Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Opposing Assembly Bill 182 prohibiting Madison Water Utility from collecting unpaid municipal water bills using the property tax roll.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has been well served by a community-oriented, locally controlled, non-profit water utility for over 100 years; and
WHEREAS, Madison Water Utility has consistently provided low-cost, reliable water to our residents, business and industries on a not-for-profit basis; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 182 would prohibit Madison Water Utility from collecting unpaid municipal water bills using the property tax roll; and
WHEREAS, since a municipal utility is owned by the residents and businesses of the community, all costs are directly borne by the utility customers; and
WHEREAS, we fully support current statutory authority (s.66.0809) that allows for the placement of unpaid municipal utility bills on the property tax roll, and believe that the existing authority is fair to all parties involved; current law being a result of a 15 year old compromise between the landlords and the municipal utilities; and
WHEREAS, elimination of this statutory authority would result in increased collection costs and utility write-offs that will increase costs to good paying utility customers;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council for the City of Madison opposes Assembly Bill 182 since it would shift property owner costs to other utility customers, increasing their utility bills; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that that we ask the Wisconsin Legislature to oppose Assembly Bill 182 and retain the current law in this area; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, that we pledge to continue working with landlords in our community to improve collection methods and communications with them, with the objective being to continue our ability to offer low-cost municipal utility services to all of our customers; and
BE FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be sent to our State Legislators, Governor Scott Walker, and the members of Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities.