Governor Rell Vetoes Bill Allowing MDC to

Charge Ratepayers for Funding Museum Exhibits

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she has vetoed a bill that would have allowed the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) to use ratepayer money to pay for museum exhibits, calling the bill a bad precedent that costs customers money they have not agreed to spend and beyond the mission of the MDC.

            The MDC is a non-profit, regional corporation that provides potable water and sewerage services to eight Connecticut municipalities and portions of several others. The bill would have allowed the MDC, over the next 10 years, to sponsor a water exhibit at the Connecticut Science Center and a water program at an unspecified location, and to potentially charge its ratepayers a total of $2 million to cover the costs of the contributions.

            The role of the MDC is to provide clean drinking water and sewer services, not to make charitable donations that could cost ratepayers millions of dollars, Governor Rell noted.

            “Ratepayer funds are not intended for charitable donations, even for such commendable purposes as sponsoring museum exhibits,” Governor Rell said. “Allowing MDC to increase its charges to ratepayers simply so it can make such contributions not only sets bad precedent, but creates a slippery slope which may lead to ratepayers bearing the cost of millions of dollars of charitable contributions.

            “Customers of the MDC have not authorized these contributions nor would they be able to oppose them,” the Governor said. “They would have no choice but to pay the higher rates in order to receive water and sewer service. Given the state of the global economy and the toll it is taking in Connecticut, this is not the time to place additional financial burdens on the residents of MDC’s member towns.”

            The legislation is Senate Bill 1036, An Act Concerning the Powers of the Metropolitan District Commission to Sponsor Certain Projects.