Stephen Poorman

Lock Haven

Lock Haven City mailed Jan. 19, 2026 letters asking people to change-up water meters. On first reading, the request sounds fair. But let’s look deeper into the plea and question the alleged benefit for you to pay money for a meter the city will own.

Admittedly, after uncovering sneaky accounting tricks, I’m skeptical. Yet, city residents aren’t hearing the full story. One must query… why?

The PUC (Public Utility Commission) approved the city’s request for changes effective March 2 to modify its rate structure that would reduce the base charge, but charge for all water used on a cost-per-thousand gallon basis. This modification makes it virtually impossible for you to determine the financial impact. They predict you might save 0.4 percent. Yet, they own a reputation for changing the story over time. Now they’re playing with the millage.

It’s obvious the commercial user gets stiffed with a 130.7 percent hike while the 2025 CPI index was 2.7 percent. Yikes! Talk about getting hosed!

Digging deeper, who ultimately pays more? That would be the residential user because as government bodies hike the cost of doing business, commercial operations move out or cut-back and when that occurs, you pay the difference.

We’ve witnessed this local phenomenon in a host of ways so when you’re told it won’t affect you, that may not be the long-term truth. Perimeter areas grew as the city dumped more of its burden on a stagnant tax base. Growth rose as taxes declined in nearby communities because the city dumps more burden on its tax base. Let us not forget the Painter Stadium fiasco that ripped millions of dollars out of tax coffers. They dub the 7-17 year free tax ride names like LERTA and TIF, but it’s a benefit you’ll never receive.

The base erodes as population and student enrollment declines. At the very same time, your city wants to empty out its well-constructed building and build a new police station pushing four million bucks! That’s almost as bizarre as giving $20 million to Iraq for Sesame Street shows.

But wait, there’s more… like a Pennvest surcharge for debt service based on meter size and it ranges from $9 per quarter for a 3/4 inch line to $588 per quarter for a 6 inch line. These hikes do not even consider sewer rate hikes! Hum.

Do you think this meter request could actually be due to unmanaged reservoir levels? Do you know more water comes into the systems than is measured by your meters which suggest there could be (i) unknown leaks (ii) inaccurate meters, or both?

Whose responsibility is that? One thing we do know, it ain’t yours. Maybe the city should better manage its infrastructure.

It’s further alarming to notice the water increase to public health is over a whopping 100 percent! If places like UPMC pass along the cost, once again you pick up the tab.

Educational users have a 0 percent increase. Thus, Keystone Central School District does not share in the loss, but it and the city vigorously collect business privilege taxes through an Allentown agency. Is that fair too?

Someone must pay for freebies or stupidity. Sadly, it’s the taxpayer.

Over the last four decades, I’ve purported this city is “anti-business” because city growth is thwarted. And salaried staff, not elected officials, set direction.

Perhaps well-intended council members must get to the root of problems and slash the hell out of line item expenses to reverse its financial debacle and return it to population-based normalcy. Now, that would be fair.