Government transparency (November 2, 2015)
I wish that I could reference all of the great analysis points contained in The truth about water
and also The cost of water
for those two letters are the best overview of why the town of Apple Valley should abandon further expenditures of badly needed taxpayers money on the acquisition of Apple Valley Ranchos Water Co.
The first writer points out the obvious fact that the town is broke, and lacking any means of new sources of revenue, covets with envy the huge source of revenue if only they could get control of Ranchos.
The second, oh so clearly, points out how the allocation of that huge cash flow can be manipulated by the town to appear that everything is above board and that the books will balance.
Proof of this is found in the fact that the town does not have a line item and budget designated for the costs and audit controls for the takeover of Ranchos Water Co.
I suspect that they just transfer a little from here and a little from there, as well as use of personnel for that purpose and charging the cost to another task entirely, thereby concealing the true cost of the Ranchos takeover project. This is probably (in my view) also the case regarding attorney fees.
This is just doing business as usual
by government at all levels!
— Lee Bell, Apple Valley
Source: Daily Press