20051024Comments.pdf

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iLEOJACK H. STUART
HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1947 ?D OCT 2 I PI; 2: 22
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October 19,2005
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 W. Washington Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
RE: Eagle Water Co. Application for Rate Increase
Ladies & Gentlemen
Information has reached me that Eagle Water Co. wants to increase their rates to
cover the cost of increasing the water pressure in a certain subdivision. In my opinion
this is grossly unfair to other water customers. The customers in the subject subdivision
should pay for the cost of increasing their water pressure.
The rapid growth of subdivisions in Treasure Valley is placing a great strain on
our infrastructure, causing great expense to accommodate them. Some method should be
employed to cause the new developments to pay for the increased cost caused by their
development. This cost should not fall upon those who were previously here, and already
paid for infrastructure to serve them. It is bad enough that rapid growth is destroying the
peace and tranquility of our valley. Making us pay for our own destruction is an insult.
Enclosed copies of two of my previous letters explain my position in more detail.
I respectfully urge you to do your duty to protect the citizens of Treasure Valley.
Sincerely,
Jack H. Stuart
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JACK H. STUART
HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1947
Consulting * Inspections * Failure Analysis
246 So. Neskowin Way, Eagle, ID 83616
Tel [phone] Cell [phone] Fax [phone]
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Mayor Nancy Merrill
City of Eagle
310 East State Street
Eagle, Idaho 83616
Dear Ms. Merrill
My compliments to you on the Town Hall Meeting held last night in the Library.
It was well attended revealing much community interest, and leadership interested in the
views of the community. Those in attendance were very civilized with no rancor or
name-calling. Having moved here from California in April, 2003, I am favorably
impressed with Idaho in general and Eagle in particular. I married a local lady, Miriam
Flanagan, who has lived here 5 years, and she recommended Eagle highly. I am
impressed with your low tax rate, and good planning. Most of the speakers last night
expressed a desire to preserve the small town atmosphere of Eagle. However, this will be
very difficult with the tremendous pressure of overwhelming growth that is rapidly
developing. The owners of acreage want to sell to the developers at the highest price they
can get. The developers want to squeeze all the value they can out of the property. The
existing residents (who voted you into office) want to preserve the small rural-town. Also
don t underestimate the desire (conscious or unconscious) of city employees who favor
growth which will increase their responsibilities and pay (empire building).
May I respectfully remind you that your first duty is to the existing residents of
Eagle. Growth is not sacred. Slow growth can be good, but rapid growth can cause many
problems and turmoiL. Slow growth allows time to finance infrastructure and
accommodate growth in many ways. The existing residents have already paid for the
existing infrastructure ( schools, roads, fire stations, water, sewer, etc.
).
They should not
be required to pay for new or increased infrastructure to accommodate new development.
New development or construction should be required to pay impact fees to pay for the
additional load they will put on the community. This will raise the cost of new
construction, but it is only fair that they pay their share. It is the only way to protect the
existing residents from the cost of growth. Also it may slow the explosion of growth.
Your opposition to impact fees will come from the developers and the Chamber of
Commerce. Local businessmen want a continual increase in customers. Resisting this
continual pressure for growth will require wisdom and courage from our elected leaders.
Please resist the pressure to increase density of population. When I lived in the
San Francisco Bay area I saw how increased density can destroy a community. In the
....
Nancy Merrill Page 2
early 60's when density was becoming a challenge) the American Institute of Architects
commissioned a study on what happens when density is increased. They found that every
adverse factor in the human condition increases in direct proportion to the increase in
density - crime, taxes, congestion, traffic, accidents, pollution, corruption, health
problems both mental and physical, divorce, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy,
unwed mothers, lawyers, increased cost of living, etc. Some developers and businessmen
may make some extra money by increasing density, but the rest of us will suffer. The
local government may increase their tax base, but they will spend all the increased
revenue and more on coping with the problems caused by increased density. When the
leaders of my small town in California pointed out the benefits of growth, I told them if
they could show me a larger city that had a lower tax rate I would support their growth
plan. Of course, they couldn t. As cities grow, so do taxes.
Being new in Eagle, I felt I was not qualified to speak at the meeting. So I took
this opportunity to express my feelings gained from many years of experience in
community affairs.. From the attached biography you can see I have been active in
politics and community affairs in the past, and would like to help my new community any
way I can. Eagle is a lovely community, and I would like to help preserve it.
Sincerely,
Jack H. Stuart
. JACK H. STUART
' HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1947
Consulting * Inspections * FailureAnalysis
246 So. Neskowin Way, Eagle, ill 83616
Tel [phone] Cell [phone] . Fax [phone]
JACK H. STUART, born 1926, Santa Barbara, CA (4th generation CA native), marriedto Barbara.
since 1947 (she died Sept. 2000), 4 daughters, 11 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren.
MAR~/~O M/1UA-'fl.;+AI4-G.f.III M~Y ~iC
. '
OCCUPATION: Floor Contractor, in Redwood City, CA . 1947 -1972. Employed as many as 65
floorlayers at one time, completing 25 jobs per day. General Contractor and Developer in
Cloverdale, CA, 1973 - 1976, built 7 homes and a commercial bldg, then returned to floor work in
Cloverdale, CA. Retired in 1992. Started four successful floor companies. Inspected flooring
mills in five states and three foreign countries. Consulting on wood floors since 1987.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES:Professional:
. .
* Peninsula Hardwood Floor Contractors Association, Secretary, 1959
* Floor Covering Association, Central Coast Counties,. President 1970
. Selected and hired association administrator. Negotiated union labor contract.
Persuaded 34 members to serve on boards and committees.
. .
