Comment on Draft Budget Amendments – CoCT

The revised draft is still inequitable and unfair.

Charges for water and electricity should be based on actual consumption, not property value. This would be a fairer and more transparent system that encourages responsible use. Indigent households should receive a reasonable free basic allowance, but any usage beyond that should be billed at standard tariffs. I have witnessed wasteful usage where services are free and perceived as unlimited. This is unsustainable and unfair.

Rather than increasing the burden on struggling ratepayers, the City should first address its own spending—starting with its wage bill and operational inefficiencies!