* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmembers Young, Reisinger
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Investigative Hearing - Department of Public Works Bureau of Water and Waste Water Utility Billing Division
FOR the purpose of requesting the Director of Public Works, the Chief of the Bureau of Water and Waste Water Utility Billing Division, and the Director of the Treasury to report to the City Council on the number of complaints of incorrect billing or meter reading for water and sewer services provided to Baltimore City households, the number of homes that have been put up for tax sale as the result of debt accrued for unpaid water bills in the last fiscal year, and the general practices for billing of active accounts, suspended accounts, and disconnected water services.
Body
Recitals
On March 26, 2007, a majority of the City Council joined with the sponsor in the reintroduction of the legislation that will preclude the City from foreclosing on residential properties solely to satisfy a lien imposed for charges owed for either or both water service charges or sewer service charges.
The introduction of the legislation was prompted, in part, by reports that over the past 3 years, more than 400 city residents lost their homes to tax sales based on debts owed other than back property taxes. While some of these included unpaid charges for alley repaving and sidewalk repair, most stemmed from unpaid water and sewer bills.
Reports that homeowners' property can be placed into lien sales for water bills of a comparatively little amount of $100 give rise to the question of how many of the 7,699 liens sold to investors in this year's tax sale were prompted by non-payment of such water bills or other small municipal liens.
While the public concern over water bills includes the number of bad reads, data furnished by the Bureau indicates a consistently high efficiency rate in meter readings. In Fiscal Year 2005, of 1,618,379 bills mailed, there were 8,627 bad reads, resulting in an efficiency rating of 99.5%; in Fiscal 2006, of 1,641,333 bills mailed, there were 6,114 bad reads and an efficiency rating of 99.6%; and in Fiscal 2007, of 1,352,630 bills mailed, there were 3,854 bad reads and an efficiency rating of 99.7%.
Water is a necessity, not a luxury. It is the responsibility of City government to deliver water and waste water services to City residents in the most reliable and cost efficient manner possible and the responsibility of City residents to pay fairly and equitably for the delivery of water services. A comprehensive look at the workings of the Bureau will go far toward achieving these mutually beneficial ends.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Director of Public Works, the Chief of the Bureau of Water and Waste Water Utility Billing Division, and the Director of the Treasury are requested to report to the City Council on the number of complaints of incorrect billing or meter reading for water and sewer services provided to Baltimore City households, the number of homes that have been put up for tax sale as the result of debt accrued for unpaid water bills in the last fiscal year, and the general practices for billing of active accounts, suspended accounts, and disconnected water services.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of Public Works, the Chief of the Bureau of Water and Waste Water Utility Billing, the Director of the Treasury, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
dlr07-1358~intro/11Jun07
ccres/h20/nf
dlr07-1358~intro/11Jun07
- 2 -
ccres/h20/nf