At the Sept. 11 Magnolia City Council meeting, Dave Welch, president of the Texas Pastor Council—a group encouraging engagement in social and cultural issues that is representing churches in the city of Magnolia—addressed council members during the public comment portion of the meeting agenda and brought forth a petition to reverse the new utility structure that City Council unanimously approved in April.
The new structure adjusted water and wastewater rates, adopted a tiered rate configuration and added an institutional user category for tax-exempt, nonprofit and government entities, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. Previously, institutions were charged the same commercial rate as businesses.
Welch said the new structure discriminatorily charges institutions a 40 to 70 percent higher rate than for comparable commercial water and sewer usage.
“Leaders from churches, schools, charities, charitable organizations, businesses and elected offices in and outside the city of Magnolia agree that this is a direct act of intentional rate discrimination and aggression against the tax-exempt status of churches, schools and charities,” Welch said during the meeting.
