UPDATE:
The City says in October of 2024 the city bought more than 1,200 acres of land in the Charlotte County reservoir to support the city's irrigation system.
The City says this rate increase will help support the purchase.
ORIGINAL STORY:
You may have gotten a letter in the mail that says, “The City of Cape Coral plans to amend utility rates for all utility customers." It also says council will be voting on this increase in May.
Some residents who got the letter told Fox 4’s Bella Line that the price to live in Cape Coral has gotten too high.
Watch as Fox 4's Bella Line reports on the potential utility rate increase:
"I'm hoping they will consider, you know, just maybe slowing down the progress a little bit around the around here, or instead of just keep increasing all these rates, I mean, it's got to stop somewhere,” said Mary Ravas, a homeowner in Cape Coral.
Back in July, Fox 4 told you how City Council approved a water usage rate increase of 11% each year over the next 3 years.
Previous reporting:
https://www.fox4now.com/cape-coral/water-bills-on-the-rise-what-an-11-increase-will-look-like-for-cape-coral
The city told Fox 4 it was to accommodate the rise in operational costs for things like PVC pipe, concrete, electrical equipment and chemicals.
Many residents Fox 4’s Bella Line spoke with on and off camera said they either know people who are leaving the city or considering it themselves.
"Things are getting more expensive, and now our utilities are going up too, so it's like, one step closer to alright, let's just move further up north, or get out of here,” said Nikole Baldanza.
Some residents pointed to the cost of living, from gas and grocery prices to the stock market already taking a toll on them.
"We feel every increase we're on, we're elderly, and we're on fixed incomes, and so, yes, we do notice all of that,” said Ravas. "Everything just keeps increasing. We've been through how many years of inflation, and that isn't stopping."
I reached out to the City of Cape Coral for more information about the proposed increase and they said they are looking into it.
The letter says the public hearing will be in front of City Council on May 21, and would take effect on October 1 of this year.
