Utilities and other state sanctioned monopolies spending ratepayers money for things unrelated to their charter/mission has become a big problem.

While doing that is legal it is unethical. Legislation should be introduced to restrict the use of funds to things related to what they do.

It is also legal for state sanctioned monopolies to contribute to the politicians' campaigns - a clear conflict of interest that should be outlawed.

With Electric Co-operatives not only is there no limit on what the Co-operative can spend the ratepayers' money and none of this is public information either.

Doesn't matter - This same group told PWB a year+ ago that they were wasting money and that 18% (imagine that) was too much to raise water - especially when they had no reason to do so.

PWB response was Randy saying he should have raised rates more and sooner plus "green" houses and solar panels. It's his toy fund now.

If the city wants money they should sell the water utility. In many cities water utilities are privately owned and rates regulated by a PUC. Portland could probably get a lot for their utility.

Amen to a "measure 5" for water, sewer and other city charges too. Government is restricted on taxes but not on utility rates, fees, etc. Another area where they are making profound changes is moving basic services, like the library from general taxes to a permanent new tax base. Slick!

Over here in Milwaukie the county sewer district is jacking up our rates to pay for new sewers in the 'burbs.

More people with be living on the streets...

In many cities water utilities are privately owned and rates regulated by a PUC.

Name one. Then tell me about that privately held company's relationship with it's regulator.

Name one?

How about a lot, including water utilities for most of New England's population (Aquarion). See also stock symbol WTR.

Waste disposl is a different story, with most sewer systems being municipally-owned. It should be noted that for about 20% of of american homes sewage disposal is purely private matter via septic tank.

Water/sewer bill money is going to pay for scholarships for low-income youth? As the parent of a high school senior seeking scholarships, that really caught my eye. Since everybody has a water bill, they are likely taking money from a lot of low-income people (as well as middle- and high-income people) to fund scholarships for a few low-income students. Maybe if they lowered their rates, more people would be able to better afford to pay their own college tuition.

Robert: If the city wants money they should sell the water utility . .

Do some research before you suggest privatization of water. Very bad idea. Bull Run Water System is a gift to this community by many before us who worked hard
to establish this watershed.

We need to hold our elected officials accountable. They should take care first of the bureaus and stop spending our tax dollars on pet projects. We need the basics taken care of. We should not have to turn to privatization to bail them or us out. Privatization would only be a short term fix that this community would likely regret. Stockton,CA worked 6 years to get their water rights back. We must retain our water and water rights for our community.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/report/money-down-the-drain/

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/report/water-privatization-threatens-workers-consumers-and-local-economies-2/

I seem to recall a big survey from a year or two ago where residents supported more city services/maintenance in exchange for higher fees. It wasn't specific about how fees would be assessed, but I think the city would argue they're doing what citizens told them to do.

I treat the PWB bills as a property tax surcharge, albeit one that is assessed more against the number of people living in your household rather then the value of the property.

Actually, Michelle, the DO offer lower rates for lower-income folks. It adjusts our bill to what, I think, is more reasonable. However, since they offer it a wide range of low incomes AND it's very easy to obtain, it reveals the water bill for what it is: a progressive tax. If the bill truly reflected the cost of the product and the labor, it would be made harder to obtain relief for what we have actually used.

I love and will use all the bike infrastructure improvements proposed in the new bike plan, but I also want to be able to live in my house after I retire, which isn't that many years away. My water bill for last year was around $1,500 (I own and occupy a duplex). If it doubles, it could easily exceed my property taxes.

So if by a Measure 5 kind of solution you mean limiting water and sewer rates to fund only the operations of the water bureau, and nothing else, I'm all for it. If we are going to have new bike trails, the city should put a bond measure on the ballot.

"The annual bill for a typical PWB residential customer is expected to more than double by FY 2015..."

Are you f**king kidding me? If they're are jacking rates like that it should ONLY be because there is a dire shortfall in providing basic services.

If there is such a shortfall, why do they have "extra" money for these other things?

We allow the Council to get away with murder in this city, but these types of rate hikes could actually finally get someone(s) kicked out of office.

