By Ismael Rondón
It is amazing how the authorities, despite the crisis and the difficult economic situation facing the city, decided to waste precious resources obtained through a loan which, according to the justifications given by them, is not necessary. It is difficult to understand that the poorest city in the state, and where for more than ten consecutive years the home owners have been punished by increasing the property taxes to balance the budget, undertake a project that, besides being unnecessary, has no legal basis, despite that the residents have been deceived by being assured otherwise.
This new water meter reading system, which main part is a device connected to the meter that allows an employee of a private company or city know when in a house a faucet has been opened or closed, is a waste of taxpayers’ money, and could create the problems it seeks to solve and more. However, despite the above mentioned points and the complaints of some residents, the implementation of such system, sometimes also called automated reading system, is carried out to the immutability of the executive and legislative authorities of the city, who have been appropriately warned about the lack of need and the possible illegality of the project, and the deception of users of the service of potable water by assuring them that such system has legal basis and is mandatory.
This effort to change something that is not damaged, that is somewhat similar to making a healthy person consume medicine, does arise the suspicion of anyone with a minimum of reasoning, and even more if the sponsor of the project is the Water Department, the same department from which came out the funds for the improper and unnecessary purchase of the vehicle for the “mayor,” and which – according to some rumor – has made similar purchases for other departments, despite being an “enterprise fund.” No one should be surprised, if after a while it becomes clear that this project, in essence, has some resemblance to the repaving of the streets.
How is it possible that the poorest city in the State can afford to spend money on implementing a new water meter reading system – even before cities that are better off economically, when the one it has is still working properly? How can it be proclaimed that there are no funds to solve real and as important problems as the increase of delinquency, while money is spent on solving problems that do not exist? How can you ask the residents of the city with the highest unemployment rate of the State to sacrifice and accept an increase in property taxes while wasting money on projects that are not needed?
When governments waste the people’s money on unnecessary projects, also lose their moral standing to impose and enforce sacrifices to the governed. At this time, the new water meter reading system being implemented by the Water Department is as necessary as the construction of a bridge where there is no river and the ground is leveled; as prosthesis for a person who has all of the body extremities. Prescribing medication to a healthy person is only good business for whom provides the medicines.
This article represents the author’s opinion and not the newspaper’s. Rumbo accepts opposing views with the same respect.
