NEW YORK, NY June 08, 2009 —City comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate William Thompson says the Mayor should no longer have complete control of the city's water board. Thompson says water rates have gone up sharply, in part because the mayor appoints all seven members of the board.

THOMPSON: This year, over a $120 million. Next year, over $200 million. It just continues to escalate. So what's happening - this is almost a back-door property tax increase.

REPORTER: Thompson says the mayor should only appoint four members, and that the current structure allows the board to overcharge consumers. A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg says Thompson's proposal hasn't been reviewed yet, but that similar bills haven't passed because changing the water board's structure would affect the high bond rating on water bonds. He said that could make it more expensive to borrow, resulting either in higher water rates or less infrastructure.