BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield City Council voted 5-2 to approve a controversial sewer rate increase after a year of deliberation, public meetings, and proposals.
The city's current annual sewer rate of $247 will jump to $475 starting July 1. The cost will then continue rising over the next five years, reaching $875 by 2030.
Council Member Ken Weir and Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur were the two members who voted against the increase.
Under Proposition 218, property owners had the opportunity to protest the rate hike through written letters or public comment. On Wednesday night, the city clerk announced only 1,186 valid protests were received — far short of the more than 53,000 needed to stop the increase.
While most public speakers were against the rate hike, one speaker supported it.
"This is really a necessary idea that has to come and be passed as soon as possible," the speaker said.
Another speaker opposed the increase, citing the burden on working families.
"The rising cost of living is already difficult for working families. It's simply not fair to place the cost of decades of neglected infrastructure onto property owners," the speaker said.
Kaur said she could not support the increase without more help for residents on fixed incomes.
"I do feel we could have done a better job here, and for the reasons I stated, I'd like to make a motion today to deny this increase," Kaur said.
Others on the council argued the city could no longer afford to delay critical infrastructure upgrades.
"This is a part of our infrastructure that would completely destroy our community and our town to where we would even have a Bakersfield anymore. It's not kicking the can down the road for the next generation is… it's the right thing to do," Council Member Zack Bashirtash said.
For Bakersfield resident Debbie Busby, the vote was frustrating after spending months speaking out against the increase.
"That's who I was fighting for, the people who really can't afford this. And shame on the city council and past councils that have allowed this to happen, and now the tax payers are going to have to pay," Busby said.
The new sewer rates are set to take effect July 1, 2026, with additional increases scheduled each year through 2030.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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