East Point residents could know Monday night how much their utility bills will be raised.
A rate increase in water and electric service is a key component of the city’s proposed $118 million budget for next year that is set for a final vote Monday. The proposed increase has angered residents and Mayor Earnestine Pittman said she hopes the council takes the residents’ complaints seriously.
“The residents simply can’t bear the rate hike the council is talking about,” she said.
Earlier this month, the proposed budget contained a $21 increase for water customers and a $7 increase for electric customers, but Pittman wants to see those costs lowered.
During a budget committee meeting this week, she said city officials said they would run more numbers to try and lower the proposed increase. Officials maintain the increase is needed for implementing franchise fees on the utilities, debt service costs on water and sewer and increased wholesale power costs. They also added the increases are necessary to help make the utilities self-sufficient instead of utilizing general fund money to subsidize them.
While the utility costs could increase, some members of the council would like to lower the millage rate from 14.75 to 13.75 mills. Pittman maintains that’s not going to ultimately help the residents. Instead, she would like to see more cuts in the budget, along with looking at personnel cuts.
“We may just have to cut some staff,” she added.
The budget contains nine new positions, including six police officers.
City Councilman Steve Bennett is not sure the city needs to start cutting positions.
“We were ahead of the curve and cut staff two years ago,” he said.
Bennett understands concerns about higher utility rates, and hopes the proposal headed to the council Monday night can lower the increase.
“Nobody wants to raise the rates, but we have to look at all our options,” he said.
Pittman is glad residents have attended many of the budget meetings and gotten involved in the process.
“I’m sure if the residents don’t agree with the budget, they will make their feelings known in the November elections,” she said.
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