Ashland residents will see increase on electric bills come July

Ashland, Ore. — Electric bills are going to get more expensive for Ashland residents. The city council approved a rate hike this week, which would raise the average bill about $3.75 a month.

“The cost of the power has increased, the cost of employee contracts, PERS contributions, infrastructure all the costs are rising so we really had little choice but to raise rates,” councilor Greg Lemhouse says, “had we not, we would have been in a hole of I think almost 6-million dollars in a few years.”

The increase goes into effect July 1st. Only one councilor voted against the increase.