Rocky Mount Residents Protest Utility Rate Hikes

0:00It's March 23rd. Welcome in. This is Durham News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Residents in Rocky Mountain gathered outside City Hall to protest plan jumps in utility rates, said to start as early as April 1st. The city faces a deep financial hole announced last year, and council members are pushing for higher charges on electric, gas, sewer, and water bills. Each household could see electric bills rise by about 18 to $19, with gas up $15 for three months. A state otter released this month, pointed to years of overspending under the former city manager, fueling the budget mess. The council held a special meeting last week to talk revenue boosts and service cuts, but these rate hikes have sparked major pushback. Locals like seniors on fixed incomes say the increases are forcing them to rethink budgets or even move away. Some council member joined the protestors, arguing for less drastic options to balance the books without hitting residents so hard. The city has already laid off workers and raised property taxes to fight back.

1:04More cuts are on the table, like pausing employee retirement contributions next year, dropping downtown grants, canceling public events, and trimming, travel and operations. Council members will weigh these changes at a special meeting, Monday after a public caring, with decisions that could reshape how the city recovers.