HAHAH Snards, you're hiLARious... kicked out of office... that's a good one!

It seems like everything is thrown in the Water Bureau Budget nowadays. It doesn't have to relate. The Rose Festival is now the latest adoptee. They used to have to pay for the lawn to be reseeded but now it's in the Water Bureau budget plus their low cost digs on the waterfront. Sometimes they seem like they're trying to break the bank. Every thing that's added takes away from real maintenance which is now at a $15M backlog plus money for the watershed road maintenance isn't in there.

Not only are the rates doubling by 2015 but the annual DEBT SERVICE is going to triple from $22M to $66M to pay for all the construction to protect us from something we've never had a problem with. By the time you add the other things required, like a cash reserve for the debt, it will probably exceed the expenses, even with ones that don't relate to it. Just like the 'housing bubble' & defaults....this can't be good.

Maybe we should make an FIA request for all of the Water Bureau's checks and search for "Breedlove"...

Portland city government reminds me of the Tweed Ring in 19th century New York City.
A little more finesse, but corrupt to the core (Really, now. A pedophile as mayor?) and able to say to people, as Boss Tweed did, "What are you going to do about it?"

The answer, in Portland at least, is "Not much." It's not just a matter of dumping the current crew, it's who will replace them? I don't see anyone with their hand up. Do you?

It's really sad that the putzes that run the water Department think so little about the people that pay the bills. Thankfully, we moved to Reno where our combined water and sewer bill is about 40% of what we paid those jerks in Portland. Oh - and when it rains we don't get poo poo going into the Truckee River either.

Actually, Michelle, the DO offer lower rates for lower-income folks. It adjusts our bill to what, I think, is more reasonable.

Actually, you're only partly right. The water bureau offers a discount on *water* rates (about 50% now) only. The majority of water bills--sewer charges--are not discounted. The largest chunk of water-related charges in Portland are sewer charges.

Legal restrictions sufficient to do the job, if anyone cared to enforce them, already exist. Kroger could ultimately enforce the applicable state laws, if the City Atty wasn't giving the right guidance to the Commissioners, or they chose not to listen to her on it. The PURB was created mostly to put a little sunlight on it, but they are only advisory.

The only way you could really do it is to make them separate units of government, with their own elected boards. That way works well elsewhere but spinning them off here is going to be lots more work than a recall. Not holding my breath.

Spinning off the city utilities to a separate entity seemingly could be done by the voters. Eugene and Springfield both have independently elected water utility boards (in Eugene that board also governs the electric system). Given the lack of accountability and solid utility practice by the Portland City Commission, concerned citizens and businesses now paying excessive rates loaded with non-utility expenses should consider such a measure. The City Council pays no attention to PURB.

Ecohuman ~
We get about 40% off our total water and sewer bill. I mention this because it seems like you're implying that the discount isn't a big deal. Well let me tell you, paying $90 less was a big deal to me.
Perhaps it's just the principle of the thing to you since the discount technically only comes from the water portion? Well, when you or I "disconnect" and start doing "humanure", we can talk about separate bills; until then, it seems to be a distinction without a difference.

The City Charter appears to restrict the use of sewer revenue to just sewer purposes and "investment":

5.04.400 Sewer System Operating Fund. -

(Added by Ordinance No. 160515 effective Mar. 28, 1988.) The Sewer System Operating Fund is hereby made a part of the Code of the City of Portland, Oregon, for the receipt and expenditure of monies associated with operation and maintenance of the sewer system, including sanitary and drainage services. Monies in the Sewer System Operating Fund may be transferred to the Sewer System Debt Redemption Fund, the Sewer System Construction Fund, or the Sewer System Rate Stabilization Fund. Money in the Sewer System Operating fund may be commingled with other City money for investment purposes.

See also 5.04.400, 5.04.410, 5.04.460, 7-107, 11-104 and 11-302 for similar restrictions.

Apparently they use BES funds to finance Tri-Met:

http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cfm?c=30349&a=281194

Page 2. Makes fascinating reading, Shaft guarantees only a 12% increase this year.

PWB is now a piggy abnk to be raided.