Mayor Lenny Curry wants to be known as the Septic Tank Slayer.
So, how’s he doing?
Curry took office in June 2015.
From 1/1/2015 to 5/25/2021, there were 2,739 new Onsite Sewage Treatment & Disposals System (septic tank) construction permits issued in Duval County, according to the Florida Dept. of Health.
That’s more than one a day while Curry has been in City Hall.
Lately, the city has been spending about $54,000 for every septic tank replacement. At that rate, it would take about $149 million to remove septic tanks added while Curry was mayor.
Curry insists septic tanks are dangerous. Yet, 30 percent of the homes in Florida use them.
Curry has forbidden anyone in his administration from talking to Eye on Jacksonville but we have not read in any of the media that have his favor how many septic tanks have failed and present a public health danger.
But Curry and his spokesperson have been quoted as saying there are “thousands.”
Where?
Sorry, we don’t know.
All we know is that City Council has given the mayor $30 million a year in new revenue that he plans to use to start ripping septic tanks out of the ground and connecting homes to new sewer lines.
Currently, new connections must be approved by a vote of those eligible and some people vote against connecting because they don’t want to start paying a monthly sewer fee.
But Curry and the other proponents of this scheme are assuring everyone that all is well and septic tanks will be removed.
Does that mean he will change the rules and require people – rich and poor alike – to connect at taxpayer expense?
We don’t know. Curry won’t tell us and the other local media probably don’t ask.
One of the other odd features of Curry’s Billion-Dollar Plan: leaking septic tanks that actually do pose a problem are those near waterways, and waterfront property usually is owned by people with higher incomes.
Thus, people on welfare will be paying more at the gas pump so that that upper-income people can have the value of their property increased. Low-income families will be paying higher utility bills.
But don’t worry about that. Curry has everything under control. You don’t need to ask questions. He will tell the media to tell you what he wants you to know.
