PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — St. Pete is considering a plan to increase residents’ utility bills by 5.6%. For many residents there, this is unwelcome news, while the city said it’s necessary to maintain and improve infrastructure.
“This is needed in order to make sure we can provide the services. Not only to provide the services next year but to make sure our facilities can provide the services for the generations to come,” said Claude Tankersly, public works director.
“Well, we don’t get any more money because we’re on a fixed income. So, they keep raising rates on everything, then it's less money to support ourselves,” said Madaline Oberry, a St. Pete resident.
No final decisions on a rate hike have been made yet. This is as St. Pete City Council convened Thursday, voting to push this issue to a public hearing on September 7.
“When you say 5.6%, where are we going to get that 5.6%? We’re not getting an increase of 5.6% anywhere,” said St. Pete resident Evelyn Carmichael.
If the rate hike is approved, it’ll take effect on October 1.
“We’ve got thousands of miles of pipe underground. We’ve got 20,000 stormwater inlets in the city. We have 20,000 manholes in the city. That’s a lot of equipment and material that is old, and it’s aging,” said Tankersly.
They are shifting the focus to electric bills. It’s been a hot summer, so keeping your homes cool probably costs you more. TECO announced Wednesday that they expect customers’ monthly bills to decrease by 11% in 2024 due to lower fuel costs.
Duke Energy has already lowered electric bills this year for their customers. We contacted them to see if customers will continue to see lower costs next year. In an email, they said their 2024 rates will be posted on September 5.
If you’re struggling to pay your utility bill, call the Utility Customer Service Call Center at (717) 893-7341.
