Water rates

Said she's lived in the city longer than the council members have been alive, asked for a printout of their names, and questioned the revenue-cycle-to-project-timing explanation.

An apartment owner with Section 8 tenants asked why the infrastructure shortfall wasn't foreseen with gradual 5% annual increases instead of a sudden 53% hit, and said he can't pass costs to rent-controlled tenants.

Said he couldn't find a polling place and urged the Council to reconsider the rates, thinking about seniors and people with disabilities.

Urged a city fiscal moratorium instead of rate increases, said bonds are taxes, and asked that her property taxes be reduced so she can pay for water, power, and gas.

Said he supports most of the rate plan but is penalized for a legally required fire-sprinkler system: a larger 1.5-inch water main means paying roughly triple his neighbor's customer charge — about $30,000 extra over 24 years.

Urged the Council to reject or pause the increase, noting the fixed charge more than doubles before a drop of water is used, and asked whether alternatives were explored to protect affordability.

Showed 12 years of water billing grade reports, urged the city to conserve and combine water and electric mailings on one bill to save postage.

Running SaveGlendaleWater.com with Gavora Gregorian, she called the deadline arbitrary, said 3,000 of 22,000 needed protest forms have been collected, and asked for postponement until after 2027, arguing the rate hike is driven by bond credit requirements.

A 41-year city employee newly retired on $2,467/month Social Security, he said raising rates is 'lazy' and 'irresponsible' and that GWP should operate within its existing budget, criticizing a $0.20 rebate offer.

A 40-year resident, she said large developments and ADU conversions have destroyed her neighborhood's character, noted electric bills already doubled despite a promised 25% increase, protested the election-day hearing timing, and asked for a delay.

Said he walked the city door-to-door for 45 days and found most residents unaware of the increase; asked the Council to extend the protest period to at least December 15 and presented signed petitions.

First-time speaker who said the rate study's underlying data is being withheld as 'proprietary' despite the contract calling it city property, and questioned how a $136 million water surplus fund squares with the rate case.

Called it a self-inflicted affordability crisis; his Zone 3 bill would rise nearly $250 a month (~$3,000/year), and he asked for more time, more transparency on project costs, and outreach to seniors and low-income residents.

A renter and tenants union member who said landlords will pass the full water rate hike to tenants, urging Council members to oppose the proposal.

Asked the Council to extend the timeline, saying a 50%-plus increase in January 2027 is too much too fast, and criticized bike lane spending as an unnecessary project diverting funds from infrastructure.

Called for balance in utility costs, opposed meeting on election day, and asked the city to publish ICE sighting information and protect immigrant residents.

Criticized decades of deferred water pipe maintenance and past transfers of ~$40 million from the water utility to the general fund, urging annual sinking-fund contributions matching depreciation.