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Century Raises Water Rates, Now Taking Credit Cards
January 29, 2013
The Century Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to raise water rates — the first rate increase for the town’s water customers since 1995. The overall 10 percent rate hike is to be implemented with an immediate 5 percent increase and additional 5 percent increase six months later.
The rate for the first 1,500 gallons of water will increase to $9.45 on February 1 and increase again to $9.90 on August 1. Each additional 1,000 gallons will be $2.27 on February 1 and $2.49 on August 1. Sewer rates will remain the same at $13 for the first 6,000 gallons of water used.
In the past, the town has had difficulty applying for, or receiving the full amount of, federal grants for the water system because Century’s rates were markedly lower than surrounding areas.
The town also announced that major credit cards are being accepted for water, sewer and gas bills. The customer will be charged an extra 3.5 percent fee for service.
Pictured: Century Town Council members Sandra McMurry Jackson and Jacke Johnston at Monday night’s meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
4 Responses to “Century Raises Water Rates, Now Taking Credit Cards”
I find it HILLARIOUS how people throw the term “illegal” around when it comes to something they don’t want to do. I consider is lucky that not all businesses don’t charge a fee for debit/credit card usage. They certainly could.
Thank you to all of the Century Council members for all that you do. I am so happy that you have all just made paying my water/sewer bill much more convenient! It’s worth the fee to just be able to pick up the phone and pay the bill. Thank you again!
>>.I am pretty sure that it is illegal to charge any type of fee (regardless of what you call the fee) to customers that pay by credit card.
Actually, in Florida, governmental agencies don’t absorb the credit card fee (like Walmart would do). They are allowed to pass the fee along to the customer. The fee is charged if you pay your ECUA bill, renew your tag, etc. with a credit card.
215.322 (5) A unit of local government, including a municipality, special district, or board of county commissioners or other governing body of a county, a consolidated or metropolitan government, and any clerk of the circuit court, sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, or supervisor of elections, is authorized to accept payment by use of credit cards, charge cards, bank debit cards, and electronic funds transfers for financial obligations that are owing to such unit of local government and to surcharge the person who uses a credit card, charge card, bank debit card, or electronic funds transfer in payment of taxes, license fees, tuition, fines, civil penalties, court-ordered payments, or court costs, or other statutorily prescribed revenues an amount sufficient to pay the service fee charges by the financial institution, vending service company, or credit card company for such services
I am pretty sure that it is illegal to charge any type of fee (regardless of what you call the fee) to customers that pay by credit card. You could charge a fee for all customers that pay by phone…or for all customers that pay using the drive up window…but you can’t single out customers that pay by credit card.