Marlene Feist, Public Works Director of Strategic Development, 509.625.6505
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
The City’s elected leaders are committed to maintaining the affordability of the City’s utility services. About a year ago, the City created a new monthly credit designed to assist certain low-income seniors and disabled individuals.
The credit is available to low-income seniors and disabled persons who qualify for State of Washington property tax exemptions granted through Spokane County. More than 4,000 City utility customers likely would be eligible for the credit, but only 1,800 people have qualified so far. More information on the property tax exemption is available on Spokane County’s web site.
For most qualified individuals, the City utility credit amounts to $10 a month. A third of the amount is credited toward each of the three main utility services: water, sewer, and solid waste. The credit is pro-rated for customers with only one or two City utility services.
“The goal of the credit is to help maintain affordability of City utility services for our most vulnerable customers,” says Scott Simmons, the City’s Public Works Director. “These are critical services that our citizens need, and we want to encourage people who receive the County tax breaks to apply the credit.”
Customers can apply for the program by filling out a form online on the City’s web site or by calling the City at 3-1-1 for assistance. Customers should have their City utility bill account number handy to apply. The credit program was created as part of the City’s adoption of utility rates for 2018, 2019, and 2020. For 2019, a typical residential customer’s City utility bill will increase by $3.60 a month.
Here’s a look at a typical bill for 2019:
| Service | Base Charge | Consumption | Capital | TOTALS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68-gallon Garbage Cart | $31.86 | $31.86 | ||
| Wastewater | $31.46 | $31.46 | ||
| Water | $16.73 | $13.69* | $30.42 | |
| Stormwater | $4.42 | $4.42 | ||
| Integrated Capital | $29.53 | $29.53 | ||
| TOTAL | $127.69 |
*Assumes 15,000 gallons of water usage.
More information on 2019 City utility rates, including out-of-city residential rates, is found on the City's web site.
