Letter to the Editor: I’ll trade pickleball courts for a working stormwater system any day

Unbelievable! That was one of the reactions I had when I read that our city council does not want to raise the stormwater utility fees in order to fund the much-needed improvements in Newton’s aging and crumbling sewer and wastewater systems. Even after we just went through an episode of flooding all over town, our elected officials don’t think they can justify a rate increase of 5 percent, with a nominal increase each of the next five years to fund these much-needed improvements? It defies common sense. The council knows this is an issue that should have been dealt with years ago. I’ll trade pickleball courts and a non-existent softball complex for a working stormwater system any day.

And why are they so against this? Well, it seems like the businesses here in Newton might be put out by a rate increase. Nevermind the residents whose basements saw several inches of water, even several feet in some cases, and the streets that flooded all over town. No, I guess our city council is more concerned with not upsetting the businesses in town than they are taking care of the citizens they are supposed to represent.

I can understand non-profits getting a break, but the major businesses in town, and we all know who I’m talking about, can well afford the increase. They use the exact same utilities as the rest of us, they should pay up.

My water bill hovers around $70-$75 a month. A 5 percent increase would have me paying an extra $3.75 a month. I don’t think that is going to put anyone out on the streets. And compared to the cost of cleaning up a flooded basement, it’s pocket change.

Joel Mills and Stacy Simbro have the correct attitude about this. I wish I could say our other council members were as reasonable and not as beholden to the business interests in town.

Every Newton resident should be outraged by our council’s hesitation on this. Next time your basement floods, send the city the cleanup bill. If they won’t fix the problem, they own the problem. They have made some improvements in some neighborhoods, including mine for which I am grateful. But the rest of Newtonians are left to deal with the mess caused by the crippling inaction by the council.

Make your voices heard.

John Moore

Newton