On Tuesday, Atlanta voters will make a decision about keeping the city’s water clean and preventing water and sewer rates from rising. At issue is the continuation of a one-penny sales tax that protects our drinking water, rivers and streams by funding much needed water and sewer improvements. This vote is critical.
A “yes” vote for the Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) won’t increase taxes. But a “no” vote means Atlanta residents and business owners may see water and sewer bills increase as much as 30 percent.
The MOST is necessary because Atlanta is under a mandate from a federal judge to improve its water and sewer pipes and tunnels as a direct result of decades-long neglect. The city’s crumbling infrastructure led to severe pollution of the Chattahoochee River and local streams and creeks. During the late 1990s, Atlanta faced daily fines for violations of the federal and state clean water acts.
In 1995, the city was sued by environmental groups, regulatory agencies and downstream communities. This led to federal consent decrees in 1998 and 1999 mandating improvements. Since then, we have made significant progress, including building the West Area, Nancy Creek and South River tunnels, the 10 million-gallon Custer Avenue storage facility and a stormwater detention pond in Old Fourth Ward Park.
As a result of the MOST, we have dramatically reduced both the number and volume of sewer spills in every part of the city and significantly decreased the number of rain-induced overflows into Atlanta’s rivers and streams. Most importantly, this work ensures Atlanta’s water remains safe and healthy. The city’s improvements have been praised by its downstream neighbors and by the environmental groups that originally sued the city.
This is not the time to rest. Critical work remains, and the city must fund these water and sewer improvements without asking Atlanta residents to shoulder the burden alone. Someone has to pay. The question is: Will it just be residents, or will we ask everyone who benefits to pay their fair share?
The MOST is a vital component of the city’s mandated plan to complete its water and sewer repairs in a timely manner. The penny sales tax on commonly purchased goods allows the city to share the cost of the infrastructure work with commuters and visitors who use the city’s water and sewer system every day, but do not pay water bills as do our residents and business owners.
Atlantans deserve clean, pure water in their homes, and rivers and streams free of pollution. Fully achieving this goal is a shared responsibility. We are all in this together. The MOST ensures that Atlanta’s drinking water meets the highest possible standards. It protects both our most precious natural resource and the wallets of our residents.
Please remember to vote Tuesday in Atlanta. Say “yes” to the MOST.
Kasim Reed is mayor of Atlanta.
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