1. Since 2015 Chelsea residential electric rates have increased 11%. This would make a total of a 13% increase in just four years if Council approves the purposed 2% increase.

2. Chelsea’s service charge for water, sewer and electricity is a regressive flat tax recurring every month regardless of consumption. For sewer this is at least $16.10/ month for a ¾” meter.
For electricity this is $10.70/ month and water $5.76/month for a ¾ meter or smaller.
Every household served by Chelsea Utilities is charged a minimum of $32.56 every month or $390.72 per year without using a drop of water, watt of electricity or gallon of sewer.
Approximately 23% of Chelsea residents earn less than $40,000/yr., which means these utility service charges encumber a much larger percentage of their monthly household expenses.

Ask City Council to:
1. Vote down the 2% increase in residential electrical rates and hold a moratorium on residential electric service increase until the sunset of the State Energy Optimization Program, which, according to the cit managers presentation, should bring $100,000 back into the budget.
2. Vote down the additional 1$ monthly service charge to residential rates and restructure the ready to serve charges for electrical, water, and sewer, based on actual consumption of the utility.

I started this petition because...
Renae Kempf- creator and admin of Chelsea Residents in the Know (MI) has posted this on behalf of Julianne Chard, a "Chelsea Resident & Architectural Consultant living over 40 years in Washtenaw County." Julianne contacted Renae with concern for Chelsea residents as the increase in utility rates could negatively affect many of those within the city limits.