The high cost of living has some New Yorkers treading water, leading one Queens assemblymember to call for reforms to the composition of New York City Water Board.
Assemblymember David Weprin, along with Assemblymember Jim Brennan of Brooklyn, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Sunday, November 14, urging the State Senate to vote for his Water Board Restructuring Bill before year’s end.
Calling for greater accountability and transparency on the part of the Water Board, Weprin’s bill would remove control of the current board from Mayor Michael Bloomberg by dividing the appointing authority to two additional city offices of government – the Speaker of the City Council and the City Comptroller.
Weprin said that since 2007, the Water Board has consistently raised water rates by double digit percentages, most recently in July of this year. Currently, the Water Board is comprised strictly of seven Mayoral appointees – something that Weprin’s legislation would change.
“Any time there is a surplus, they use it to pay for things like police, fire department and education – which are all good things, but that’s what property taxes are for,” said Weprin. “They are not using the money to maintain the system. If they want to raise taxes, they should raise them. They do it this way because they can get away with it.”
The bill would allow the Mayor to appoint three members to the board, but would give three appointees to the City Council and one to the City Comptroller. Most importantly, according to Weprin, it would allow for an independently elected chairperson selected by all board members.
“It’s time to take the Water Board control from the hands of the Mayor and put an end to years of unnecessary water rate increases,” said Weprin, whose bill A11060/S8320 is presently being reviewed by the Senate Rules Committee. “It’s imperative that the Senate pass their version of the Water Reform bill before the year’s end.”
Calls to the Water Board were not returned as of press time.
