Palm Beach County commission OKs 15% hike in water rates

Parkinson's Law of bureaucracy is in play in Palm Beach and Broward County.

According to Parkinson, the total of those employed inside a bureaucracy rises by 5-7% per year “irrespective of any variation in the amount of work (if any) to be done”.

Therefore, instead of cutting staff each year, which the average bloke would understand (balanced personal checkbook) your County Commissioners raise rates, because the gravy train is there for the taking.

This is one of the problems with having too many people on staff — you need to keep them busy. Too many people, too much time, not enough to do. It’s also a vote for more constraints.

STEP ONE: Solve the problem by investigating your County Commissioners, and determine when their terms are up.
STEP TWO: Vote your pocket book and please employ more responsible and capable leaders for South Florida.
STEP THREE: If you read this, go back to step one. You’re stuck on stupid.

This is stupid, tax the offenders, NOT the ones lowering their use.
Palm Beach is acting more republican every day.

This is bullschmidt!

Let them "find the moeny" much the same as the Legislature "finds eh money" by cutting spending. Cut these worthless "managers" salaries.

Thank you, South Florida Water Management District, for causing water users to pay more for less water.
The short-sighted SFWMD thought that water "management" was simple, just pump excess water from Lake Okeechobee into the ocean and order water users to "conserve."
But it wasn't that simple, was it. Less water in the counties and cities meant less revenue for maintenance, hence more money for less water.
Now the District is trumpeting plans to make the restrictions permanent, even though the level of Lake Okeechobee keeps rising (latest published report 10.53 feet from the "Chicken Little" reading of 8.8), but the "managers" revel in their POWER to tell users to conserve while they, themselves, waste and while they ignore the regular refilling of the lake which they drained.
The water "managers" are unbelievably short-sighted and punitive, and water users are paying an unwarranted penalty in fees and use restrictions.

WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY GOING TOWARDS? ARE W GING TO MANUFACTURE WATER, BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE.jUST DONT GET IT.

The County Commission, like any group of smug, arrogant politicians, just don't get it!

Since most government expense is in salaries & benefits for personnel, and since water usage is down due to conservation, then the logical approach is to reduce the workforce.

But, "NO" - those at the public trough wish to remain there and instead of 'cutting' employees the politicians are 'cutting' the public, which is suffering death by 1000 cuts - a nick, here, a slice there. "Don't worry", runs the rationale - the average taxpayer will never feel it ---- just like a fish pulled out of the water - no sense, no feeling.
VOTE EVERY COMMISSIONER OUT OF OFFICE AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY!

Obviously Kangian is the only one of these ponticrats that gets it.Gov 't is the sole contributor of inflation.We have an economic slowdown and they raise costs of service by 15%.What a bright bunch of people!.What will come next to raise the day to day cost of the taxpayer?These people need to go!They are now working for their own pension accounts,not the people of PBC.
UGH!

Death by 1000 cuts wrote:

The County Commission, like any group of smug, arrogant politicians, just don't get it!
Since most government expense is in salaries & benefits for personnel, and since water usage is down due to conservation, then the logical approach is to reduce the workforce.
But, "NO" - those at the public trough wish to remain there and instead of 'cutting' employees the politicians are 'cutting' the public, which is suffering death by 1000 cuts - a nick, here, a slice there. "Don't worry", runs the rationale - the average taxpayer will never feel it ---- just like a fish pulled out of the water - no sense, no feeling.
VOTE EVERY COMMISSIONER OUT OF OFFICE AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY!

AMEN

"Mae Yates, chairwoman of the county's water utilities advisory board, which endorsed the surcharge, said it would amount to "about $3 a month" for many senior citizens. Without the surcharge, she said, the water system won't be properly maintained and people would face the potential need of buying bottled water."
There are federal laws and standards on drinking water quality. If Mae thinks they can pump under-treated water through the potable water system, she and the county commission should prepare to face a federal grand jury and have the EPA condemn large portions of Palm Beach because of unsafe drinking water. It's a ludicrous threat that just "about $3 a month" will keep the water system intact. It would be Mae and the county commission that would be buying bottled water under federal order to make up for the bad water Palm Beach would be pumping to it's citizens.
This is nothing but a money grab and a threat to not do civic duty by the Palm Beach County Commission. Palm Beach voters, recall your county commission, they obviously do not understand that they have an obligation to serve you. If you are unwilling to do that because it's too much work, then at least vote out those commissioners up for re-election.

What a bunch of turds.
They should be made to handle the business of selling water just like any other business. When sales and revenues drop, cut expenses. If you are not selling as much, you don't require as many people walking around with their coffee cups. If you are not having to produce as much product, material costs go down. It is simple business.
You folks up in PBC should raise eternal hell with the turds you elected.

Everyone else just about said what needs to be said. I am just wondering how much of this increase will be going into the pockets of the commissioners so they can keep their luxury lifestyles during these hard times.

Death by 1000 cuts wrote:

The County Commission, like any group of smug, arrogant politicians, just don't get it!
Since most government expense is in salaries & benefits for personnel, and since water usage is down due to conservation, then the logical approach is to reduce the workforce.
But, "NO" - those at the public trough wish to remain there and instead of 'cutting' employees the politicians are 'cutting' the public, which is suffering death by 1000 cuts - a nick, here, a slice there. "Don't worry", runs the rationale - the average taxpayer will never feel it ---- just like a fish pulled out of the water - no sense, no feeling.
VOTE EVERY COMMISSIONER OUT OF OFFICE AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY!

their arrogrance knows no bounds

Everyone here has no understanding on how the system works. The water is free, but the maintenance expense is not. So no matter how much water flows, whether is tens of millions of gallons or just hundreds of gallons the cost of maintaining the system is practically the same.

Just because you use less water does not mean it is cheaper for the county. If you can find a long term solution that is realistic, I am sure the county commission is all ears.

This relatively minor issue...on top of the property tax rip-off...and the insurance debacle...and the insane cost of petroleum and other energy sources, and the lack of medical services for all, etc etc etc...all in the face of a national recession...seems to me to act as an additional incendiary. We are probably on the brink of a real uprising of the population who are oppressed by government and big industry. In less educated countries, these thieving politicians would just not make it home from the office one day...ever again. Pushed into financial ruin by the governing idiots, as this nation is these days, I fear that the pot is boiling.
God help us all.

What a total scam! South Florida is run by the biggest crooks in the nation. I am ashamed to be a South Florida resident, we are the laughiing stock of the nation. The 1930's NY Mafia has nothing on the crooks running the tri-county area into the ground.

We have to do something, class action lawsuit?

Early 2006 Dr. Bozo from "Colorado" says we're going to have another storm record year.

Summer 2006 SFWMD idiots drain the lake 'cause Dr. Bozo predictions

2006 2007 we've got average raining season, of course not enough to compensate what for whatvthe idiots at SFWMD already wasted into the ocean.

2008 we get screw by politicians

WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!!

This is absolutly infuriating!!

The democrat majority down here is really showing it's true colors lately. Keep up the good work...tax tax tax.

Although I lost a large amount of money on my house, I sold it and am moving as far away from Florida as I can get.

Too bad the entire region is filled with crooks, because there sure is nice weather down here.

Honestly, I've met a handful of ethical, trustworthy people in my 3 years in Palm Beach County and literally hundreds if not thousands of angry, vile, crooks.

Good riddance...