Sanitary sewer improvements ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are leading to a proposed $4.19 monthly increase in the average Springfield sewer bill, the public works director and mayor said at Thursday’s budget hearing.
I’ve gone to every public meeting for those” repairs, said Mayor Misty Buscher of the $71 million in improvements needed in the northeast part of Springfield, “and there’s never been a talk of funding that.” The rate increase is “the only way I could figure out to deal with that mandate.”
While one alderman said, what are you going to do, say No to the EPA, Ald. Jim Donelan – chairing the budget hearings – said aldermen must familiarize themselves with that word: No.
“There’s going to have to be some cuts,” Donelan said. “If you have some wonderful, crazy idea to add a new program that’s going to cost a lot of money, it’s just not there, folks. It’s just not.”
Aldermen still must hear budget presentations from the police department, fire department, and CWLP, which will occur over the next two weeks. The fiscal year begins March 1.
