Kathy Taylor tells city agency to eat mistake

[sgrizzle]

TMUA didn't bill people right for years, then asked for hundred of thousands in back bills without even blinking. The Mayor told TMUA that it wasn't the customer's mistake and they need to eat the cost:
http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=9303321

[Hoss]

One of the first and maybe only things I agree with her on, whether or not they agree.

She's good at giving out money, I guess...first to cover the Great Plains debacle then this.

[shadows]

Recently I was billed for Storm Water Detention on property that had been vacant for over 5 years.   I was not aware that the fee was a property tax that was voted on by the people.  There was no water meter at the house.

If this be true, then the repairs of the streets can be added as a fee and collected as a separate property tax in addition of the property tax imposed by the passage of the bond issue.    Maintenance require the filling of the cracks in the asphalt topping that has a life span of around 5 years before cracks appear.   These fill with water and freeze destroying the streets.

From the experience of negotiating around the orange barrels one would assume the company furnishing the orange barrels has increased their order for more barrels since the bond issue passed.

 

[Wilbur]

I wish the city would make a 10-year mistake with me, then agree to give everything to me for free.

Welfare.

[nathanm]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I wish the city would make a 10-year mistake with me, then agree to give everything to me for free.

Welfare.

Not welfare. Fair. Most businesses would do the same thing, in my experience.

The ones that wouldn't would likely eat half the bill for their role in the error and then give you very generous terms on which to pay the remainder.

In this case, I think the former is more fair. They had an open account and had no particular reason to believe that they were being billed incorrectly. If you do work for me and agree that I will pay when you bill me, then you bill me for part of the charges and show that I have no remaining balance, is it really fair for you to come after me for the part you failed to bill properly? Especially ten years later?

Legally speaking, TMUA probably couldn't collect on anything more than either three or five years old anyway. Anything older and the statute of limitations would have already expired. Trying to collect anything older is just in bad faith anyway.

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by nathanm

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I wish the city would make a 10-year mistake with me, then agree to give everything to me for free.

Welfare.

Not welfare. Fair. Most businesses would do the same thing, in my experience.

The ones that wouldn't would likely eat half the bill for their role in the error and then give you very generous terms on which to pay the remainder.

In this case, I think the former is more fair. They had an open account and had no particular reason to believe that they were being billed incorrectly. If you do work for me and agree that I will pay when you bill me, then you bill me for part of the charges and show that I have no remaining balance, is it really fair for you to come after me for the part you failed to bill properly? Especially ten years later?

Legally speaking, TMUA probably couldn't collect on anything more than either three or five years old anyway. Anything older and the statute of limitations would have already expired. Trying to collect anything older is just in bad faith anyway.

The City went even further.  They waived seven of the ten years and gave them that portion for free, then spaced the other three years worth of back bills over three more years to pay with no interest.

I'll take seven free years