The deal will be costly to more than 330,000 city and suburban rate payers: three billion dollars, payable during the next 25 years.
It’s expected to eventually triple individual monthly sewer bills.
During a public hearing at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Headquarters just prior to the vote, citizens were divided on whether they supported the agreement.
Joe Miller was among those who spoke out against it.
JOE MILLER:
"You're talking about raising taxes $3-5 Billion... Totally and completely unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable for the citizens."
Other complainants’ worried about the elderly, the poor, and families with children. Some said the sewer rate hike, on top of new water rates, garbage fees in Cleveland, and increasing school taxes in many communities, is just piling on.
There `were' voices in favor of the project, which will reduce the total volume of raw sewage discharges from 4.5 billion gallons to 494 million gallons annually. They were largely environmentalists, lake and river users.
Terry Schwarz is with the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative.
TERRY SCHWARZ:
"Of all the bills we pay, the health of the river and the health of the lake are important to us, and this is a check that I will write; happily, enthusiastically, so I hope you'll move forward with this program."
Which is what the board did, after spending half an hour debating and insulting each others’ motives and actions.
Trustee members and suburban Mayors Dean Dipiero and Gary Starr voted no, but the measure was easily carried.
Trustee President Darnell Brown said this is the best deal the district could gain from the federal EPA...
DARNELL BROWN:
"They can't raise rates... they can't enforce us with any other policy procedure that requires more expenditure. That's insurance for us."
Today's meeting did not establish a timeline for when the rate increase will take effect.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
