MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa City Council voted Monday night to raise local utility rates despite hearing strong objections from residents who felt now was not an appropriate time to raise costs.
After hearing comments from several residents, the council unanimously approved a proposal to increase the cost of water, gas, electricity and wastewater rates. The new utility rates would take effect on Feb. 1, 2025.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: ‘Están despertando al gigante dormido’: Residentes advierten a líderes de Mesa sobre consecuencias de aumento en utilidades
Several residents urged the council to not approve the rate increase and warned there could be political consequences at the next election if they did approve the proposal.
"You're waking a sleeping giant," one attendee warned the council before Monday's vote.
Public speakers asked the council to find expenses to cut from Mesa's budget rather than raise costs for residents. Others suggested the council members could risk losing their seats if they don't listen to the concerns of voters.
"You're going to hear from us, 'You're fired' for malfeasance," another attendee told the council.
The city's elected officials argued that if they didn't raise utility rates this year, then they would have to make a bigger increase in the future.
Mesa's utility funds are used to help finance the city's public safety services and City Manager Chris Brady said the city is not able to collect enough revenue from other sources.
"We don't capture enough sales tax, too many of us are shopping outside of Mesa," Brady said.
City leaders rejected the notion that Mesa has a "spending problem" and insisted the city's cost-of-living expenses remained competitive with other Valley communities.
"We are doing the bare minimum increase possible and going through some contortions in order to accommodate that," Mayor John Giles said Monday night.
More details on how Mesa's utility rates will change can be found in the city document below:
