What I don’t get is that Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams says that property taxes for homeowners will not be affected by the new public works project requested by Director of Public Works/City Engineer Steven Jahnke. At the same time property taxes went up in 2016 and possibly in 2017. Water bills went up 8 percent in 2016.

The city manager makes it sound like free money is paying for the Jahnke public works upgrade. I think this is being very dishonest. People paying water bills and property taxes in Albert Lea are paying for this project.

Two million dollars of the $10.6 million has been approved by the Albert Lea City Council and is to be paid with the Albert Lea water and sewer fund along with general  fund reserves.

When the Albert Lea water and sewer fund becomes depleted, water bills go up. When the general fund reserves become depleted, property taxes go up.

Albert Lea residents and city councilmen continue to be fooled by city management.

Troy Christensen

Albert Lea