Local residents should expect to see an increase in their electric and gas bills following an ordinance amendment of the Municipal Electricity Tax and Municipal Gas Tax Monday evening by Rochelle City Council members.
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ROCHELLE — Local residents should expect to see an increase in their electric and gas bills following an ordinance amendment of the Municipal Electricity Tax and Municipal Gas Tax Monday evening by Rochelle City Council members.
The average yearly residential increase on the electricity will be about $4.18 for residential customers, yearly, but is completely based on usage. The increase amount for natural gas is 3.5 percent, within the 5 percent allowable by state statutes.
City manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said the original utility tax funding mechanism had been approved over 20 years ago and amended in 2012. The current ordinance would have terminated this May.
“The available utility tax funds are allocated for various projects including sidewalk repair and replacement, street improvements in areas lacking curb and gutter and sidewalks, accessibility ramps and other professional and engineering services related to those projects,” Fiegenschuh said.
Much of the funds have been used to repair or replace existing sidewalks and pedestrian paths and upgrade accessibility ramps throughout the community for the past 15 years. The funding has also helped with gaps or missing sections of sidewalks, and with the construction of curbs and gutters in the residential areas.
“Since 1997 over 800,000 square feet of sidewalks, accessibility ramps and pedestrian paths have been constructed or replaced throughout the city,” Fiegenschuh added.
Fiegenschuh reiterated the increase in electricity of $4.18 yearly is solely based on the residential customers’ usage. He also noted most of the surrounding cities’ municipal gas tax were at 5 percent, higher than the 3.5 percent approved by council Monday.