COLTON COURIER Weekly
March 06, 2025
Vol 153, NO. 12
Colton Faces $24 Million Utility Deficit, Considers Rate Hike for 2025-2029 By Manny Sandoval
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IECN.com
Rialto Woman Killed in Suspected DUI Crash; Driver Arrested After Fleeing Scene Pg. 3
acing a $24 million deficit in its electric utility, the Colton City Council held a special meeting on Feb. 24 to review an electric rate study and discuss potential rate increases, with implementation targeted for October 2025. The workshop, led by the city’s utility rate consultant Amber Gschwend, examined the cost of service and financial sustainability of the city’s electric utility. The study, which forecasts rates from 2025 to 2029, aims to align costs with expenditures while ensuring long-term reliability, safety, and compliance with state mandates. City’s Financial Challenges and Proposed Adjustments Colton’s last base rate increase occurred in 2009, with decreases in 2011 and 2013. Measure D implemented a rate freeze from 2016 to 2021, leaving the city with a $24 million deficit before the imple-
mentation of an 8.5 cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) in April 2023. Gschwend outlined that power costs increased by $17 million in a single year, further straining the city’s resources. To address these financial concerns, the study recommends no rate increase in 2025, instead utilizing reserves to cover costs. Incremental rate adjustments would follow: 3% in 2026, 2% in 2027 and 2028, and 1% in 2029. Projected rate revenue is expected to rise from $53.9 million in 2025 to $87.4 million in 2029, while PCA revenue is projected to drop from $27.8 million in 2025 to just $619,924 in 2029. Operating and maintenance expenses are forecasted to increase from $60.9 million in 2025 to $71 million in 2029. Colton also faces additional costs from aging infrastructure, wildfire hardening, system Electric Utility, cont. next pg.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Colton City Hall, where officials discussed a $24 million electric utility deficit and potential rate increases from 2025 to 2029, during a special council meeting on Feb. 24, 2024.
Rialto City Council Extends Warehouse Moratorium, Community Groups Mobilize ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ Person of Interest Detained Following Break-in at San Bernardino Animal Shelter Pg. 3
PHOTO CHRIS SALAZAR Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott commenting on the warehousing moratorium.
By Christopher Salazar
Proposed Medicaid Cuts Would Put Inland Empire Families and Health Care at Risk Pg. 8 Inland Empire Community Newspapers Office: (909) 381-9898 Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: iecn1@mac.com Legals : iecnlegals@gmail.com
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n Tuesday Feb. 25, Rialto City Council voted to extend a moratorium on new warehouse developments for an additional six months, shortening the original proposed extension of 10 months and 15 days. The decision, which followed a discussion about zoning regulations and the city’s long-term development plans, pushes the moratorium’s expiration to Aug. 26, 2025. The moratorium, initially adopted on Jan. 28 under emergency ordinance 1697, temporarily halts the “establishment, expansion, or intensification” of warehouses and
fulfillment centers. The extension aims to give city officials time to review zoning regulations, consider potential rezoning in specific areas and establish appropriate guidelines for “indoor storage facilities” according to AB 98 regulations.
10 months is a long time.”
Daniel Casey, the city’s principal planner, presented the ordinance. However, concerns about the timeframe arose among council members.
“The alternative is to reduce the time,” Vail said. “Staff indicates in the staff report they feel that they can keep the necessary work within six months. So one alternative you could have tonight would be to make the moratorium last no longer than six months.”
“I have a little bit of an issue with your time frame on this,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott. “Because we had asked that [the] staff move in a much faster manner to address the zoning issues, and I think
City Attorney Eric Vail noted that the council had the option to reduce the extension while still allowing staff enough time to complete their review.
Warehousing, cont. next pg.