Paula Whitsell
for Otay Water District - Division 2
Common Sense & Fresh Leadership
Manage water today for lower rates tomorrow!
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Otay Water District Approves Lifetime Healthcare Benefits
Otay Water District Board members voted on Wednesday to give every employee health care benefits for life.
The benefits, which were approved by four out of the five members, could cost ratepayers an extra $6 million.
At Wednesday's meeting, angry ratepayers lined up to speak at the podium. The line stretched out the door.
"Those people came with their hearts in their hands and they laid it out there and it was disregarded," one ratepayer said.
After the vote, the district's general manager said something many ratepayers did not believe.
"There will not be any rate increases because of the action tonight," said general manager Mark Watton.
With no way of knowing future health care costs, many who attended the meeting do not believe him.
10News learned the district has raised rates more than 40 percent in the past two years. At the same time, all members of management received lifetime health care and the general manager earned more than $300,000.
Lani Lutar of the San Diego County Taxpayer's Association told 10News, "Even though the vote didn't go their way, they have another opportunity to have their voices heard and that's going to be in 2012 during the election."
Copyright 2011 by 10News.com. All rights reserved. Posted 08/10/2011