Sewer rate change proposed - Ruidoso News

Under a proposed rate reorganization, the financial burden for construction and operation of a regional wastewater treatment plant would be more evenly divided between residential and non-residential customers.

[grabyour ankles]

"The gross receipt tax is paid by all the tourists who shop and stop here snd that takes the tax off residents"
Hardemann said.
Who voted for this guy???
EVERYONE pays gross receipt tax and the local who lives here 24/7, including you, Mr Hardemann, pay the bulk of the gross receipt tax.
Are you just trying to ease our pain in having to grab our ankles or do you really believe those half baked statements that come out your mouth?

"And tourists are the reason we have to build such a large treatment plant" added councilor James Stoddard

He forgot to add that we would not be building it at all and the dodo would continue to flow downstream but for a lawsuit forcing them to do something...be it 20 years overdue.

Those pesky tourists.....we can just blame them for everything, including all that money they drop in this town and with your associates, Mr Stoddard.

[Better Informed]

grabyour ankles wrote:

"The gross receipt tax is paid by all the tourists who shop and stop here snd that takes the tax off residents"
Hardemann said.
Who voted for this guy???
EVERYONE pays gross receipt tax and the local who lives here 24/7, including you, Mr Hardemann, pay the bulk of the gross receipt tax.
Are you just trying to ease our pain in having to grab our ankles or do you really believe those half baked statements that come out your mouth?
"And tourists are the reason we have to build such a large treatment plant" added councilor James Stoddard
He forgot to add that we would not be building it at all and the dodo would continue to flow downstream but for a lawsuit forcing them to do something...be it 20 years overdue.
Those pesky tourists.....we can just blame them for everything, including all that money they drop in this town and with your associates, Mr Stoddard.

Yes everyone pays GRT. But, who IS going to pay for the federally-mandated wastewater plant upgrade to our system?

Perhaps you did not know that the environmentalists FORCED uniquely stringent standards on our permit. So unique that the EPA could not find another permit in the whole nation with nitrogen and phosphorus limits even close. 20 years over due? In what universe? The techology to clean the water to THIS level was barely invented last year. Even so, there is no guarantee it even works, since we're the guinea pigs for the whole process.

Perhaps you did not know that the cost of the plant necessary to remove this waste ($41 million), is about $4,100 for every man, woman and child in Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs.

Cities in New Mexico get 96% of their operating revenue from gross receipts tax, which is a modified sales tax (they get no income tax, little property tax, no compensating tax, and cannot use lodger's tax (which is miniscule) for water or wastewater operation or capital improvements). The amount allowed to cities to charge as gross receipts tax is limited by state law at around 8%, which Ruidoso will be charging. The amount necessary to pay off the plant (even if you could bond against future gross receipts tax-which you can't) would be around 34%. Add the state's portion of GRT to that and a $1.00 bottle of Coke is now $1.39. Sound OK? How about a $25,000 auto? Try ~$34,000 after tax title and license. Increase water and sewer rates to pay for the improvements? Ruidoso and especially Ruidoso Downs already pay among the highest rates in the state for sewer-before this upgrade. Wait 'til the new plant is finished...

The Feds and environmentalists thought it was necessary to clean our water so far beyond drinking water that the fish won't be able to live in it (no shyte!). This same water immediately gets contaminated by livestock urinating in the water mere feet from the plant pipe into the river. Why does the standard stop at the pipe? The river runs all the way to Roswell. Feds and environmentalists created this crazy burden on our little communities, they should pay to fix it.

While I'd agree that "Groucho Marx" Hardeman is usually not very sophisticated with regards to his votes, he and the rest of the council have little choice at this point in time. Stimulus only paid for so much...

Maybe someone should have figured out how to make the Mescalero "Entitlement" Tribe pay their fair portion of the plant. Bringing them on at our expense was just down-right stupid. That was a real boneheaded vote of support for Mayor Leon by Hardeman that'll really cost us. If you're going to be pis-sed, get pis-sed off for something like that. I am still fuming over that "bright" move.

[Midtown Maven]

The Mescalero Tribe will almost certainly blow a gasket when it reads this letter but I definitely must make the case that I find Mescalero Tribe's canards highly insulting. Let us note first of all that if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem.

Pay Up!