By Tom Henderson • Staff Writer • 

Council looks at sewer rate increases to combat homelessness

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Comments

sisinmac

First of all, I have sympathy for the homeless. HOWEVER, I am really angry that you want me to pay more for sewer to help them out. First, I doubt the money will get used that way, which we will never know for sure anyway if it did or not, and second, why shouldn't I have a choice as to whether I WANT to help them out? I'm not saying I don't want to, but to increase MY cost of living to help them out without giving me the opportunity to decide that on my own is just plain WRONG!!

macgreg

Its done all the time

Joel

Uh...the city council thinks it's residents are mad right now about the homeless problem?? Try jacking up their sewer rates in order to pay for more free stuff and see how that goes over. Good gawd, that's a stupid idea.

rtistic1

Ty joel

Lulu

So you will stick it to the residents (stakeholders? shareholders?) for the compassion money? Another boondoggle by the city council. If three percent of the population represents the problem, you don't make 97% suffer. Ever hear of sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind?

TTT

I'll be surprised if any of the city councilors survive the next election. When will our Mayor step up and lead?

actionjax

BE COMPASSIONATE RIGHT NOW !!! Not only that be compassionate the way the city, county and state tell you or it isn't real compassion, got it? Pay for other's choices, eat that cake and love every bite.
RECALL THEM ALL!!

Lulu

So every time someone flushes a toilet, he gives back to the homeless. Thoughtful. Interesting mental picture.
The city council has lost whatever marbles it might have had in the beginning.

OregonBorn

Yes please.

I want to pay more taxes to continue to support people who choose to not support themselves, instead relying on me to do so.

Sounds terrific.

Nick

I think it sets a poor precedent. It is a sneaky attempt at passing on a tax increase without passing a tax increase because its under the guise of 'sewage rates'.
The second objection is I don't see a workable plan that is viable or will deliver any results. Once that raise is approved it will never come back and will end up in the general fund.
But yes,if city councilors want to pass a tax then have the guts to pass a tax, not disguise it under a rate rise.

OregonBorn

@Nick,
Portland does it all the time. Look how they are financing their bike lanes.

It seems our good city council is taking a page from Portland’s playbook.

And it’s just working smashingly there, isn’t it?

Nick

@Oregon Born,
Unfortunately its in all levels of government and unfortunately it has worked for politicians that by cutting taxes and raising fee's, they can be seen as fiscally conservative, when all they are doing is creative accountancy.

But hey, credit here really goes to News Register for getting the story out. Without a robust press, the council would have passed this by without any of us knowing and just paid the 'tax'.

OregonBorn

@Nick

I won’t give any credit to the NR. They are a mouth piece for the extreme left. They don’t actually report, but write endless opinion pieces on what they demand we should think. Mostly it’s an endless sound bites of condescending preaching.

They are most definitely part of the problem regarding this, and other issues.

But otherwise I agree with you.

Finch

This is just like the taxes/fees we all are paying in our cell phone bills. This was for those Obama phones and it's a federal fee. I called to request/demand it be removed. There is no way. A few bucks here and there adds up and it's nothing but extortion.

Finch

This is just like the taxes/fees we all are paying in our cell phone bills. This was for those Obama phones and it's a federal fee. I called to request/demand it be removed. There is no way. A few bucks here and there adds up and it's nothing but extortion.

actionjax

OregonBorn, thank you for pointing out the abysmal opinion pushing the NR is famous for. I'll never forget what they did in a previous election to try electioneering instead of just letting the citizens decide. I just wish they could use a powerful argument and offer up both sides and all of the facts in support of their agenda. Biases can be used in reporting as long as they are disclosed.
For me i have a hard enough time making my own bills without paying for the terminally lazy, addicted or criminally attracted.
We already pay for these people through the additional police, fire, child welfare, mental health, and addiction services now the city council wants to add another fee.......

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