HOMINY, Okla. (KTUL) — The frustrations are high for some Hominy residents after learning they will soon pay more for electricity.
Instead of increasing taxes like other big states, Hominy is adding a $10 monthly fee to help with things like potholes and city worker’s wages.
“People in Hominy are demanding better and we can’t do that without funding,” said Hominy Mayor, Donnie Reed.
Mayor Reed said he wants to give the people what they want in hominy and that’s a better community.
About 3,200 residents’ electric bills will increase by $10 a month to pay for road infrastructure and increase pay wages for city workers who only receive about $9 to $10 an hour.
“This $10 came up at the first meeting at the beginning of the month, said Mayor Reed. There was a lot of concern with all the council members so we had tabled that. To go out to our wards and talk to our people. Kind of get some feedback to see where the people stood on it.”
Mayor Reed says everyone was receptive to the new fee except for a few.
A Hominy resident reached out to NewsChannel 8 to share what residents were saying on social media.
Residents questioned the reason for the $10 additional fee they will see on their electric bill and if the monies will be used to fix the city’s infrastructure problems.
City officials say they looked for other funding solutions, including grants, and that adding a fee to residents’ electric bills was their last option.
“It’s a concern. Most people have a fixed income. Mostly elderly people which is a big concern of ours. Electric goes up, cost of living goes up, but their checks don’t go up.”
They believe increasing residents’ electric bills monthly will bring in approximately $156,000 a year.
The city of Hominy tells me that filling up one truck costs around $2800 and then if they add asphalt that’s another $2500 fill up which also doesn’t last long.