George Voinovich: “As mayor of Cleveland, we had to increase water rates 300 percent in order to do the job we needed to do and we didn't…”

“As mayor of Cleveland, we had to increase water rates 300 percent in order to do the job we needed to do and we didn't get any money from the Federal Government. I think it is really important to recognize that 20 percent of this total cost is municipal water supply. We are paying for the cost of the municipal water supply. They are avoiding some $1.6 billion of cost for this municipal water. That is an enormous contribution. If you subtract out that $1.6 billion from Florida's share on it, it works out to be about 35-65, so that the argument, 50-50, and therefore we ought to do 50 percent of the operation and maintenance I do not think is as relevant as it might be if it was really 50-50.”