Humanatarian or Socialistic or is it just plain Politics??

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Commissioner Scott Maxwell has been making a scene about high utility bills. Now he wants to forgive late fees for all those who do not pay on time--He says, "Favorable consideration by this Commission for this humanitarian gesture will send a strong message to our utility customers system wide that Lake Worth is serious about finding solutions for our long history of unusually high utility bills."

Maxwell continues by saying, "It is my firm belief that given our city’s above normal overall costs creates an undue economic burden for our customers and that that the assessment of late fees on these customers during these tough economic times only exacerbates the customers initial inability to make utility payments by the designated “due date” in the first place."

When Maxwell was elected, we all presumed that he wanted to run this City like a business, not a charity. He is now making an assumption that people are late because of economic misfortune as well as his proclaimed belief that Lake Worth's rates are too high forcing people to pay late if at all.

Commissioner Maxwell is jerking you around. He has decided to force the issue of utility rates in Lake Worth. And what better time to do it than the charitable Holiday season?

If someone is late paying his Master Card, he is assessed a late fee. Everyone alive understands there are consequences if they do not live up to agreements. You buy something; you pay for it in the time allowed. What makes the City of Lake Worth a social services government give-away? Haven't we had enough of that socialistic mentality? If you can't afford something, you don't buy it, or that's the way it should be. Granted, there are some people who really need help and there are social service agencies where they can turn.

This will be on the Agenda on December 7 under New Business.