City of Gary Mayor Jerome A. Prince addresses proposed double-digit water rate increases by Indiana-American Water:

As Mayor, I understand the concerns raised by Indiana American Water's proposed 31% rate hike, especially considering the significant percentage of our residents who are below the median income level or living on fixed incomes. 

It's important to view the proposed increase in water rates along with various other economic factors, such as: 

• NISource's recent rate hike 
• inflation running at 4%
• 2023 Social Security cost of living increase of just 8.7 %
• workers average job increase for 2023 of 4.6%
• increased costs of vital services for everyone.

There simply is no way our Citizens can maintain their quality of life with more rate increases piled on them.  While I recognize the need for companies to cover their costs and deliver reliable services, I also believe that any rate increase should be reasonable and affordable for our residents.

To my fellow residents through Gary, please rest assured I will carefully review Indiana American Water's proposal and work to ensure that their rates remain fair and reasonable. I also want to reiterate my commitment to advocating for our residents and opposing any rate increases that may cause undue financial burden on our community. 

I understand that this is a challenging time for many of our residents, and I will continue to prioritize their needs and work towards creating a sustainable and equitable community.