Growls

Last Saturday’s DC Examiner newspaper carried an article by David Francis, which noted that water and sewer rates have nearly double since 1999. Citing a county water utility official, Francis wrote, “Arlington County water and sewer rates have almost doubled in the last seven years” He then noted, “Rates have gone from $4.19 per 1,000 gallons of water in 1999, to $8.00 for the same amount today.”

County officials blamed a litany of causes as to why rates have gone up. While some increases may be legitimate, the county poohbahs should explain in great detail each and every instance when rates go up faster than the general cost of living. Could an Inspector General could get answers to some of these troubling trends?