It’s been one week since the Ville Platte City Council voted to increase utility costs.

Residents will notice the new rates beginning with June’s billing cycle.

News 10 went around the city asking people what they think of the utilities going up and got some mixed answers.

Some people say it’s a good thing, while others are completely against it.

” Well I’m not pleased with it because I think that we’re a low-income community and the city utilities are already expensive as it is,“ said Arthur Sampson Jr.

He says he knows the increase is supposed to help offset the cost of operations for the city, but Sampson doesn’t find it fair.

“That’s not our fault. Don’t put that burden on the people. If you’re having problems, if you didn’t manage your books, don’t put that burden on the people. That’s not our fault, we can’t afford that,” he explains.

Then there are those like Donald Anderson who say this increase is a long-time coming

“This is something that should’ve been done 20 years ago and it wasn’t done 20 years ago. So now it’s time to pay the piper,” Anderson says.

Anderson says although a ‘35% increase’ sounds scary to most, he believes it’s do-able. 

“We just gotta do what we gotta do. We gotta come up and pay what we gotta pay. And really truly it’s only going up eight, nine dollars. What, a pack of cigarettes? Not even a six-pack of beer. Come on now,” he says.

Workers at City Hall told News 10 that anybody with any questions about their bill can go and talk to the utilities department.

Mayor Jennifer Vidrine has previously said the increases are needed to help sustain the department and services.

Details of the new rates are below.

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