WAYNE, Mich. – The Great Lakes Water Authority said a rate hike of 3.7% in water rates and 2.4% in sewer rates is coming July 1.
At least half of those increases are attributable to more than $50 million GLWA said the City of Highland Park is in arrears.
The GLWA and Highland Park are in the middle of litigation over the nonpayment of bills going back 10 years.
Update: Conference of Western Wayne votes not to pay debt allocation for Highland Park
“It is crazy. It is absolutely crazy,” Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa said.
The 18-member Conference of Western Wayne is likely to pass a resolution Friday (March 11) saying they are not paying increases to offset Highland Park debts.
A meeting between the CWW and GLWA is scheduled for Friday morning. Member communities have a lot of questions.
“Trying to figure out what’s really going on is No. 1. Why are we paying other communities’ bills?” Rhaesa said.
They also have questions about the formula being used for debt allocation. Analysis done by the CWW estimates its member communities are paying 73% of Wayne County’s debt allocation for this problem.
Multiple leaders from across Western Wayne are already appealing to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office to step in and help.
“Canton residents should not be paying Highland Park’s debt,” Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham Hudak said. “Neither should other Wayne County residents be paying Highland Park’s debt. The state should step in and intervene.”
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