The Chico City Council discussed protests over a sewer rate hike and a third-party review of the Chico Police Department’s audit of its automated license plate reader program at its meeting Tuesday night. The Chico City Council began a public hearing on recently approved sewer rate hikes. … The council decided to continue the hearing on November 17th after the city received protest letters from property owners. The protest letters are part of the Proposition 218 process, which limits local governments from increasing property-related fees without specific taxpayer consent or voter approval. … The city council approved the rate increase in June. It amounts to, on average, more than a 160-percent rate increase over the next 5 years.

Other Prop. 218 news:

• Kronick: Legal alert: Appellate court reinforces need to follow validation procedure in litigating retail water service rates under Proposition 218