to a subsequent notice.
Here's the notice:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (the "Authority") has scheduled a Public Hearing for Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the Authority's offices located at 127 Roosevelt Avenue, Plainfield, New Jersey. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to review and take formal action regarding the following proposed adjustments to current solid waste rates, charges and fees and sewer fees.
The proposed adjustments to the shared service charges and the other components of the solid waste service fees, and the adjustment to the sewer connection fee, are summarized below.
SHARED SERVICES ADJUSTMENTS
Current Rate (cy2012) Proposed Rate (4/1/2013)
Per Lot $ 48.72 per Quarter $ 50.61 per Quarter
Per Household $ 34.03 per Quarter $ 29.69 per Quarter
Total (Avg Single family) $ 82.75 per Quarter $ 80.30 per Quarter
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL RATES
Current Rate (cy2012) Proposed Rate (4/1/2013)
Per Lot $ 111.96 per Quarter $ 110.16 per Quarter
Per Household $ 87.42 per Quarter $ 74.84 per Quarter
Total (Avg Single family) $ 199.38 per Quarter $ 185.00 per Quarter
CONTAINER SERVICE RATES
Current Rate (cy2012) Proposed Rate (4/1/2013)
Disposal Fee $ 110.77 per Quarter $ 100.26 per Quarter
Collection Fee $ 223.11 per Quarter $ 227.65 per Quarter
Basic Container Svc Fee $ 333.88 per Quarter $ 327.91 per Quarter
SANITARY SEWER CONNECTION FEE
Current Rate (cy2012) Proposed Rate (1/1/2013)
Sewer Connection Fee $ 1,500 per connection $ 2,030 per connection
The proposed rate changes will be effective April 1, 2013 for Solid Waste Rates and January 1, 2013 for Sewer Connection Fee. The Authority shall provide evidence at the hearing showing that the proposed adjustment is necessary and reasonable and shall provide the opportunity for cross-examination on such evidence. A transcript of the hearing shall be made and a copy thereof shall be available upon request to any interested party upon payment of a reasonable fee. The Rate Hearing is open to all members of the public.
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They are still overcharging. I hope they have evidence to support the rates because once they open this up their "experts" will be cross examined!
ReplyDeleteSo that's why Jerry didn't appoint Tracy to fiill Annie's position. He wants her for this vote.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bernice, can you explain the numbers (not being funny)?
Are the container rates on top of the low density and shared services rate? How is the Sanitary fee broken out per household?
I have been to PMUA meetings and get no cogent response. I will be at this meeting.
Also, how do I get the state involed to investigate this? Who do I call and what evidence needs to be provided to get them to look into this.
People of Plainfield are fools.
Let's preform a little analysis on the new rates.Container rates are not relevant to the average homeowner.
ReplyDeleteShared services: This sum ostensibly is charged for collecting refuse from parks, street corners, etc., and collecting illegally dumped refuse. The rate which you are charged is based on 2 components: the number of lots you own, and the number of households in the building you own.
IF you own an undeveloped lot you will now pay $50.61/quarter.
If you, as is most frequently the case, own 1 lot on which your home sits, you will pay this %50.61/quarter, PLUS $29.69, or a total of $80.30/quarter.
Picking up your household garbage is called Low Density Residential Rate. The charges follow a similar pattern. If you own 1 lot and your home sits on 1 lot you will pay the Lot charge of $110.16 PLUS the building charge of $74.84 for a total of $185.00/quarter.
The sum of the new adjusted fees for a home owner with 1 lot and 1 building, single family residence, is $80.30/quarter PLUS $185.00/quarter which aggregates to $1,061.21/Year. To this sum one must add the Sewage charge which typically might rum from $600 to $1,200/tear depending on usage. In broad brush averages the typical homeowner must pay the PMUA between $1600 and $2,200/year. This sum is AFTER INCOME TAX money. No deductions are permitted against either State or Federal Tax for this cost as contrasted to the allowable deductions for municipal property tax. Said another way, for someone in a 15% tax bracket you must earn between $1,840 and $2,530 to pay these fees.
The amount the PMUA charges for Shared Service is conspicuously excessive. If we assume that there are 11,000 properties which are charged $321.20/year it equates to $3,533,200/year to collect trash from street corners. parks and illegal dumping. To test the validity of this I suggest they put these services out for public bid.
The Rate Committee returned their report last summer. Thier unanimous finding was that the rates, in every category, vastly exceed what is charged by similar proximate communities.
Our petition to Trenton has been put on Trenton's "Pay No Mind" list. Our only effective form of protest is to OPT OUT.If a sufficient number of people OPT OUT it will create a tipping point at which the organization will no longer be sustainable. Before this occurs the employees of the PMUA should be the most vocal in calling for reform in order to preserve their jobs.
Lastly, as Old Doc notes, the small rate reductions are smoke and mirrors. Going forward the service is reduced. This make the reduction possible, not any fundamental reform in the cost of operations.
Everyone who has an interest should attend the Rate Hearing Meeting on December 27th.
Bill Kruse
I plan to be there. The PMUA should be dissolved. The study by the group set by the council found that the PMUA was overspending by as much as $8 million. Absurd.
ReplyDelete