17607_PMAA_Authority_June_2024

municipalauthorities.org | 11 Under ‘Recent Projects,’ that map built on past project data from 2017 that we had compiled in the ongoing Leaks and Projects Map. So, we had a demonstrated history that we could show on a map of investing in our system. (Figure 1) MAWC projects undertaken with 2016 bond funds, together with annual capital budget investments and developer-financed projects. Next, under ‘Future Vision,’ we mapped the capital improvements that the 2024 increase of nine percent would pay for. ‘Seeing is believing’ is a useful phrase when contemplating how to show what you are planning to do instead of telling. (Figure 2) Projects to be financed by the 2024 nine percent increase. Finally, we put together a detailed press release that was made available to our customer service call center for customers who wanted to closely inquire about the justifications for our rate increase. Again, seeing is believing, so we pulled data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve’s site called Federal Reserve Economic Data or FRED. It showed that since our last increase had taken effect in 2018, that the prices for our core business essentials had all jumped. (Figure 3 on page 39) Graphs for Industrial Chemicals, Industrial Electrical Power, Ductile Iron pipe, plastic water pipe, industrial valves, process control instruments, gravel, paving materials, construction machinery, nonresidential construction services, hospitalization and medical care were all available from this third-party source, meaning it’s not MAWC saying that these cost more, it’s the Federal Reserve. You can read the press release here: https://bit.ly/49uVrol. We also made the case for a need for continuing reinvestment, and laid out our declining bond fund balance. (Figure 4 on page 39) Limitations and Differences in Governance Now for a few provisos – as a Pennsylvania Municipal Authority, we must post our agenda in advance of the public meeting, and the our customers may attend and comment prior to Figure 1: MAWC projects undertaken with 2016 bond funds, together with annual capital budget investments and developer-financed projects. Figure 2: Projects to be financed by the 2024 nine percent increase. ‘Seeing is believing’ is a useful phrase when contemplating how to show what you are planning to do instead of telling. Continued on page 39.