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# Utility futility gets little support
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/utility-futility-gets-little-support/
- Published: 2005-06-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:13:42.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Pico, #archive-import

This past week, Q-line asked: Do you support rate increases on your utility bills to restore the fund balances to healthy levels? How much are you willing to pay?

Here are your responses: ✆ “If we would get all the bums out of Santa Monica we wouldn’t be needing rate increases on our utility bills, and tax increases in general. They are a terrible strain on our economy and a blight on our city. It’s a disgrace.” ✆ “No, I don’t support the rate increase. I would contend that the alleged low fund balance is due to City Hall’s consistent rating of these funds for other purposes. If the public was allowed to do an investigation of how the spending practices of the council and the staff are reflected in the withdrawals from these funds, they would find that they use the funds as a piggy bank for all sorts of projects. That has got to be disclosed.” ✆ “If they need more money, it’s because the politicians are probably the ones counting it. They should use the utility rates to pay for the utilities and all the stuff that goes with it. The utility money should not be used for the rest of the city budget. Let the politicians gouge somebody else for that. Spending less money on the bums might help.” ✆ “The main culprit is the high cost of apartment house rentals, due to decontrol, re-control. I know of a three bedroom apartment that has six college students sharing two to a bedroom to a fourth of the cost of renting. These crowded apartments create higher water, gas, electricity, trash, and all other waste products usage and cost of disposing. Add to these costs the additional usage and costs due to the tourist trade. Then add the congested parking. If any increases are in the future, they should be paid by the property owners only, who are now smelling the high profit real estate rose. No passing the costs to hard-working tenants and day-working people. The passing of the school tax was, and is, enough.” ✆ “It might help stem some of the water waste and garbage overflow if at least apartment owners could pass their water and garbage fees onto tenants. This would give tenants some incentive to conserve water and recycle, instead of just taking the water and garbage for granted.” ✆ “First of all, the city of Santa Monica needs to stop spending money on stupid things like water fluoridation. We don’t want water fluoridation, we don’t need industrial fluoridation in our water, and fluoridation is toxic. So, I think if the utilities would just quit the plan on buying fluoridation, they could balance their budget.” ✆ “No, I do not support rate increases on the utility bills in order to restore fund balances to healthy levels. I just read that Santa Monica has a surplus in the budget, so they can just take the surplus from the budget and add it to restore the fund balances to healthy levels themselves. How did the fund levels get so low in first place?” ✆ “Support? No. This is a typical bumbling bureaucrat and power-seeking political play, trying to take advantage of the stupidity and mathematical incompetence of Santa Monicans. There’s no necessity to increase rates because, generally, rates are a percentage. A given percentage yields more when the base increases. Simple, but obviously the rulers of the fascist mini-state of Santa Monica know that even a simple concept is too much for the Santa Monica simpletons to understand. It’s like the sales tax rate increase on the service tip expectation or rate increase scams that most of the sheep except. In case you don’t understand the rationale for these increases, it’s because prices, expenses, living costs, etc. are increasing, that the percentage has to increase, ignoring the fact that the original percentages will yield more because they are calculated on those same prices, expenses, living costs, etc. How much am I willing to pay? None. Nada.” ✆ “I am willing to pay nothing. A large amount of tax money goes to supporting City Hall’s green revolution, like green electricity, and solar panels which are mostly on low-income housing because only the city can afford such non-profitability. Waste and stormwater is taxed to fund charities like Heal the Bay, which have accomplished nothing in 20 years. Solid waste taxes go to organizations like Pico Youth & Family Center and OPCC bum outreach. The county should be responsible for the Y of Santa Monica. This is just another City Hall grab for money to help destroy the middle class in this town. That’s the first thing Lenin did in Russia — destroy the middle class. Why not give the mayor a one-way ticket to San Francisco — the only city worse off than Santa Monica with its environmental leeches. The council won’t be happy until we are all riding bicycles with funny little hats, reading by candlelight, and a log fire to keep us warm. City Hall is marching us backward into the 21st century.” ✆ “For a half century or more, ever since they had a city council and had staffs within City Hall, all I’ve ever heard is: “Staff says this, staff says that.” The problem is, staff never comes to the city council and says, “Hey, we’re saving money in this direction.” Not once. Staff always comes with a recommendation that the council usually rubber stamps. It’s a doggone shame, and I definitely do not support rate increases on my utility bills to restore any fund balances to what staff thinks are healthy levels. I am willing to pay zero.” ✆ “Any more increase is absolutely ludicrous.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)