“I decided long ago to vote against the city’s proposed water rate increase,” said Sullivan. “In meetings with the city’s public works and engineering departments over the last few months, I steadfastly refused to sign on to the higher rate structure. It’s punitive and places additional burdens on homeowners at a time when most people can least afford it.”

While single families will have three years to see the full rate increase, apartments and businesses will have to begin paying the higher rate immediately.

Mayor Annise Parker is confident that this is the right decision for Houston, and will help defray the effect of years of operating with multi-million budget deficits.

Sullivan is adamant that the increase is unfair.

“There are numerous other services that have higher rates now, from cable TV and security service, to telephones and cell phones, and even the Sunday newspaper. The difference between increases from these service providers and the city’s water department is that you have a choice, a competitive field with the others,” he said. “You have no choice on whom to purchase your water from. It’s a monopoly, and it’s counter to the good of the consumer and taxpayer.”

There is also talk of a potential lawsuit regarding the issue.

“Besides the fairness of the proposed increase, there are some very serious questions as to the legality of the increase,” said Sullivan.“Voters approved Proposition One, which limits increases to inflation plus population growth. The new rates are exponentially higher than what Prop One allows. There is no doubt in my mind that legal challenges are being contemplated by the previous litigants.”

Parker maintains that the rate hike is justified, to cover the increasing costs of water processing.

“The new rates are just not justified and the city clearly did not make its case very well,” said Sullivan. “They made an argument that these price increases are long overdue, but it’s not the homeowners’ fault that the city waited until they needed a 30 percent increase. That’s absurd.”