What Propositions 1 & 2 mean for your bill

Utility rates will be rising in Columbia, after voters approved two ballot issues.

Proposition one allows the city to borrow more than $63 million for projects related to electricity. Proposition two will raise the stormwater utility fee over the next five years, to fix old pipes that carry rain water to streams.

Proposition one will go into effect this summer. Expect your Columbia Electric Bill to increase 3 percent, or $2.70 per month. It will go up another two percent in 2017, and then another one percent in 2018…coming to a $5.50 increase per month total. This money will be used to fund electrical upgrades like replacing transmissions and sub-stations.

Proposition two will raise the current stormwater fee from $.65 to$1.44 per month for the average Columbia homeowner. That uptick will start on your October bill. By 2019, the average homeowner will see an increase of $3.37 per month.

These are increases city officials say are worth it.

“Instead of a big huge rate crunch right now and future users not having to pay for any of it, we do bond issues to spread the payments out and have future users help pay for it,” Connie Kacprowicz with Water and Light explained.

Even though the rates are set, she said City Council will still vote on the electrical rate increase in May.