wATER AND SEWER RENTS GO UP

WARWICK-Water and sewer rents in the Village of Warwick are going up, and new outside village user rates have been implemented. Residential and commercial users in the village will soon pay $2.96 per 1,000 gallons for water use up to 100,000 gallons. This is up from $2.90. Usage over 100,000 will be billed at $5.10. The village created the designation of commercial user but kept the commercial rate the same as residential. The village also created an Industrial user designation, which includes Georgia Pacific and Mechanical Rubber. They will pay $5.56 per thousand gallons. The village also hiked out of village rates for all users. The new rate for industrial water consumers is $11.12, up from $5.45 for the first 100,000 gallons and $4.23 over that. This more than doubled for out of village users who have tapped into the village's water system, bringing them on par with village users who pay both a water and sewer tax in addition to their water and sewer rents. These taxes go toward paying off the village's bonds for the water and sewer plants but the village cannot impose a tax on non-village properties. The out-of-village rate for non-industrial properties, including churches, schools and firehouses, is $10.52. Sewer rates also increased to $3.20 per thousand gallons up to 100,000 and $5.50 over 100,000, up from $2.90. An out-of-village sewer rate was created at $6.40 per thousand gallons up to 100,000 gallons and $11.40 over that. The school district is currently the only out of village sewer customer. The new rates will go into effect next month. Meanwhile, tax bills have just gone out in the village of Warwick but one thing is missing on the notice - residents may now pay their taxes using a credit card. The village signed a contract with Official Payments Corporation earlier this year to accept credit card payments for village property, water, and sewer taxes. Residents who use the new credit card system to pay their property taxes will be charged an additional three percent to the total. Those charging water and sewer bills will be charged $6.50 additional. "People won't have to come into Village Hall to pay their taxes, if they choose to pay by credit card," said trustee George McManus, who brought up the subject last year and again earlier this year. The board approved it at no cost to the village as the company waived the $1,000 set-up fee. Warwick joins about 20 other municipalities in New York that have already implemented the credit cards system. The system may be accessed either by phone or the internet at www.officialpayments.com. But credit cards will not be accepted at Village Hall.