Letter: Stop the lies (September 15, 2015)

The residents of Apple Valley are being flat out lied to. The town has claimed that Apple Valley Ranchos increased its rates by 112 percent over the past 10 years, while in reality it was only 68 percent, which was California Public Utilities Commission authorized. Those increases that add up to only 3 percent per year are due to state-mandated conservation.

The study conducted claims that the acquisition is financially feasible only if voters approve a new property tax, special tax, or special assessment.

The town manager, Frank Robinson, claimed we’re motivated not by profit, but by protecting and serving our residents and businesses, we will be able to stabilize rates moving forward. That is simply not true. The amount of taxes that you have to raise to run the water facilities, plus all the insurance and pension costs of newly hired public employees, will obscure any rate increase done by AVR.

Carlo Alor, Apple Valley

Source: Daily Press, September 15, 2015