Artesia City Limits a Huge Utility Bill Boundary

KOB TV - People who live just outside of Artesia city limits are furious about a dramatic increase in their utility bills. In some cases, they will be charged an extra $800 or more a year for some city services. The city offers sewer, trash collection and water for people living just outside the city limits. Residents recently received a notice that they could no longer pick and choose what services they wanted. Many of the residents living just west of Artesia survive on fixed incomes near the poverty level. Now county residents have to bundle their services and they have to get trash collection. The new trash collection service comes with new fees. According to the notice given by the city, residents will be charged $26 a month for trash service if they sign a contract that allows the city to annex their property some time in the future. For residents who do not sign the contract, they will pay $41 a month just for trash collection. An additional $30 a month fee will be charged for trash collection and water delivery outside city boundaries. "We're charged $41 for trash, $15 for water, and $15 for sewer extra, a month, on our water bill and we can't afford that, no body can," Jamie Perez said. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Artesia City Limits a Huge Utility Bill Boundary