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Paso Robles water battle lingers

September 5, 2012

A local judge said Tuesday that his decision on the fate of new water rates in Paso Robles will await a higher court ruling on the same matter which is due shortly.

A lawsuit brought by resident John Borst and several other individuals alleges that city officials’ attempt to tie residential water rates to payments for the city’s share of Nacimiento Water Project was in fact a new and unapproved tax assessment. Borst’s lawsuit asserts that residents are due an $8 million refund for monies unlawfully collected by the city. That contention was turned aside last year by Judge Martin Tangeman, who said the increase comprised a fee, and therefore was lawful.

Borst challenged that ruling, saying that the increase should have been put to voters as a proposed tax increase.

Judge Jac Crawford will wait to hear what an appellate court has to say about the previous related case. That decision could be rendered within weeks.

 


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How about a new battle cry…..


“Paso Robles has no APP for that”.


Get rid of him!. Should we make some bumper stickers made with that?


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Vote no on the tax issue.


When they get the message and bring it back for a specific use ( roads), vote yes.


DO NOT, REPEAT.. DO NOT GIVE JIMMY APP MONEY WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY! If you do, a few years from now you’ll find Jim and his loyal army will have used it for ever increasing salaries.


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Pasoparent5 —- You are so right about Paso Robles City officials badmouthing Mr. Borst for his

tenacity in challenging the City for failing to let the citizens of Paso Robles the right to vote on the Nacimiento pipeline project (at time,cost of 176 million dollars). Also, all Paso Robles water customers are now paying $18.00 less per month since January 2012. This cost was rescinded due to the actions of the “Concern Citizens group” that challenged the City. If it wasn’t challenged, the cost could have gone as high as $60.00 per month on water customer’s bills, approximately $ 216.00 per year savings to all Paso Robles water customers. Thank you! Mr.Borst for your tenacity. While other citizens (Approx. 46% for and 54% against / 2009 Special election ) the city backers sat on their derriere and did nothing and yet they receive the savings too. Apparently, most citizens appreciated Mr. Borst’s results.


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Whiskey’s for drinkin’, water’s for fightin’ over.


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Keep fighting about it while the water table gets lower and lower every day. At some point, you won’t have to worry about water rates anymore, because there won’t be any water for anybody.


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What a money wasting mess! And our money no less!


Yup, it is time to make some big changes to the city council… Steve Martin and Jim Reed need our votes! Mr. Martin has the experience, and Mr. Reed is a fresh face to the political scene. It’s time to get behind these candidates and be a part of the change we desperately need!


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I’m open-minded on these two but have no idea of what they stand for. A website, perhaps, that has that info?


I do remember in 2008, a whole lot of folks voting for someone we knew nothing about and we need not go down that road again.


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I just googled them and found: jimreed4paso.com and martinforcouncil.com


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The State of California manages and is partially funded by the distribution of water. In addition, California pays the salaries of their Judges. How can an impartial decision be made within the umbrella of California, a state with serious cash flow problems. In addition why was money wasted on a local branch of the courts, wouldn’t a Federal Court be the starting point?


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The state manages water primarily through the State Water Project, which is different than the Naciemento project.


I’m not saying that it is not possible for a judge’s decision on water to be bought, but California State is not necessarily the boggieman in this case.


In fact, it was the City of Paso Robles that apparently tried to scam an illegal “assessment district” for Naciemento water, instead of going through the legal steps (including voting by the citizens of the city).


No wonder the potholes go without filling. The people in Paso Robles pay taxes to a city who apparently believes it can use those taxes for whatever it wants.


It is a shame that only two city council members are up for reelection. Those two must be voted out. If they aren’t, Paso taxpayers might as well just start limbering up for the Great Paso Robles BendOver that they will embolden the city to inflict on them.


If the city council and city management are not stopped now, that will simply rip off the taxpayers again.


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Just another reminder of exactly why voters of Paso Robles should vote OUT Fred Strong and Nick Gilman in November. They are 2 of the main reasons the infrastructure in this city is in a despicable condition and getting worse. They, along with other City Council members, have shown over the past several years that the real issues impacting the citizens of this city are neglected and that the tax-paying citizens do not matter.


Voters: You have a very big decision to make in November. If you want this city to continue along as it has under the so-called leadership of the present CC and App – then so be it. Our streets will continue to degrade, our water and sewer costs will continue to increase, we will not get Naciemento water until 2017 or 2018, we will continue to allow hotels and motels to use TOT to promote tourism (instead of infrastructure improvements), we will get a new Police Chief promoted from within and likely have another

Ms. Solomon debacle. the city will have lawsuits filed against it for more of the fallout from the Police chief fiasco, the city will continue to increase salaries of city administrators, and on and on.


BUT, if you believe that ENOUGH is ENOUGH and that it is way past the time to try something different in how this city is managed and governed – then VOTE OUT Strong and Gilman. Send a crystal clear message to the rest of the CC, mayor, and city admiinstration that we are MAD as HE– and will not take this type of management anymore.


Also vote against the 1/2% sales tax increase, and vote no on extending mayors term to 4 years. The last city projection shows a surplus – this city does not need more revenue – it needs to spend what is has on the citizens that live here and pay taxes here. It is our city – take it back!!


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The city manager and councilmen continually badmouth Mr. Borst as the reason why Paso residents are paying big bucks for Lake Naci water yet haven’t gotten to use one drop of it. Their pathetic attempt to use Borst as their scapegoat shows their unwillingness to EVER accept responsibility for ANYTHING! Our pathetic city streets…our beautiful Centennial Pool–closed for two years now–…the increased gang crimes…the embarrassing and costly Chittygate debacle… nothing’s their fault. And now they want us to approve an increased tax measure in November so they can blow even more of our money? ha ha ha Yeah right!!


The REAL blame in this Lake Naci ordeal lies with the bumbling “build-it-at-any-cost-and-to-hell-with-any-infrastructure-improvements” city councilmen who were at the helm for the last 8+ years, our incompetent city attorney Iris Yang AND of course, our arrogant and ethically-challenged city manager Jim App. Their combined botched leadership has dragged this mess on and on…


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QUOTING PASOPARENT5: “The city manager and councilmen continually badmouth Mr. Borst as the reason why Paso residents are paying big bucks for Lake Naci water yet haven’t gotten to use one drop of it. ”


Well, GREAT for Mr. Borst!


The City Council has all of the power in Paso Robles, so for them to stoop to naming an individual resident as a threat is greatly empowering to Mr. Borst.


In fact, I am ashamed that I have not yet been such a pain in the neck to the PR city council that they have named me by name. I will have to to brush up my skills. Mr. Borst has set a high bar for political activism.


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