* National Wood Flooring Association, served on founding Board of Directors 1987 - 1980
Chairman~Floor of the Year contest, Chainnan-Professional Wood Floor Inspectors.
* North Coast Builders Exchange, membe:r 1973 - 1990
* Construction Specification Institute, member 1985 - 1990
* California Contractors State License Board Expert Witness 1988 - 1990
Community and Civic:
. .
* U.S. Navy, 1944 to 1946 (WW ll), Motor Machinist Mate 3C, Pacific Theater
* Citizens Committee for a State College in Redwood City~ CA, 1966, as Chainnan, orgariized 30
. community leaders, persuaded State to purchase 400 acre college site in Redwood City.
* Radio Station KABL "Citizen of the Day , May 2, 1967
* Governor Reagan s Committee on Government Efficiency, 1967. As a member studied and
published a report on maintenance and repair of CA State buildings.
* Toured Rhodesia and Southern Africa for three weeks in 1967. Presented 31 slide-illustrated
lectures covering 1250 people.
* School Board Candidate, 1969. Organized 50 volunteers, raised $11 000 in pledges. bDIy spent
500. Lost to incumbent by 50 votes~
* Explorer Scout Advisor, 1965 - 1971 , rafted 17 teenage boys down the Salmon River in Idaho.
* L. D .S. Church: fulfilled various responsible positions since baptism in 1958 at age 32.
Chambers of Commerce: Boards of Directors and Chairman of various committees.
* American Legion since 1946. Life member, Post Commander, 1990 - 1992.
* Cloverdale American Legion Gun Club: Founder and First President, 1986.
Recruited 130 members in first 6 months.
* Veterans of Foreign Wars, Life member.
* National Rifle Association, Life member
* Woodworth Family Association and Reunion committee, President 1994 -96.
300 people attended 2000 reunion in Stockton, CA
* Delivered Patrick Henry s "Liberty or Death" speech in colonial costume over 40 times to
crowds as large as 4,000, always receiving a standing ovation.
(OV~R)
JACK H. STUART
HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1947
Consulting * Inspections * Failure Analysis
246 So. Neskowin Way, Eagle, ID 83616
Tel [phone] Cell [phone] Fax [phone]
Sept. 7, 2005
Letters Editor
The Idaho Statesman
Box 40
Boise, ID 83707 Via FAX [phone]
This is a response to Hal Bunderson s "Reader s View" regarding property taxes
in today s paper. Most of his solutions deal with the symptoms instead of the cause,
except his suggestion for a "Growth Pays for Growth Act". Politicians, bureaucrats,
businessmen, and developers love growth. They anticipate increased tax revenue from
the development. They ignore the fact that increased expenditures will be far more than
increased revenue. In addition to the cost of increasing infrastructure, add the cost of
every negative aspect of life that increases in direct proportion to increase in population,
such as crime, taxes, traffic, disease, congestion, pollution, divorce, welfare, mental
health, etc., etc. (according to AlA study in 1960). Can you fmd any city or county larger
than ours with a lower tax rate than ours?
The opposition to growth comes from taxpayers who must pay for increased
infrastructure, roads, schools, water and sewer, fIre, law enforcement, welfare, etc. and
live with negative aspects describedabove. This problem is specially unpleasant to old
timers who paid for existing infrastructure, but now must pay for increased infrastructure
that they wouldn't need without the development.
My solution would be a substantial impact fee on all building permits, designed to
cover the cost of increased infrastructure caused by development. The supporters of
growth would strongly oppose this, claiming it would increase the cost of new buildings.
I claim it would solve two problems: 1. It would pay for new infrastructure, and 2.
would slow the growth to a manageable rate. Slow growth can be beneficial, but rapid
growth, such as we have, can be overwhelming. I lived in the San Francisco Bay area for
50 years, and witnessed the destruction of a beautiful area, and greatly increased taxes
caused by rapid uncontrolled growth.
Another solution for old timers living on fixed income, who cannot afford the
increase in property taxes, would be governor Reagan s solution: The State would pay
the taxes (or the increase) for those who qualified. This would become a lien on the
property, payable upon the death of the owner. Legal details would include equity in the
property, age of owner, etc.
Now you have another "Reader s View Thanks for listening.
Jack H. Stuart
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October 5 ;f~l~5
Commission Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0074
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I wish to submit comments on Case No. EAG-05-
am a resident of Eagle Springs subdivision and experienced severe reduction in water
pressure during the summer. Although the situation has improved since the replacement
of the 8-inch mainline with the larger 12-inch mainline, I am concerned that the
improvement will only be temporary. I believe that when the large number of customers
in the Shadow Ridge subdivision are added to the water system , we will again experience
pressure reductionJ due to the difference in elevation. It is also quite likely that future
developments along Hill Road and Horseshoe Bend Road will exacerbate this problem.
am also very concerned about the proposal for Option 2. I believe the additional
booster for Big Springs Boulevard is essential to ensure adequate water pressure , EVEN
IF Option 1 or 3 is approved. However , it is not appropriate to assess that cost to just
the 51 customers in Eagle Springs. When Eagle Water committed to providing water
service to Eagle Springs , the Engineering staff knew the number and type of homes that
were planned in this area. They also knew of the elevation difference. It is obvious
that the project was improperly engineered and planned. The engineers/planners
further contributed to the potential for pressure problems by installing only one branch
from the main line to be shared by two homes. I understand that Eagle Water installed
all water service in the subdivision in this manner. It is inappropriate and unfair to
penalize the 51 homeowners for the failure of Eagle Water to properly plan and
engineer this project. The cost of corrective action (additional booster pump) should be
paid by the entity that caused the problem-Eagle Water.
I will appreciate your careful consideration of my concerns in these matters.
Address
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Signature