Opinion and Commentary By Linda Sutter – January 7, 2026
The Proposition 218 protest has failed, and the rate increases are now moving forward. Whether one supported or opposed the increases, the reality is that thousands of residents will now be forced to adjust their household budgets to absorb the additional costs.
In my opinion, the City made a mistake.
No one disputes that the sewer system faces significant challenges. The sewer study identified substantial debt obligations and future financial concerns. Responsible government requires planning for those expenses.
However, the water study painted a different picture. The City’s own consultant found that the Water Fund exceeded its minimum reserve target. At the same time, the study acknowledged that Crescent City is a severely disadvantaged community with a median household income of approximately $35,340. The truth is that many local families earn far less than that amount.
Before asking residents to shoulder such substantial increases, I believe the City should have aggressively pursued every available grant opportunity and exhausted every alternative funding source. If grants were available for future capital projects, those opportunities should have been explored first before placing additional burdens on ratepayers.
The concern is not simply about numbers on a spreadsheet.
The concern is about people.
Small businesses will likely feel the effects first. Restaurants, retailers, and service providers already face increasing costs for supplies, insurance, wages, and fuel. Utility increases become another expense that must be absorbed or passed along to customers through higher prices.
Families are facing similar pressures.
Fuel prices remain unpredictable. Grocery costs remain high. Housing expenses continue to rise. Medical costs continue to increase. For many households, there is little room left in the monthly budget.
For gardeners, higher water costs may mean fewer flowers, fewer vegetable gardens, and less investment in the appearance of their homes and neighborhoods.
For seniors living on Social Security, the choices become even more difficult. Many elderly residents already live on fixed incomes that do not keep pace with inflation. Some may find themselves deciding whether to cancel a television service that provides companionship and connection to the outside world, reduce grocery purchases, postpone needed medications, or cut other necessities.
These are not engineering calculations.
These are human consequences.
The water and sewer systems must be maintained. Safe drinking water and reliable wastewater treatment are essential public services.
But sustainability should not be measured solely by reserve balances, debt coverage ratios, and capital improvement plans.
True sustainability also includes the people paying the bills.
A community cannot be considered healthy if the residents who support it are struggling to afford the basic necessities of life.
The Proposition 218 process is over. The ordinance has passed. The debate in council chambers has ended.
Now comes the difficult part.
The true impact of this decision will not be measured in financial reports.
It will be measured around kitchen tables throughout Crescent City and Del Norte County, where families, seniors, and small business owners decide what they can afford to keep and what they must do without.
