A number of landlords last night had their say – on an Assembly bill – at the Fond du Lac City Council meeting. They support AB 182, which would prohibit municipalities from placing delinquent utility bills like water bills on the landlords’ property tax bill.
The Council tabled the resolution for two weeks after hearing from those landlords.
Susan Behling told the Council it’s unfair to expect landlords to pay the delinquent water bills on behalf of their tenants. Vicki Garthwaite says it’s difficult to know when you screen a tenant whether they are going to take responsibility for their bills.
Council President Rick Gudex was disappointed with the Council tabling the resolution. He says if the Assembly bill passes, the city will have to hire collection agencies to go after the delinquent bills, which will hike everybody’s water rates.
Last year there was over $555,000 in unpaid water bills in the city.
Bob Nelson-KFIZ
