In 2007 the Public Services Commission approved a hike in the V.I. Waste Management Authority’s wastewater user fee from $55 to $110 and, on Wednesday night, board members lent their support to a hardship program recently proposed by VIWMA officials that would help low-income property owners cover the increase.
The initial implementation of the wastewater user fee (paid by customers for public sewer service) was meant to help VIWMA continue on the path toward becoming a "self-sustaining autonomous" government agency, and the 2007 increase helped achieve that goal, VIWMA officials said during the PSC’s monthly meeting on St. Thomas.
The increase was approved conditionally in November 2007 for 10 months, but in order for it to be renewed beyond June 30, 2009, VIWMA had to revamp its method of charging noncommercial customers, to develop a fee structure for miscellaneous expenses and to improve accountability and transparency of wastewater costs, among other obligations, according to the PSC’s decision.
In an effort to meet some of these conditions, VIWMA officials said Wednesday that the hardship program would help defray 50 percent of the cost for those property owners that have an individual household of not more than $25,000 per year, or a multi-person household income of not more than $40,000 per year, WMA officials explained Wednesday.
The catch, however, is that the difference would have to be covered through a legislative appropriation, which PSC board members said might not necessarily be a guaranteed source of funding.
The PSC was also concerned that VIWMA does not currently know how many people would qualify for the program. While the authority proposed working with Human Services to gather information on the number of residents that generally qualify for hardship programs offered by other utilities, officials also said the numbers might not apply because VIWMA’s program applies only to property owners.
To qualify, anyone applying for the program would have to submit their most recent unpaid property tax/wastewater user fee bill; a social security card and photo ID; and a recent pay stub, if employed, along with an employer letter that verifies the applicant’s income level (or if self-employed, any document that can be used to verify income, such as a recent tax return).
Answering questions from PSC members about the Senate’s ability to provide the money, VIWMA Executive Director May Adams Cornwall said that if no funds are available, the program just cannot be implemented.
Despite the concerns, commission members said their support of the program might push the Legislature to find the cash and make the appropriation which would then allow VIWMA to begin fully implementing the fee – starting with the 2013 property tax bills.
Waste Management Authority officials said they would be submitting their proposal to the Legislature in "short order."