GOLETA WATER.org

RE-CAP OF THE MAY 23rd SPECIAL BOARD

AGRICULTURAL WATER USERS, HERE WE GO AGAIN

In only two months after the March 28th special Ag meeting, where Goleta Water District (GWD) assured local agriculture interests that there would be no immediate changes to the water rates, GWD tried to quickly pass an additional rate increase of (4%) for all users, including Ag. Fortunately a few customers caught wind of this effort and were able to attend a May 23 meeting. The multitude of very angry comments convinced the Board that they had given improper public notification and forced them to postpone their final decision on the rate increase until a meeting set for Wednesday June 7th, 2006. The nature of the hastily scheduled meeting without proper public notice and the numerous discrepancies in the GWD financial budget and projections which attempt to justify another rate increase are areas of great concern for customers of Goleta Water District.

Please visit www.goletawater.org for updated times and locations. Goletawater.org will also post analysis and objections to the GWD budget proposals as well as giving brief updates on the current status.

Please note that it was stated at the May 23, 2006 meeting by GWD staff that ALL users should expect to see similar annual increases for now on. Find out why they are pricing farmers out of business.