JACKSON—JXN Water says it is necessary to increase the capital city’s water utility rate next year, despite objections from Jackson officials who say the agency has not done enough to explore other sources of revenue that might avert a rate increase.
Jackson City Attorney Drew Martin said in a document filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi on Dec. 22 that city officials had determined that the water utility rate should not increase after the City of Jackson’s review of the agency’s financial records. “To summarize, the governing authorities of the City do not support the rate increase that JXN Water has proposed,” the document filed on Dec. 22 states.
“The rate is unfair because of its size, because rate payers have already been subject to one official rate increase and another unofficial one in the form of a new $40.00 availability charge, and because it overly burdens the 60% of rate payers who are already paying their share,” the court filing states…