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November 2nd, 2009
November 3rd, 2009
November 2nd, 2009
October 31st, 2009
October 30th, 2009
October 29th, 2009
- Bradford Lange was misidentified in a photo caption on Page 5 of Tuesday's Lodi News-Sentinel. Lange is the vineyard general manager for LangeTwins Winery and was inducted into the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame this month.
October 28th, 2009
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We have no option except to raise our sewer rates
Saturday, June 13, 2009 6:09 AM PDT
What would you pay each year to prevent a citywide epidemic of typhoid or cholera? To keep our rivers clean so we can fish and swim in them with minimal risk?
The price we pay is a pittance compared to the value we receive from our modern wastewater system. In a time when we need to make every dollar count, we receive a remarkably high level of service for about $1 a day.
All we need to do is flip a lever or keep a drain open, and our dirty water is safely gone. We don't give it a second thought. We don't have to.
For Lodians, we can simply flush it and forget it. The cost of this vital service, though, is going up. I'm not happy about that, and I know many citizens won't be. But we have little choice, as the rising costs are created by regulatory mandates. These mandates are set to achieve environmental standards, and they are beyond our control here in Lodi.
Let me provide a bit of background — and explanation.
We take this modern engineering miracle for granted. Hookworm disease is widespread throughout the world, infecting an estimated 740 million people where conditions are less sanitary. This parasite once was common in the southeastern United States, but is now largely controlled because of better waste collection and treatment practices. Also, cholera is almost unknown in the U.S. because of modern sanitation. But much of the world continues to suffer cholera pandemics, with more than 100,000 cases and 4,000 deaths from cholera in Zimbabwe since August.
In Lodi, we avoid this with the help of a sewer system made up of 194 miles of pipes, all leading to a modern treatment plant that separates, filters and disinfects about 2.4 billion gallons of wastewater a year. What starts as raw sewage ends up as water cleaner than what naturally flows past Lodi in the Mokelumne River.
All for about $1 a day.
The federal government essentially paid for the construction of the White Slough Water Pollution Control Facility in the 1960s, one reason we've enjoyed low rates over the years. But we're no longer the recipient of such generosity.
Instead, regulatory agencies set the bar higher for how we operate the treatment plant near Interstate 5. They don't care what it costs; just do it. Although we have a history of responsible operation and mutual respect with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the environmental agency continually imposes conditions that require more construction, more oversight and more testing. That costs money.
It's this environment that has resulted in a series of wastewater rate increases in Lodi this decade, and the reason we need to raise rates again. You probably received a notice in the mail recently outlining the proposed increase to take effect July 16.
Honestly, this should have been considered more than a year ago. In all, about $50 million has been spent on wastewater plant improvements since 2001. In late 2007, the city issued more than $30 million in bonds in order to pay for state-mandated plant upgrades, facilities allowing the plant to reach its original capacity, and a $7.5 million emergency replacement of the 40-year-old pipeline that connects the city to the plant.
At the same time, however, the City Council was looking at taking measures needed to strengthen the health of the Lodi Electric Utility, and that resulted in higher costs for residents. In the meantime, we were able to use our savings in the sewer fund to temporarily offset the construction and higher operating costs at the sewer plant.
So we waited, rather than have residents and businesses deal with higher energy and sewer costs all at once.
Now we have no realistic alternatives to raising sewer rates, which will still be lower than those paid in many nearby communities. Keeping the status quo means either ignoring state rules and regulations and facing fines of up to $1 million a day, or cutting back other city services by about $2 million a year. That's roughly the annual budget of the Parks Division.
Our society has placed a high value on the environment and public health. We can engineer solutions that most of the world can only dream of. Although that carries a cost, it's a small price compared to what we would otherwise pay in the future.
Larry Hansen is the mayor of Lodi.
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Janice M. Bonser wrote on Jun 17, 2009 9:58 AM:
LodiJoe wrote on Jun 16, 2009 4:43 PM:
OTH wrote on Jun 16, 2009 11:56 AM:
He wouldn't be trying to pull the wool over over our eyes now would he? Not a former police chief. LOL "
Cogito wrote on Jun 16, 2009 10:15 AM:
OTH wrote on Jun 16, 2009 8:03 AM:
Cogito wrote on Jun 15, 2009 10:59 AM:
t jefferson wrote on Jun 15, 2009 6:22 AM:
edumacation wrote on Jun 14, 2009 11:48 PM:
Cogito wrote on Jun 14, 2009 10:33 PM:
Cogito wrote on Jun 14, 2009 10:32 PM:
OTH wrote on Jun 14, 2009 2:09 PM:
Or as long as it's not in your neighbor you just don't give a a damn. "
Lodian wrote on Jun 14, 2009 11:57 AM:
t jefferson wrote on Jun 14, 2009 7:36 AM:
We may not be talking about the same person here. L has repeated talked about his time at Davis, right here on this site.
