Utility rates will likely go up in Abita

Much like everyone else, the town of Abita Springs in having trouble paying its bills.

Mayor Louis Fitzmorris said for the last six months, the town has had to take money from the general fund to make up for a deficit in the utilities fund.

Over the last fiscal year, he said, that deficit totaled out at more than $447,000.

He said that due to increases in maintenance costs the town is losing money by providing utilities.

“The utilities are supposed to be run like a business,” he said. “They are supposed to pay for themselves.”

He said he can “stretch a dollar” better than anybody but has come to a point where the town’s expenses are exceeding its income.

The only way to resolve that is to increase the income, and unfortunately, he said, that means raising utility rates.

He said this is just a fair warning, and he does not anticipate raising any rates until the first of the new year.

Fitzmorris said the increases will likely come on the consumption end, and the base fees for the utilities the town provides, which include garbage, gas, water and sewer, will not go up.

He said the garbage rates, which were just increased to provide recycling services, would likely not change.

But gas rates, which have not changed since 2000; water rates, which were last increased in 2004; and sewer rates, which are tied to water rates and were actually reduced in 2004, will all likely increase.

Fitzmorris hopes to have exact numbers at next month’s meeting, which is also when the town will present next year’s budget.