Provo residents facing utility rate increase

PROVO (Deseret News) — Three months into his administration, Mayor John Curtis is undertaking the task of selling residents on the city's first power rate increase in 22 years.

Curtis ran as a fiscal conservative, but he said increasing costs and needed infrastructure improvements make utility rate increases for power, water and sewer services inevitable.

"It's a hard decision to be the mayor who stands up and says, 'I know it's been 22 years but we are raising power rates,'" Curtis said. "I don't mind making hard decisions. That's what I was elected for. The process we will follow will be open and transparent. We will go above and beyond what is legally required."

That means in addition to the legally mandated public hearing on May 18, the city will hold three public meetings over the next few weeks, the first on Tuesday, April 13, at 8 p.m. at Lakeview Elementary, 2899 W. 1390 North.

Other meetings will be April 27 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers, 351 W. Center, and April 29 at 7 p.m. at Edgemont Elementary, 566 E. 3650 North.

The rate increases are scheduled to go into effect in July, with the start of the new fiscal year.

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