Rockford Town Council will hold a Public Hearing Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at 7:00 p.m.,at Town Hall, 20 Emma Street. The purpose of the hearing will be to take public comment on the Town Council's increasing its revenues by consideration of imposing a utility tax to help pay for costs for improvements on the Town's infrastructure.
In October, 2012, Paul Kimmell
of Avista told the Council that through a utility tax on the electricity bill
through Avista the Town can implement utility taxes up to 6% without vote of
the citizens.
Avista Utilities would collect the monies and then send it back
to Rockford. He said town’s usually need to be clear about the purpose for the
tax, list the projects.
On December 19, 2013, , the Town
Council adopted Ordinance 12-10 – amending the Town’s rules/regulations on the
water system, giving the Town Council authority to increase water rates up to
3% per calendar year.
During 2012, the Town faced cost
increases for health insurance premiums, improvements
on the sewage lagoon system, and for the Missile Base Road upkeep.
