Posted on 02/25/2014 10:55:35 AM PST by nickcarraway
Cape Coral woman Robin Speronis has been relying on solar panels and treated rain water to survive.
A Florida woman who has been living off the grid for about a year and a half was told that she has one month to "plug in" or deal with the authorities.
Cape Coral woman Robin Speronis doesn’t have any city power or water running into her house and relies on solar panels and treated rain water to survive. "I'm choosing to live without being dependent on the system," she told NBC-2.
Officials from Cape Coral Code Compliance met with Speronis and her attorney about the situation last week.
"When this was brought to my attention I felt like I had to act. I felt like Cape Coral was intruding in the woman's lifestyle," said Todd Allen, Speronis' attorney.
A magistrate ruled that Speronis was guilty of not being hooked up to a water supply that had been approved by the town.
"What happened here is people don't talk to us or cooperate. We don't communicate then we are forced to use the legal tools at our disposal," said Frank Cassidy of Cape Coral Code Compliance. "In the whole scheme of things, it’s no different than the hundreds of cases we deal with all the time.”
Speronis has indicated that she doesn’t plan on changing her lifestyle.
"I don't have to justify my life. They have to. That's the way our system of justice works. They have justify it. I don't," Speronis said.
Regions are now claiming you don’t own rain water, that collecting it in a barrel cheats the water table.
/johnny
My only comment is if this woman wishes to live this way she’s stupid to do it within municipal corporate limits unless she likes conflict.
Its guaranteed to provoke municipal backlash.
For all y’all...
All utilities charge a service connection fee whether you use any water or power at all. The city just wants the $25 per month! Follow the money!
She wasn’t paying for city services - this was her crime. When a city wants its revenue, the city writes the rules to ensure that it gets the revenue.
Yes, they have to pay you when you produce more electricity than you consume, but they only pay at the rate that costs them the least to generate, i.e. hydroelectric power.
/johnny
Her utility life style sounds sustainable.
I’m thinking that’s what’s about. Many municipalities charge sewer rates based on water usage.
BINGO!!!!!
We have a winner!
Every utility around here charges you a fee just for being their customer. Usage and taxes are on top of that.
Exactly.
Successful conservation is always followed by a rate increase.
For example, the local govts tell people to conserve water so people conserve. Consumption drops dramatically. Then, rates are increased because not enough revenue is coming in because people are consuming a lot less.
Exactly.
Successful conservation is always followed by a rate increase.
For example, the local govts tell people to conserve water so people conserve. Consumption drops dramatically. Then, rates are increased because not enough revenue is coming in because people are consuming a lot less.
Some local bureaucRat has their panties in wad. Said Rat has a political boss. Apply pressure there.
Exactly.
She has some sort of on-property septic system.
Post of the Day!
Is she somehow of the wildly mistaken notion that she has some kind of Constitutional rights? Apparently she hasn't been properly re-educated.
Hey, the government can force you to buy their and others products, the Supreme Court already said so
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