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Lancaster mayor halts most assessment increases, leaves sewer hearings to proceed
Summary
Mayor Paris announced he would not advance proposed assessment increases in three public hearings and continued other assessment hearings to Aug. 11 while leaving the sewer service charge process open; staff will begin sorting ballots July 15 and count protests at the Aug. 11 meeting.
Mayor Paris told a packed Lancaster City Council chambers that three proposed assessment increases (public hearings 1–3) "will not be going forward" and that several other hearings would be continued so staff could complete legal noticing and ballot tabulation. "As long as I'm mayor, it's not going forward," Paris told residents who had urged the council to halt the measures.
City staff explained the immediate next steps: city staff will begin opening and sorting mailed ballots on July 15 at 8:30 a.m. in council chambers and will complete the formal tabulation of protests at the continued hearing on Aug. 11 at 1:30 p.m. The city emphasized that hand‑delivered ballots will be accepted and that written protests may be submitted up to the close of the continued hearing.
The mayor framed his decision as responsive to public concern while keeping one item — proposed sewer service‑charge increases — on the schedule. That sewer item will proceed through the Proposition 218 protest and tabulation process: if a majority protest of affected parcels is recorded, the council cannot impose the increase; if not, the council retains the discretion to approve or reject the proposed charges after tabulation.
Council formally adopted continuance resolutions for the affected hearings (votes recorded 4–1 in each case, with Councilmember Castellanos voting no on the continuance votes where recorded). The city will publish notices of the continued hearings and the results of the ballot tabulation after Aug. 11.
What residents asked for: callers and commenters urged additional time and transparency — including a public workshop with Waste Management about solid‑waste fee increases and clearer mailings for affected property owners. Staff said they will make materials and staff reports available online and encouraged residents to attend the Aug. 11 session to watch the tabulation and any subsequent council vote.
