Clearer minds at L.A. City Hall prevailed Monday on the issue of raising stormwater fees. The city chose to develop a game plan for passing the fee rather than rushing it to the ballot.
Now the city can focus on passing the long-awaited Water Quality Plan, the blueprint for cleaning up local polluted waters. In addition, the city can use the plan to educate the public on the stormwater pollution problems and develop support for the initiative.
The ballot should be sent to property owners only when the public understands the problems and solutions, and when there is strong city leadership on a well- crafted campaign. A new poll to determine the level of public support for an increase is needed ASAP.
The city should use the next two to three months to move forward, not use the recent public outcry about a poorly planned fee-increase as a reason to kill the needed hike.
Again, without additional funds, the chances of the city making our rivers, beaches and bays safe for people and aquatic life is zero.
Filed under: Legislation, Urban Runoff, Water Plan, Water Quality | Tagged: fees, Los Angeles, politics, stormwater | 1 Comment »