Newport residents are fuming as Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong and some members of the Newport City Council continue to prove how wildly out of touch they are with the people they’re supposed to serve. The latest insult? A stealthy $81 minimum monthly water fee, buried deep in the fine print of the budget, is now slamming locals like a tidal wave of extra costs.
This new “water tax,” as some residents have dubbed it, has blindsided Newporters, especially seniors, renters, and those on fixed incomes who are already feeling the squeeze. With bills surging and wallets shrinking, many are asking if the Mayor and the Newport City Council even understand the financial strain their policies are causing.
Making matters worse, that $81 fee doesn’t even cover the whole bill. Residents are hit with an additional $19.20 billing fee, a combined sewer overflow fee, and the actual water usage cost.
However, there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. City Councilors will be meeting in a public workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 18th, at 11 a.m. in the City Council Chambers to work on fixing this mess.
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