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San Antonio Water System workers repair a broken water pipe along Broadway last year. It\u2019s the wrong time for SAWS to ask\u00a0ratepayers for an increase, City Council Member Marina Alderete Gavito writes.<\/p>\n
Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
San Antonio City Council Member Marina\u00a0Alderete Gavito represents District 7.<\/p>\n
Carlos Javier Sanchez \/ Contribu<\/p>\n
The cost-of-living crisis is top of mind for nearly everyone these days. From increasing prices at the grocery store, gas topping $4 per gallon in many places and an economy that is precarious, just getting by is a struggle for many people.<\/p>\n
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It is at this moment that San Antonio City Council, where I serve as District 7 representative, is being asked to vote on the San Antonio Water System\u2019s proposal<\/a> to spike utility rates by 33% over the next four years. It brings me both dread and frustration to consider what another cost-of-living increase would mean for residents.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Headlines about SAWS President and CEO\u00a0Robert\u00a0Puente\u2019s recent $132,000 bonus<\/a> have not helped. When families are struggling to make ends meet while facing a sharp increase in their water bills, a payout to the top executive feels like a slap in the face.<\/p>\n There are two ways to view SAWS\u2019 proposal to raise utility bills:<\/p>\n One is that the water utility is finally asking for the investment it needs after years of kicking the can down the road, and the need is urgent.<\/p>\n Alternatively, San Antonio\u00a0ratepayers are being asked to absorb the cost of business decisions that were not made during a healthier economy.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On San Antonio\u2019s West Side, part of which I represent, the politics of water and infrastructure run deep<\/a>. Our communities on the West Side have disproportionately dealt with the environmental and financial impacts of flooding.<\/p>\n That legacy continues with water leaks.<\/p>\n For decades, our neighborhoods have faced underinvestment. But now, just as we are finally seeing the benefits of equitable investment in the repaving of our roads, millions of gallons of water are flooding our streets and tearing up the infrastructure we fought so hard for.<\/p>\n