Dear Editor,

Mayor McGinn’s proposed unethical raid to increase utility rates to use them as a “CASH COW” is one of the lowest blows that could be made on the average household in Seattle during this period of severe economic impact on the majority low and middle income sectors of the population. Utilities are part of the basic life supporting needs of humans and use for non-utility budget augmenting purposes deserves maximum protection from political tampering !!

THE PUBLIC EXPECTS THAT UTILITY RATES SHOULD BE BASED ONLY ON THOSE COSTS DIRECTILY RELATED TO PROVIDING THE UTILITY SERVICE ---NO OTHER --PERIOD !!!!!!

Here are a few of the titles of articles in the Times recently since Mayor McGinn announced the idea to use our public utilities as “CASH COWS”!

Outlook On Economy Gloomy
Were Are Earning More And More Of Us Are Poor
Wage Stagnation Imperils Consumer Spending
Economics Look Grim
Inequalities A Threat To Nation

I sincerely hope and urge all Seattle City Council members take a public stand against this CASH COW idea ! The public majority has had to make adjustments (many that hurt) to lower expenses to match income, AND SO MUST THE CITY OF SEATTLE ! The mass of the voting public will be incensed if predatory attacks on essential, life supporting utilities are initiated !!!!

I can’t imagine why politicians can’t accept the economic impact on the voters and take steps to balance the budget to meet legal requirements even it hurts programs that have no supporting income. The Mayor and Council must expect tears and threats from the well organized and well-meaning organizations that will resist funding changes !

Citizens ire is not limited to utility rates but also include the Mayor’s idea to drastically raise City fees for all nature of parking sites, and the Council’s action to adopt a Transportation Benefit District to further primarily DOWNTOWN PROJECTS !!! Council talk at the meeting adopting the Transportation Benefit District and it’s car tab fees never focused on one project outside of downtown. And Council Person Rasmussen mentioned the horrible idea of BUNDLING projects for voter approval and did not mention the practice of EARMARKING commonly used in this type of legislative actions. If you want to think of a representative project, look at the history of the First Hill Streetcar Line which started as an answer looking for a question and which was never justified during Council actions on route location – everyone wants a “freebee”.

I urge the Mayor and Council to pay particular attention to refrain from using utilities (public and private) as CASH COWS during the 2 1/2 month period when major attention is directed to 2011 budget development !!

THE PUBLIC WILL BE WATCHING !!!

Sincerely

John Storz