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Council renames 'readiness to serve' charge to 'base rate' after wide debate; opts not to change rate structure tonight
Summary
After lengthy public comment and debate about fairness and budget impacts, the council voted to leave the 2026 rates in place but change the label from 'readiness to serve' back to 'base rate'; staff said the prior policy produced revenue for utility-assistance programs and that eliminating it without replacement would create a projected shortfall for 2026.
The Topeka City Council spent significant time on Dec. 2 discussing proposed changes to water, wastewater and stormwater billing and the 'readiness to serve' charge that went into effect in 2024.
Multiple members of the public and council asked for clarity about who pays and how much. Utilities Director Sylvia Davis reviewed three staff options for 2026: (1) apply a reduced static base across the board,…
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