To the Editor:
The headline in Bayonne newspapers state “City Water Bills to Increase by 13.25 percent!” This will be three times more then what was expected.
When the infamous administration of former Mayor Mark Smith and city council in 2013 leased out the city water department to United Water, city residents were told that they would receive over 40 years a water increase of 4 percent a year. This in itself was drastic.
United Water agreed to accept the city water department bonded debt of $150,000,000 to obtain the lease for 40 years. This would cost United Water $3.8 million a year. I am sure that they knew that a building boom in Bayonne was in the works. Without a doubt they obtained this from the infamous city planning board.
Let me reiterate to you, the residents, what this involves. It has been publicly stated that there will be construction of various buildings in our city that will result in up to 8,000 apartments to rent. This will gain millions of dollars in new revenue water rates for United Water. Then there are the cruise ships that berth in Bayonne. Each ship will take on tens of thousands of gallons of fresh water during each cruise. Here again is United Water getting millions of dollars in new revenue. Their gain is our loss.
After all is said and done and after 40 years, United Water’s investment of $150 million will result in a possible $400 million or more. Every building built in Bayonne in the future increases their profit. If they were a good neighbor they would be reducing our water rates instead of increasing them.
To be honest the city never should have leased out their water department. When people fail to take an interest in how their city is run then they deserve the government that they get.
LEONARD R. KANTOR