Vote ‘no’ on Redkey ballot measure

Few rights are more precious to Americans than the right to petition the government with grievances.
It’s right up there with the freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
So when some folks in Redkey concerned about rising sewage rates decided to launch a petition to put a referendum on the November ballot, they were acting in a longstanding American tradition. But, at the same time, their petition was fundamentally flawed.
And voters would be wise to reject it when casting their ballots.
How is it flawed?
In at least three ways.
First of all, the petition calls for transferring governing authority over Redkey’s water and sewage rates to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
Trouble is, the IURC has no statutory authority over sewage rates. Those are strictly a local matter to be set at the discretion of the town council. The IURC will have no control over them, no matter how the referendum vote turns out.
Second, while the intent of the petitioners was to protest about rising utility rates, the process of taking water rate approval through the IURC adds significant legal and accounting costs. It makes things more expensive, rather than less expensive.
That’s why the Indiana General Assembly gave cities and towns the option several years ago of opting out of the IURC’s authority.
And third, because the petition lumps water and sewage rates together when the IURC has no authority over sewage rates, the whole thing could end up in an expensive legal tangle.
Is all of this confusing?
Yes, it is.
It’s also ironic, because — thanks to some remarkable grants and federal loans — Redkey is ready to embark on a vitally important upgrade to its sewer system with local residents only sharing a fraction of the cost.
Will the town’s share of the cost send sewage rates up?
Yes, it will.
But the bulk of the cost will be borne by federal grants and long-term, low-interest loans, and the net result — an infrastructure improvement that Redkey has needed for decades — is a game-changer for the community.
It’s safe to say that without this sewer system upgrade, Redkey’s future would have been dim. With the project going forward, the future looks bright.
The IURC-control resolution complicates that a bit, but a “no” vote by Redkey voters can get things back on track. — J.R.