This is in reply to Dick Minnis' Oct. 14 guest commentary ("Pro-casino candidates in Plymouth can't put lipstick on this pig"). Firstly, this election in Plymouth is not about the casino. It is about water, economic growth and the betterment of Plymouth as a city.
Each time there is an election in Plymouth, the No Casino in Plymouth group turns every issue around to make it a no-casino issue. Jon Colburn, who is a No Casino member, current four-year city council member and is now running for council again, is promising to lower water rates for Plymouth. How can he do this when he just voted recently for Plan A, the largest increase for the next five years? I think the residents need to know that the council has already voted in a 16 percent raise in water rates effective January 2009. Is this a lower rate?
Plan A calls for an additional 16 percent increase in water rates in July 2009, another 16 percent increase in July 2010, another increase of 12 percent in January 2011, an 8 percent increase in January 2012, and another increase of 3 percent in January 2013. These increases have already been voted on by the city council with a 5-0 vote for approval.
Secondly, if the Amador Water Agency pipeline is rejected by the residents, do they know they will have to pay back the approximately $1.5 million of the monies that have already been expended? This would be a higher payment than any water rate increase. It was stated at a city council meeting this would have to be paid back over a five-year period and would increase the city water rates by 98 percent, in fact doubling our current rate.
Thirdly, Dick Minnis is not a resident of Plymouth and is not paying any water rates that we, the citizens, have to pay or any future increases that may occur.
Again, this is not a casino issue election. It is about Plymouth and the need for a city council with members that will protect Plymouth and work toward the betterment of Plymouth with careful economic growth and water.
The present city council has been in office for five years. Have you seen any improvement in anything during this time?