WATER RATE RACISM

Millions of Dollars in Overcharges to Low-Income African-American Residents of West Augustine for Water by City of St. Augustine Began 50 Years Ago, After Civil Rights Protests Here
The amount of the overcharge since 2006-7 fiscal year alone is more than $6 million dollars.
More than one million dollars during 2012-13.
This is Environmental Racism.
This is payback by the City of St. Augustine, for fifty years since Andew Young was beaten senselss and the Ku Klux Klan ran our town, in league with Sheriff LAWRENCE O. DAVIS.
These overcharges were part of why Florida Memorial University and so many West King Street businesses failed -- the City used Economic Warfare as part of its war on African-Americans and the poor.
These illegal overcharges must be ended at once.
These illegal overcharges will end after completion of the water rate study.
Prediction: Flagler College; Flagler Hospital; Northrop Grumman, Whetstone Chocolate and other factories; motels, hotels, restaurants and bars; laundries and other large water users will pay more.
They will pay their fair share -- the value of their water to their activities.
Conservation will finally be encouraged.
Water wastrels will conserve our precious Florida water, which comes from our City's deep artesian wells in the beautiful Twelve Mile Swamp, currently owned by St. Johns River Water Management District, soon to be part of the St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore.
Those who are promiscuous consumers of water will start conserving it.
Hotels and motels will encourage their customers to conserve, as hotels and motels do elsewhere, in places where homeowners do not subsidize business water customers.
Those who need water just to survive will pay less.
There will be lifeline rates for the poor and elderly.
Average households will pay less.
Much less.
Perhaps half as much.
The illegal, discriminatory 25% premium paid by non-city residents will be abolished.
Successive City Managers, City Commissions and City Attorneys witnessed and permitted this outrage without question. Why?
Local clergymen did not raise a ruckus. Why?
We have too many local "leaders" who don't think for themselves, and who were co-opted.
Enough.
The dead hand control of the Ku Klux Klan over City of St. Augustine water ratemaking policy will end.
Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, free at last.
We shall overcome!