The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
Normally, an increase in any rates for services from the city is tough to support. In this day and age of attention to spending, residents can barely stomach being forced to pay more money for the same services.
It generally “smells bad.”
But in the case of recently approved sewer rate increases, area residents will be able to appreciate the improvements that will be made to the Terre Haute wastewater treatment facility — specifically, they will appreciate the elimination of some of the worst odors from the plant.
Over the past few weeks, Mayor Duke Bennett has been touting the benefit of the increase and explaining to citizens what it will mean to the community. Compared to other Hoosier cities, Terre Haute residents have enjoyed low sewage rates in the past, but at the expense of an investment in increasingly needed (and mandated) improvements. The most recent hike in sewage rates was in 2005.
Earlier this month, the City Council approved the latest increase, which will be implemented in two stages. An increase of $5 per month will be in place this month and then another increase of $10 per month will start in January 2012. The increase in rates will be used to pay for improvements to the city wastewater treatment facility at a cost of just over $100 million. Even though the rates will nearly double, residents still will enjoy some of the lowest rates in the state for a city our size.
We applaud Mayor Bennett’s work to inform the community about the need for this increase and how it will benefit all residents. We also applaud the City Council for setting aside politics and approving a rate hike that was long overdue.
