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Pete,

The $6.9 million has some problems that BCWA hasn't been fully candid on.

First, $5 million of that money was from a voter initiative in 2004 specifically allocated to "complete the Shad Pipeline". The Legislature has little in the way of authority to reallocate the money.

Second, the remainder of that amount was from a state transfer of $3.2 million in 1998 that, according to the records, may not have been an authorized transfer of state funds.

The State Budget Office is currently trying to sort this out as to how the transfer of state funds ever took place in advance of completion of the Shad Pipeline.

That $6.9 million may be an illusion, and rate payers themselves might have to cover this over and above the already requested 30% increase.

From: Water rates would rise 31 percent under plan

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.