Senior citizens and disabled people will not see their water, sewer or solid waste rates increase this year.
The Odessa City Council held a special 20 minute meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss and approve proposed rate increases for the second and final time. This is the fourth year for rate increases for Odessans.
According to City Finance Director Kaylie Banda, the city needs to increase its water and sewer rate by 3% each and the solid waste rate by 3.5% to cover the rising costs of equipment, debt obligations, maintenance and repairs.
A majority of the council approved the increases at its last meeting, but on Wednesday, Councilmember Denise Swanner suggested making an exception for people ages 65 and older and disabled residents and her colleagues agreed.
Swanner is up for re-election in November facing challenger Craig Stoker.
The council voted 6-1 to raise the water and sewer rates for everyone else, with Councilmember Chris Hanie voting against the measures because he didn’t want rates raised at all.
The majority of the council also voted to raise the solid waste rates for everyone else, but Hanie abstained because of a conflict of interest.
The council also approved a property tax rate of $0.466275 cents per $100 valuation by a 6-1 vote with Hanie opposing. The rate is lower than last year but is considered a tax increase as it will bring in more revenue with some of that new revenue tied to new properties in the city. A second vote will be held on Tuesday.
Hanie said during the council’s last meeting he wanted the city to use surplus funds to help struggling Odessans by not raising any rates.
