The Fiscal Cliff Approaches but I get food poisoning and am reminded about what is really important.
Everybody catches the common cold. Flu season up next.
Jim Letten is no longer US Attorney. Social media, in this case commenting on the Times Picayune website, takes down the entire office. The search is on. This is always a dangerous process having saddled us with the likes of Eddie Jordan in the past.
The City Council approves the S&WB plan to raise rates 10% per year for the next 8 years. S&WB already charges some of the highest rates in the country and far more than neighboring Jefferson Parish. Furthermore Orleans "water bills" are used to convey the $24/month city garbage collections fee (thank you Ray Nagin). A local newspaper reported:
The increases will generate about $583 million in additional revenue for the S&WB. Of that, only about $100 million will go directly to pipe and water system upgrades. Another $100 million will go to toward a bond issuance expected to generate more than $600 million for upgrades. The nearly $400 million remaining is planned to be used for day-to-day operations, S&WB debt and shoring up its reserve fund.