Are we talking about the same Leonard that current resides in either TX or VA, relocating due to wife's work? Good to know she is/was a professor, explains a lot of L's views on the world.
If this is the same person, I am not disparaging your family, L brings this on himself. His comment come from a world sheltered from reality and reflect a naivety best demonstrated by children. At some point he shall grow up, I only hope the country can survive his (and people like him's) 40 year childhood. "
lodidian wrote on Jun 13, 2009 10:02 PM:
As judge Judy says "don't p on my leg and tell me its raining. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Jun 13, 2009 7:40 PM:
I enjoy reading your posts here and I tend to agree with a lot of what you say but, when it comes to my family, please try a little harder to get your facts straight. "
t jefferson wrote on Jun 13, 2009 6:57 PM:
L talks about his time at UC Davis, loyalty oaths and defending the Constitution. Go have a conversation with him if you want to know where your money went. I can't be everyone's keeper, geeze, I am paying for 3.2 families care already through my taxes. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Jun 13, 2009 6:10 PM:
I paid for a portion of his education, so I know that he never attended UC Davis and, while I have always been proud of him whether he was digging ditches on a construction site or running his own company, to my knowledge, he has never worked as a janitor.
Is there some larger point that you are trying to make here or are you just confused? "
T jefferson wrote on Jun 13, 2009 3:10 PM:
Education is a terrible thing to waste, thought you would have learned that when you were defending the country - oh wait sweeping the floors up at UC Davis. Here's a site for you
www.calpers.ca.gov
educate yourself.
Never said they didn't deseve a pension, just said the cost of the pensions they now have (raised to the current level in the last 10 years) are going to bankrupt the system.
Take an LEO for instance. Starts at 20 works 30 yrs retires with 90% of pay COLAed each year. 10% contribution rate. After 7 years of retirement, the entire contribution of said LEO as well as all growth is GONE and this retirement is now covered by the taxpayers. Repeats 10s to 100s thousands of times = Bankrupt state. Get it? For an example look at GM, not as good benefits and bankrupt.... "
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 3:06 PM:
Observer wrote on Jun 13, 2009 2:26 PM:
edumacation wrote on Jun 13, 2009 1:56 PM:
The claim about kissing the cheeks of the latino gamgs is accurate. These gangs are ILLEGAL. We don't need more laws, we need enforcement. No tickle tickle games with these career criminals.
Some of the GOB landowners need the income from renting to multiple family occupancy of illegals. Its illegal to have five families living in one residence. It's illegal to live in a garage. Enforce the laws and we won't have these problems of blight. The house is not evil but these squatters are. "
edumacation wrote on Jun 13, 2009 1:43 PM:
illegalinLodi is RIGHT ON TARGET. Its okay to have plans and schemes for your buddies all paid for by taxpayers. But when an infrastructure issue arises you blame us, the taxpayers. Lets try this approach? Stop shoveling tax money to your buddies and we will have enough money to fix these type problems without raising taxes. One of your schemes to help your GOB buddies was recently voted down. Don't you ever stop to realize what you are doing to this town? Its the old pillage and take philosophy taht we see daily in the news. Vote for me--so I can give your money to my friends. "
dogs4you wrote on Jun 13, 2009 1:22 PM:
wtf wrote on Jun 13, 2009 12:19 PM:
AMEN! "
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 10:44 AM:
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 10:35 AM:
16925 wrote on Jun 13, 2009 10:10 AM:
Bad management and state madates are the reason for this increase.
Beside, redevelopment cannot pay for the costs of the white slough water treatment plant. "
wtf wrote on Jun 13, 2009 10:08 AM:
Really? You could also look at this another way: The rate hikes are here as retaliation for Measure W being defeated. "
Leonard wrote on Jun 13, 2009 9:53 AM:
" Give me a break Hansen. You are a major cause of this problem. The pension paid to govnt workers
I honestly don't know much about the subject of Lodi City worker's pensions so, TJ, enlighten me.
Is there some reason that city workers should not receive pensions when they retire? I rode with the Lodi cops a few times over the years and they seemed to put in a honest days work. Should theyy not be comfortable in their old age? "
T & C wrote on Jun 13, 2009 9:43 AM:
What about all those City wells that are STILL full of Cancer contaments on the East side of the RR Tracks? "
patton1 wrote on Jun 13, 2009 9:06 AM:
patton1 wrote on Jun 13, 2009 8:40 AM:
Observer wrote on Jun 13, 2009 8:27 AM:
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 8:18 AM:
t jefferson wrote on Jun 13, 2009 8:11 AM:
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 8:02 AM:
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 7:57 AM:
illegalinLodi wrote on Jun 13, 2009 7:55 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.