Comments for Council Member Bill Spelman

Comment on Starting Point for Austin Energy Rate Design Discussion by barksdale

barksdale — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:46:13 +0000

Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the comments and please know that we’re still working hard on finding that delicate balance between stablizing the utility’s finances with the needs and financial limitations of its ratepayers. To be continued…..

Comment on Starting Point for Austin Energy Rate Design Discussion by Bruce Murray

Bruce Murray — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:32:02 +0000

I think this is a good place to start. On behalf of the Faith Community, we have no idea how TOU rates will affect. Granted that churches do use facilities during the weekday evenings, but by putting the on demand rates on during the week, many volunteer events would have to be curtailed. These events such as Neighborhood Associations, children’s activities, childcare, etc. would have to be curtailed. Many of our schools who do not have auditoriums large enough for evening preformances, would have to find other places. Churches are not “commercial enterprises,” please give them some greater consideration for the contribution they make to the community.

Comment on Donate by Please Join Us for Bill’s Re-Election Campaign Kick-Off! | Council Member Bill Spelman

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:07:17 +0000

[...] Donate [...]

Comment on Let’s Change Austin Together by Eddie Hurst

Eddie Hurst — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:59:09 +0000

I had the opportunity to volunteer for Mr. Spelman on a City of Austin Board. Every time I have needed his input or direction he has been available and thoughtful, making his community meetings in different venues and in different parts of town reflect a Leader who is a part ot the community of Austin at Large. Let keep Bill Spelman.

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by barksdale

barksdale — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:31:10 +0000

Hi Susan,
What the first chart is showing is how higher water rates will lead to LOWER water demand which in turn leads to decreased revenue for the Water Utility. In order to make budget, AWU will have to raise rates higher. And then the pattern repeats.

The elasticity is based off of local patterns – on average, Austinites reduce their water consumption by 17% with each 1% increase in water rates. The benefit to using national averages is that you have more data points to analyze. But the downside is that they don’t reflect local cultural habits and therefore can misrepresent what may be happening locally.

Bill calculated the elasticities himself. There are links to his spreadsheets embedded in the text of the original post.

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by Susan

Susan — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:46:23 +0000

So this says that rate increases will lead to more water use/higher rates if you use the elasticity rather than the national average? Why is that and where did this elasticity number come from?

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by Scott Henson

Scott Henson — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:40:41 +0000

Hmmm, I seem to remember somebody telling council this BEFORE WTP4 made the rate hikes and new fees a fait accompli! Thanks for staying strong on this issue, Bill. Residential ratepayers owe you a debt of gratitude.

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by $300 water bill?? - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

$300 water bill?? - Page 2 - City-Data Forum — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:59:54 +0000

[...] to give credit to Bill Spelman on the city council who has done recent research on water rates. 66% water rate hike by 2016 Rainwater cisterns, anyone? This in the middle of an endless drought. Ah, the irony of it all. [...]

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by Update to water analysis | Council Member Bill Spelman

Update to water analysis | Council Member Bill Spelman — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:40:49 +0000

[...] Last week Bill released some figures charting the projected growth of water bills over the next five years. Here’s another way of looking at that same information. This first chart shows bills increasing by about 25% under the Austin Water Utility proposal compared to an 11% bill increase adjusting for inflation (as projected by the Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia). [...]

Comment on Spelman analyzes projected 5 year water bill increases by Improving Budget Accountability | Council Member Bill Spelman

Improving Budget Accountability | Council Member Bill Spelman — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:39:37 +0000

[...] conversations about the Water Utility and Solid Waste Services. Check out our most recent post on increasing water bills — an analysis that came directly out of yesterday’s [...]