State Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion Township, made the following statement today regarding proposed legislation to create redundant and expensive low-income water assistance programs funded by higher costs for ratepayers. The plan would add $72 million to public water bills each year.

“Parts of our water infrastructure are falling apart, yet Democrats respond by raising rates to pay for a new program almost identical to what is already in place,” said Steele, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee. “The 2023 budget included nearly $900 million in unnecessary pet projects for targeted communities. If we spent less on swimming pools and more on statewide infrastructure, maybe water bills wouldn’t be so high. This plan forces struggling young families and seniors, already paying their own bills, to fork up more money to pay the water rates of a select few.”

House Bills 5088-5093 and an identical Senate package, Senate Bills 549 through 554, would create new income-limited programs allowing water utility companies to dole out lower bills for select customers. The program would be funded by a $2 monthly increase for public water customers. There would be no option for local municipalities to opt out of the new program, overlooking many communities already employing the widely successful Water Residential Assistance Program (WRAP) or adding delinquent water bills to the tax roll.

The House and Senate legislative packages were recently introduced and have been referred to committees in their respective chambers.

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