"Thank you for your public information request (PIRT # 3758) regarding a list of all forgiven water bills for 2013.
According to NCGS 132.1:
(c) Public Enterprise Billing Information. - Billing information compiled and maintained by a city or county or other public entity providing utility services in connection with the ownership or operation of a public enterprise, excluding airports, is not a public record as defined in G.S. 132-1. Nothing contained herein is intended to limit public disclosure by a city or county of billing information:
(1) That the city or county determines will be useful or necessary to assist bond counsel, bond underwriters, underwriters' counsel, rating agencies or investors or potential investors in making informed decisions regarding bonds or other obligations incurred or to be incurred with respect to the public enterprise;
(2) That is necessary to assist the city, county, State, or public enterprise to maintain the integrity and quality of services it provides; or
(3) That is necessary to assist law enforcement, public safety, fire protection, rescue, emergency management, or judicial officers in the performance of their duties.
As used herein, "billing information" means any record or information, in whatever form, compiled or maintained with respect to individual customers by any owner or operator of a public enterprise, as defined in G.S. 160A-311, excluding subdivision (9), and G.S. 153A-274, excluding subdivision (4), or other public entity providing utility services, excluding airports, relating to services it provides or will provide to the customer.
Unfortunately, water bills maintained by the City are not public record as defined in G.S. 132.1 listed above."
Nowhere in NCGS 132.1 does it say the City is forbidden to release Public Enterprise Billing Information, it only says the City doesn't have to release said information. Laws are written to be enforced, not hidden behind. The City could have offered to work with me, instead they refused me altogether. As a matter of fact, from the above:
"(2) That is necessary to assist the city, county, State, or public enterprise to maintain the integrity and quality of services it provides; or "
You think the City's integrity isn't suffering now?
The City can forgive bills to the rich but not the poor? Is this what they're hiding? Or is it something more?
