Shutoffs started on unpaid water bills

Yesterday the city shut off water service to 40 customers – the first of 900 – who have not responded to numerous letters that they have failed to pay their bill, which in some cases goes back 12 years.

“It’s a soft start,” said City Tax Collector Kyla Jones, who has coordinated the shutoff plan with deputy tax collector William Miranda.

According to Courtney Marciano, spokeswoman for Mayor Scott Avedisian, the city is starting with a “staggered” plan with 40 shutoffs conducted on Monday to be followed with an equal amount on Wednesday and a similar batch on Friday.

Marciano said the city made a concerted effort to collect delinquent water payments that totaled $3.9 million as of the end of March. By the end of April that total was reduced to $2.2 million, she said.

“They made a good dent in it,” she said of the city’s collection efforts.

Marciano said the city is sensitive to the needs of customers and businesses that are being shut off and that water division personnel will restore service provided they have made payment in full, plus a $100 fee by 4:30 p.m. of the day of shutoff. She said that on Friday, shutoffs would be done in the morning to allow people to make payments so that they could have their water restored for the weekend.

On another issue of delinquencies, about 400 property owners can expect to see their names listed in Thursday’s Beacon for not having made any payment on this fiscal year’s real estate taxes in preparation for a tax sale on May 26. Jones knows from experience fewer properties will end up in the sale as property owners and financial institutions with mortgages will either step forward to make payment or work out a payment plan to avoid the sale.

Jones said the city has seen progress in collecting on utility payments as the list of delinquents was as high as 2,400 more than a year ago. At that time warnings were issued that people could face having their water shut off unless they took action. That resulted in a flood of payments, although there was a lingering group plus a new crop of delinquents. Shutoffs were not carried out, however, with the onset of colder weather and a moratorium on utility shutoffs during the winter months. Now that warmer weather is here, the moratorium has expired and the city is proceeding with water shutoffs.

As for the real estate tax sale, Jones anticipates many of the property owners hold mortgages with Rhode Island Housing and she assures “they won’t let them go to a tax sale.” Banks, she said, are likewise to pay the back taxes to avoid having properties they hold mortgages on from going to sale.

In addition, from experience, some property owners, looking to avoid having their names published will make payment today or tomorrow morning. By Wednesday afternoon it will be too late to have the listing pulled from the Thursday Beacon.

Delinquents on paying taxes are too late to avoid a $200 fee for a title search of the property and compilation of the tax sale list.

Jones didn’t have a total on the outstanding taxes due. Most of the delinquents have failed to pay either the first or second quarterly payment, meaning they will soon approach slipping behind by a year.

Meanwhile, Jones said some property owners who have had difficulty in the past have worked out payment plans.

“It’s less than 100, it’s really looking good,” she said.

Overall, Jones said real estate tax delinquencies are comparable to last year, maybe better.

“I think people are finally digging out of debt,” she said.

Jones thinks the economy has improved, although from delinquent tax and utility payments it’s apparent some are still finding it difficult.

Jones noted that while shutoffs may seem like a harsh measure, water and sewer service is no different than other utilities.

“If you don’t pay your cable bill, you get shut off,” she said.