One of Cleveland's most respected religious leaders is calling for hearings into strong arm billing tactics deployed by the Cleveland Division of Water that threatens homeowners with tax liens on disputed bills.
Rev. Dr. Larry Macon, Sr. is pastor of Mt. Zion Oakwood Village and President of United Pastors in Mission--an association of more than 40 Cleveland area congregations that works with political and civic leaders to achieve sustainable growth and restore trust in government.
"We're very upset by what we have recently heard," said Dr. Macon.
Our exclusive News 5 investigation uncovered:
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Excessive bills for water that customers say they never used
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Nearly 9,000 tax liens for disputed bills have been placed on water customers homes since 2013
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Rude and unprofessional behavior by water department customer service representatives
- Complaints of failure to publicize right to dispute bills through a Water Review Board hearing
As a result, Dr. Macon is calling for hearings involving water customers and top water department officials to document the extent of billing problems and questionable tactics.
"There ought to be a moratorium set for these folks," says Dr. Macon, "for at least one to three years where you start to review what's going on and we can help."
In addition. Dr. Macon is calling for a review of state law that allows municipal water departments in Ohio to pursue water bills through tax liens.
"I will ask pastors to begin talking with their congregations and begin hearings," said Dr. Macon.
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