MASON CITY – According to documents from City Hall, Mason City water and sanitation customers could face large rate increases for both services.
According to a projected budget directly from City Hall, water rates would escalate $1.62 each month and sanitation rates would escalate 45 cents each month, for a yearly increase of $24.84.
Current average water bill in Mason City is $24.25; the “necessary rate adjustment” would take the total to $25.87, or a 6.69% increase.
Current average sanitation bill is $9.60 per month. The new rate, if approved by the city council, would be $10.05, for a a 4.69% increase.
In anticipation of the coming election last year, the council held the overall tax levy flat, keeping the water rate increase at zero while raising the sanitation rate only 10 cents.
The projected state rollback tax looks to be estimated at $2.20 per year on a $100,000 home. That would bring the total projected tax hike to $27.04 per year for homeowners with a $100,000 home.
The council will continue to discuss the 2014-2015 budget at a work session this Thursday evening. The hearing is open to the public and will be held at 6:00 PM in the second floor conference room at City Hall.
City council member Alex Kuhn said Monday that the budget will be “tight” this year “for a number of reasons” and he hopes the proposed increases can be reduced before the budget is certified in March.
