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It is our understanding after having conversations with the bill author's office that this legislation addresses a unique situation in which a municipal water utility is charging extra fees, in addition to normal utility rates, to school districts based on the number of students and employees in the district. This is a practice the utility appears to only be doing with respect to schools. It is worth noting that this is effectively one government entity charging fees to another government entity which it would not charge to private citizens or businesses based on the number of people in a household or the number of people employed at the business. Ultimately these extra fees are paid for by taxpayers out of whose pockets school funding is derived in the first place.
We support this bill because it gives school districts an opportunity to appeal what appears to be a questionable billing practice by a municipal utility. Allowing this appeal would support limited government by preventing a municipal utility from levying an extra fee that is ultimately paid for by the taxpayers.