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Glendale Community Opposes Proposed Rate Hikes At City Hall

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  • Glendale Community Opposes Proposed Rate Hikes At City Hall

    GLENDALE COMMUNITY OPPOSES PROPOSED RATE HIKES AT CITY HALL

    http://asbarez.com/112612/glendale-community-opposes-proposed-rate-hikes-at-city-hall/
    Thursday, August 8th, 2013

    Glendale Water & Power

    GLENDALE-On Tuesday, the Glendale City Council held a meeting regarding
    a proposed thirty percent electrical rate increase within the next
    five years for Glendale Water and Power customers.

    The Armenian National Committee of America Glendale Chapter, along with
    more than 150 community members, business owners, and representatives
    of various community organizations attended in order to demonstrate
    their opposition to the recommended plan of an 8% increase in 2013,
    a 7% increase in 2014, a 5% increase in 2015, and 2% increases in
    both 2016 and 2017. Councilmembers Ara Najarian and Laura Friedman,
    along with Mayor Weaver made comments in support of the plan while
    Councilmembers Zareh Sinanyan and Frank Quintero were adamantly
    against it.

    Within mere minutes of the gathering's commencement Mayor Weaver
    collected oral communication cards, and stated he would no longer
    accept any more speakers. Due to Weaver's unwillingness to accept any
    more oral communication cards, only about thirty individuals were
    allotted two minutes each in speaking time. After thirty speakers,
    the general consensus was the following: the rates are too high and
    City Council should consider alternatives.

    "Most of the community feels that more moderate rates should be
    considered, as suggested by two of the Councilmembers," stated ANCA
    Glendale Executive Director Talar Malakian. "After surveying over six
    hundred people and collecting over six hundred signatures against the
    proposed rates, we have formulated a list of alternatives that may
    lessen the increases, such as a cut to the amount of money transferred
    from Glendale Water and Power to the City's General Fund. Another
    possibility is to lower the reserve requirement for Glendale Water
    and Power. A third option is to authorize a 40 million dollar bond,
    instead of a 60 million dollar bond. There are options, but it seems
    that some on the dais do not want to consider even looking at them."

    When oral commentary was finished, City Staff, Mayor Weaver and City
    Councilmember Laura Friedman echoed that the rate increases were
    necessary to get Glendale Water and Power back on track with regards
    to reaching the $114 million in reserves of the $124 million amount
    set by Council, meeting state mandates and also completing capital
    improvements. Councilmember Quintero suggested an alternative 3 to
    4% increase instead and felt that other options should be heavily
    considered, while the needs of the utility should be prioritized.

    Councilmember Ara Najarian will introduce the proposal to increase
    the rates by 8% in 2013, 7%, 5%, 2%, and 2% through 2018, for a
    vote during next week's city council meeting, which will take place
    Tuesday, August 13, 2013, 6:00pm at Glendale City Hall (613 E Broadway,
    Glendale, CA 91206).

    ANCA Glendale advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and
    political rights of the city's Armenian American community and
    promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public
    policy levels.

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