Sebastopol looks to hike water, sewer rates as city workers seethe
Sebastopol residents could pay an average of $43 more per month for water and sewer services beginning July 1. The proposed increase, to be discussed by city leaders on Tuesday and be voted on by the Sebastopol City Council in June, is meant to cover the cost of much needed maintenance and replacements on the city’s aging system. The city has dipped into reserves for the past five years, depleting its “rainy day” account. According to city documents, the city expects its water fund to have just $13,000-plus on the books at the end of the 2023-24 fiscal year, while its wastewater fund will be in the hole by more than $1 million. … To backfill the loss, the city plans to raise water rates by 50%. It could then follow one of two recommended plans: raise rates by 16% in year two, then two percent for the next three years. Or, in the second plan, the city could raise rates by 11% in the second year, then 9% for the next three years.