BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Property owners in Bakersfield can provide comments on the proposed five-year sewer rate increase one last time at a public hearing Wednesday before a Bakersfield City Council vote.
The second and final public hearing is set to take place during the City Council meeting at 5:15 p.m. May 13 at 1501 Truxtun Ave.
Bakersfield residents, Kern County protest city’s proposed sewer rate increase during public hearing
The city is proposing increasing the annual sewer rate for Bakersfield property owners from $247.13 to $475 in fiscal year 2026-2027. For each year following that, the rate would go up by $100 until it reaches $875 per year in fiscal year 2030-2031.
The City Council is set to make a final decision on the proposed increase Wednesday after the public hearing ends.
If approved Wednesday, the proposed rate would take effect July 1, with future increases going into effect each July 1 until July of 2031, according to the agenda.
The city scheduled the second public hearing after noticing an error in mailing out the Proposition 218 notices to affected property owners, in which about 30% of those households didn’t receive a notice.
At the first hearing, over a dozen community members — including an attorney representing Kern County — attended to speak out against the proposed increase, mainly expressing concern about the financial difficulties Bakersfield residents would face with this rate increase.
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