Thread by @freddieoconnell

Like many Nashvillians, I just received this postcard reminding me of new water rates taking effect Jan 1, 2021.

The postcard implicates #MetroCouncil in approving this plan. That’s not the whole story, which is an important one.

#MetroCouncil actually serves as a local utility board for @NashvilleMWS, which has no separate independent board of directors. For _years_, MWS was informing mayors of increasing fiscal strain. And for years, mayors told them not to tell Council.

Meanwhile, @TNCOT was _also_ telling Nashville’s mayors about an increasingly severe issue with our utility’s finances. These messages _also_ never reached #MetroCouncil.

(We have since resolved this so this should not happen again.)

In short, our local utility was reporting findings to executives who were not their board of directors and who were instructing them to withhold these findings from their board.

By the time @TNCOT reached the #MetroCouncil chamber last year, things were so bad that our only real recourse to ensure that our water and sewer infrastructure could keep pace with Nashville’s growth was to urgently introduce new water rates.

Now one of the things I got frustrated about last year was how @NashFinance’s corrective action plan for Metro’s finances (separate from the issue with water) got partially conflated with the water rate issue when a little-discussed $10m PILOT was established.

Under the terms of this payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), water ratepayers now contribute $10m to the general fund of Metro.

I understand that we faced fiscal urgency on two fronts last year. But this year it’s time to have an honest conversation about how successful our structurally balanced budget has been.

With the corrective action plan approved and FY20 concluded, I plan to introduce a bill to eliminate the $10m PILOT.

If #MetroCouncil approves this, water ratepayers will save $0.03-$0.05 on the base rate, probably amounting to just a few bucks/month.

But this will still be important ratepayer protection until we can better understand how structurally improved our finances are as part of the FY22 budget discussions.

As 1 of 40 #MetroCouncil members, I spent late 2019 and most of 2020 asking tough questions about Metro’s finances. I have often been frustrated by the answers—especially when they reveal that information was being kept from us.

So I understand people’s frustration. I share it.

For now, you can learn more about the current @NashvilleMWS rate structure and how it phases in at newwaterrates.nashville.gov.

To be clear: I do appreciate @JohnCooper4Nash working with #MetroCouncil to get this right in response to new information he was receiving from @TNCOT.

As unpleasant as the surprise was, it’s important for our future infrastructure needs.