Political Philosophy for Al Vargas

Candidate for
Board member; El Dorado Irrigation; Division 5

Over the last seven years the EID Board has established a record of gross mismanagement and disregard for public safety. The Board has opted to serve the needs of the special interest at the expense of the ratepayers. The result is that EID has the distinction of having the least safe drinking water in the State and one of the highest sewer rates (THREE TIMES the state average) in the state.

I am running because I want to reform EID and make it response to the ratepayers. I have a five-point program to reform EID which include:

1) Immediately restore the cost of service analysis and re-structure rates accordingly. End all subsidized water to the country clubs and other special interests. This will immediately lower water rates for the residential users, which are currently subsidizing other users.

2) Fast track the enclosure of the water storage system with steel or concrete tanks and in the interim institutes a rigorous maintenance and monitoring program so that safety of the water supply is protected.

3) Conduct a comprehensive financial and operational audit to determine where $11 million dollar surplus in 1992 vanished and search for areas where efficiency and cost savings can be obtained.

4) Make sure that new development pays its on way and not burden current ratepayers for the cost of growth.

5) Protect our water supplies by for current residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial water users by instituting common sense water supply planning policies.