Imminent Outrageous Pinole Sewer Rate Increase - Rise up Pinole!

Pinole property owners (and renters - because - guess who's going to pay for this)

On Friday, June 2, 2024, Pinole property owners received a mailing from the Pinole City Council advising that if they did not receive written objections (no email, no phone calls allowed), then an outrageous Sewer Rate increase will go into effect on July 1, 2024.

Property owners can also object in person at the July 16, 2024 Council meeting - which is on a Tues at 5pm - when most property owners are either at work or lining up in commute traffic. Also, note the meeting occurs AFTER the rate increase goes into effect.

With 6 weeks notice, no opportunity to communicate via email/text/website platform/telephone, there is almost no chance that 50% of property owners can be rallied to write a snail mail letter or show up in person.

In the 50 years since my Pinole home was built, annual Sewer Rates slowly increased from $0 to $865. The proposed increase is about 120% over four years - more than doubling the current rate to a whopping $1860 annually. This will show up on your property tax bill. This is a 20% increase to my total property tax bill- just for Sewer Rate!

We're getting hammered by PG&E. And it looks like Sewer Rate increases are going to be impossible to stop.

One course of action I do see that might work - Will you join me in pressuring City Hall - and yes - by email, phone call, snail mail and/or in person - to accept objections to the tax via email and phone call - in addition to snail mail and in person. Of course a snail mail/in person objection is most impactful if you can manage it. But we might have a shot if we can get an email campaign mounted.

Lastly, let's all remember this come Election Day. Any Council member who votes for this will not get my vote that day.

Rise up Pinole!
Janet Wilks
Pinole property owner/resident

Here's the contact info:

Snail mail/physical location
Pinole City Clerk
2131 Pear Street
Pinole, CA 94564

Email: cityhall@ci.pinole.ca.us

Telephone: (510) 724-9000