HOLD ON TO YOUR WALLETS

If part of your year-end includes planning your monthly budget for 2005, you should plan on paying more per month for the honor of living within the Albert Lea city limits. As mentioned in a previous posting, residential homes will pay two new user fees: storm water fee of $2.95 per month and lighting fee of $3.85 per month.

As if a 60% increase in local revenue was not enough, the City is also proposing to increase its sewer and water charges. At the last city council meeting, a request was made to increase the sewer bill by 15% or $2.81 per month; and the water bill by 5% or $.50 per month.

If you are comparing budgets from 2004, plan on spending another $10.11 per month or $121.32 per year.

http://www.city.albertlea.org/minutes.htm