By John Tredrea / The Packet Group
LAWRENCE — Opponents of a 40-percent water-rate hike enacted by the Trenton City Council have six days to file a petition challenging the council’s action.
The water rate hike affects consumers in the City of Trenton, as well as portions of Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell and Lawrence townships that are served by the Trenton Water Works.
The Friends of Local Control of Our Water (FLOW), which opposes the rate hike, is facing a Sept. 23 deadline to gather the signatures of at least 1,100 Trenton residents on the petition in order to challenge the ordinance.
Under state law, voters in Trenton could use the power of referendum in an attempt to roll back the rate increase, said Morton Rosenthal, one of FLOW’s organizers. He lives in Hopewell Township.
"We only need about 1,100 signatures of Trenton residents who voted in the last election," Mr. Rosenthal said. "However, the signatures must be collected and submitted within 20 days of the adoption of the (ordinance)."
The ordinance was approved by Trenton City Council Sept. 4. In Lawrence, the average water bill would jump from $75 per quarter to $103 or $104, said Joseph McIntyre, the general superintendent of water and sewer in Trenton.
"If we get sufficient signatures, Trenton voters — rather than the City Council — would decide if they want to authorize the rate increase," Mr. Rosenthal said. "With their vote, they could determine the fate of the 40-percent increase."
FLOW also is opposed to a proposed sale of the portion of the Trenton Water Works system that serves the four townships. The City of Trenton has proposed selling those water lines to the New Jersey American Water Co. The deal is under review by the state Board of Public Utilities, which must approve it before the sale can go through.
Meanwhile, the mayors of Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell and Lawrence townships have publicly opposed the sale, which they claim could lead to additional rate hikes if New Jersey American Water Co. buys the water lines.
"FLOW and township officials are now considering how to respond (to the proposed sale)," Mr. Rosenthal said. "Among the possible responses are a lawsuit by the townships and the FLOW petition campaign to force City Council to postpone implementation of the rate increase so it can be put to a vote by residents of Trenton as a referendum at the next election."
FLOW plans to post the petition on its Web site, www.flowtrenton.com. People who want to take part in the petition drive may download it from the Web site, along with instructions, he said.
"The signed petitions would be mailed to an address that we would provide," he said. "The petition drive is conditional on our getting a sufficient number of volunteers. The decision whether to go ahead depends on the response to this message," he added.
Those who would like to get the petition drive started should contact Michael McGrath at 462-7988.

