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Menomonee Falls Taxpayer's Costs Exceed $100 Million for MMSD and Water Since '97
Menomonee Falls - The Davis for President Campaign released figures today that support the costs for taxpayers of Menomonee Falls of having paid out over $100 million for MMSD and Milwaukee Water since 1997.
Jefferson E. Davis is running for the Open Seat of Village President and is opposed by Randy Newman for the April 7th Election. The current office holder is stepping down after 4 years.
In releasing the over $100 million in MMSD and Milwaukee Water costs to taxpayers since 1997 today Davis said,
"Homeowners overwhelmingly told the Village Board in the taxpayer funded 2006 Community Survey conducted by UW-Whitewater that they felt their water and sewer bills were excessively high and needed to be immediately addressed.
The taxpayers are right as usual. Their bills are excessively high and need to be lower.
This is what we know in the aftermath of the "settlement" agreement with MMSD and purchasing Milwaukee Water.
The following is a summary of the "costs" since 1997 with MMSD and Milwaukee Water purchases:
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$37 million in debt service costs to settle with MMSD
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$13 million in treatment charges
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$40 million in "capital charges" or taxes based on home values
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$10-$12 million in water purchases to blend with Falls water
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If the taxpayers would have had any idea that this was going to be the result of "settling" with MMSD in the '90's, I don't think they would have allowed this to happen.
Talk Show Host Mark Belling was the only voice in the wilderness who tried to warn about the travails of accepting something like this and the repercussions of doing so.
A portion of Menomonee Falls homeowners pay approximately $4.5 - $5 million a year in taxes to MMSD based on a 2008 tax rate of $1.28 per $1,000 assessed value having nothing to do with treatment charges.
These homeowners also pay about $1.2 million a year for treatment charges above and beyond the $4.5 - $5 million in taxes.
The annual $1.6 million debt service settlement charges are scheduled to be finished after 2012.
Homeowners also pay about $1.2 million in water fees for Milwaukee water to be blended with Menomonee Falls water and stored in water tanks throughout the Village.
Taxpayers have made it clear they want lower water and sewer bills and I agree.
My opponent supports the continuation of the $100 million + in payouts to MMSD and Milwaukee Water as his voting record will attest to.
I support a complete review and update of our treatment options and water quality/quantity.
Communities all over Wisconsin are expanding and upgrading their treatment plants.
As long as we can prove that having a treatment facility of our own would be more beneficial from a legal, environmental, fiscal and financial perspective, I believe we can make a very good argument to the DNR, Governor's Office and Legislature to have our own plant approved.
No one thought the Minimum Mark Up Law and State Indexed Gasoline Tax law would ever be changed either.
We may be better off leaving things the way they are, but we won't know until we look into it.
We at least owe that to the taxpayers who pay the bills and have to put up with the decisions of the Village Board with very little input and notice of what the Board is actually doing.
Let's put taxpayers in a position of being proactive instead of reactive which has been the case too often on matters of such great importance as this.
I believe we can have lower water and sewer bills with the proper leadership on the Village Board instead of the rubber stamp approach that has been on display over the last 4 years with the support of my opponent."
The Davis for President Volunteer Campaign is hosting Voter VIP Meetings at John Harbor's Public Coffee House (N88 W16521 Main Street) as follows:
Wednesday, March 25th, 7-9:00 P.M.
Saturday, March 28th, 9:30 - 11:00 A.M.
The meetings are open to the public and will be unedited, unfiltered and without time limits.
Randy Newman has been invited to attend.
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March 25, 2009
www.jefferson-davis.info
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414-750-6785
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