Suburban Governments Ringing Metro Charge Developers Much More for Water Connections

Is everything cheaper in the 'burbs? Not according to this morning's Nashville City Paper:

A study commissioned by the Water Department shows though Metro currently collects only $366 in fees per new water connection from a typical 162-lot single-family subdivision, Brentwood collects $2,500 [and] Franklin $2,224 .... For sewer connections, Metro collects about $1,049, although other cities, again, charge considerably more.

Without wading into the debate over whether developers here in Metro should be charged more than the bargain $366, I would say that Brentwood and Franklin tax by other means on the front end. Hence, they do not need the reduced wholesale water and sewer deals that Metro has given some of them in the past. We need to end those suburban subsidies.