100! We believe that with this month’s column, we have reached our 100th update to the community via the Vail Voice. All the related clichés about time flying, etc. would seem appropriate. Realizing this milestone, I paused and reflected on our team’s more than eight years of service to the Southeast Region, and how much we all appreciate this opportunity.
To quote a famous line from the movie Poltergeist, “They’re back!” and I am referring to City of Tucson Differential Water Rates. The City of Tucson, as readers may recall, attempted to impose higher water rates upon Tucson Water customers residing in unincorporated Pima County during the spring of 2021. We first wrote about this in May of 2021.
Pima County filed suit against the City stating, among other things, that to impose such rates was discriminatory, unjustified, and illegal. The first judge to review the lawsuit ruled that the City did not follow the proper analysis procedures to reach their conclusion justifying the higher rates – not that there was a legal conflict for the City to do so. Then in his ruling, this judge actually provided the City with a “road-map” showing the proper pathway for the City to follow to reach their goal. He then ruled that Pima County government – not the Tucson Water customers living in unincorporated areas – be reimbursed, with the same ruling being upheld later in the Court of Appeals…