Public Hearing Tuesday on Proposed Sewer Rate Increase

A public hearing on the city’s proposed sewer rate increase, which would raise the rates by about 4.6 percent per customer, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday night.

The city is proposing a rate increase of 8 percent for the fixed per unit charge and the volumetric hundred cubic feet (hcf) charge.

That comes out to about $576 annually, up from $551 each year for the average residential customer, or about $2.11 more per month, according to staff reports.

The rate increase is calculated in order to produce the required revenue for the city -- $6.4 million.

Before the city council can impose the sewer rate increase, a public hearing is required per Proposition 218.

Vice Mayor Dave Warden said on Thursday he does not support the rate increase.

“The decision for rate increases should be based on a yes/no vote of the rate payers, not merely a protest vote,” he said.

In addition, Warden said the city should not be allowed to take action on the rate increase within the 30-day window immediately after the second reading of the ordinance.

“This is an ethical if not legal violation of the city’s standard practices,” Warden said.

Warden also pointed out that in the past 10 years, sewer rate increases have caused the average rate payers’ bill to more than double, though other costs haven’t seen nearly the same rise.

A call to Mayor Coralin Feierbach was not immediately returned.

Tuesday’s city council meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, located at 1 Twin Pines Lane.