This coming Monday, July 28, the Homer City Council will meet and City Manager Walt Wrede will present his recommendations regarding natural gas line assessing of condominiums. It feels to this writer that our city manager and our city council view condo owners as “rich” and thus they should pay more of the assessment.  

OK, then why did the city manager and the city council not base the assessments on property valuation? They had those figures right in front of them. Could it be that would put the city at odds with every property owner and absolutely no two assessments would be the same?

But, it would be fair.

Folks, this assessment is built into the ordinance and long after the city has been totally reimbursed for the pipeline costs, the assessment will continue to be assessed when new properties are subdivided, thus providing a steady income stream to our city. That is good. However, the same legal controversy will continue to be there and the city’s legal costs will continue. Homer does not need this.