El Conservador - State & Local Politics

Local Socialism: San Antonio Water System's 8-Tier Billing Rate

City Hall1 The Republican Party of Bexar County has expressed concerns about the recent spike in San Antonio water bills and the SAWS rate structure called “equity lens.” They feel this "equity" approach is nothing more than a radical “redistribution of wealth” rate structure that uses “conservation” as an excuse to punish some ratepayers.

Under this equity system, SAWS has an eight-tier rate pricing structure based on how much water a homeowner uses. Anne Hayden, the SAWS spokesman, says, “Water in the eighth tier (mostly the northside of SA) is 6.5 times more expensive than water in the first tier.”

SAWS uses water conservation to justify the SAWS rate structure. Hayden says SAWS can’t charge everyone the same rate because “that will go against our conservation ethic.” What about the “fairness” ethic?

SAWS admits the bulk of customers affected by the higher water bills are on the north side where there is more water use because of more private property and more affluence. The “equity” approach is designed to redistribute the wealth by punishing some for their use with higher rates.

Sadly, this is the same approach the City of San Antonio is using to give more money for streets and sidewalks in lower-income areas. Instead of providing equal services to all communities, these agency bureaucrats are favoring some over others.

The new SAWS rate structure is a socialist billing system that punishes some ratepayers unfairly. SAWS should use a fair billing where everyone pays that same rate for whatever water they use.

The Republican Party of Bexar County has rejected this tiered rate structure as unfair and they demand SAWS return to a system where all ratepayers pay for what they use. SAWS should serve the public, not control, punish, and reward ratepayers.

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/high-water-bills-explained-saws-rate-structure-built-with-equity-lens

Dealing with Homelessness

Homelessness

Homeless has become a hot topic in many communities from Charleston, WV to Los Angeles. However, the discussion does not appear as honest as it should be.

I served as HUD special assistant to Jack Kemp and as HUD director in Houston and in West Virginia, and I became very familiar with the "homeless" issues. A small percentage of homelessness results from economics, while the vast majority is caused by drug abuse and mental problems.

Drug abusers and the mentally ill are in a "recycling" nightmare caused by liberal politicians and leftist lawyers. These homeless people are regularly picked up by police, placed in rehab, and then released only to fall back again.

Castro’s Attack Ad on Fox News

Castro Twins Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro is going to release a paid political ad on Fox News on Wednesday, Aug. 14 that blames President Trump for the mass shooting in El Paso. Although he speaks limited Spanish, Castro dramatically tells President Trump in the ad "Ya Basta" which means "enough." However, Castro forgets or ignores the many shootings and stabbings that occurred in San Antonio while he was the mayor.

Castro’s ad mentions Trump’s criticism of “immigrants” he called “rapist”, and of the Congresswoman he told to “go back where she came from.” Never mind that Trump’s comments are taken out of context.

Just like all of the Democrats and leftists/liberals, Castro blames the guns for the violence, rather than the people’s behavior. His ad is another political stunt to gain attention for his dying campaign. He also wants to undermine and destroy the 2^nd Amendment if not the entire Constitution.

Julian and his brother Congressman Joaquin, view themselves as an “entitled-victim.” They feel entitled to honors because they're minorities, but quickly play the victim card when they are challenged.

The Castro twins constantly call the President a “bigot”, but they should look at their mother who was a member of the anti-American “La Raza Unida” Party in the early 1970s. La Raza is a discriminatory and exclusionary term that translates into “the people” that does not include other people.

The ad will undoubtedly backfire on Castro. It will show him for the arrogant egotistical man that he is in lecturing the President. Americans are tired of hearing the President called "racist", just they are, for everything problem in the world.

Yes, Julian..."Ya Basta"

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/457216-julian-castro-buys-fox-friends-ad-to-send-message-to-trump-on-el-paso-shooting

A dangerous time for police officers and public safety

War on Police Liberals and leftists are winning the public relations and legislative battles against law enforcement officers, and the worst victims are going be law-abiding citizens and public safety. Race-baiters and liberal/leftist politicians are defending criminal behavior in the name of “civil rights,” and endangering police officers with ridiculous requirements and restrictions.

NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo was fired by the NYPD in the matter of the death of Eric Garner, even though Pantaleo went through two judicial reviews and was found innocent. Liberal/leftist NY mayor Bill di Blasio reacted to the demands of angry emotional race-baiters, rather than respect the legal system.

Also, the liberal press and leftist politicians ignore the facts that Garner was breaking the law, that he refused to follower requests to leave, and that he resisted arrest. They also overlook that Garner was a large, heavy man who outweighed any of the officers involved.

Out of Control "Young Men of Color"

Police Doused with Water A third incident occurred yesterday, Wednesday, July 24 where young hoodlums doused two NYPD officers, but this time the cops are two black women. The only commonality in all three incidents is that “young men of color” were the attackers.

The behavior of these “young men of color” if reflective of the “thug culture” that is excused and glorified among minority youth. The violent and anti-social behavior, including dysfunctional families, is justified by liberals because these young men of color are “victims of society.”

Leftist politicians and community leaders use the victim mentality to advance their political agenda, and they brand anyone who challenges them as “racist.” However, there is a crumbling sub-society within our larger society that has no self-control but with a deep sense of entitlement.