Long Beach Utilities Commission Hosts Prop 218 Hearing on August 27

Published on July 09, 2025

Contact: Joy Contreras
Public Information Officer
Phone: (562) 355-1201
Email: joy.contreras@lbutilities.org

LONG BEACH, CA — The Long Beach Board of Utilities Commission (Board) will host a Proposition 218 public hearing on water and sewer rates on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, before City Council consideration of the matter as part of the overall City budget process. The hearing is an opportunity for property owners to file a formal protest with the Board to the proposed water and sewer rate increases for Fiscal Year 2026, beginning October 1, 2025.

On June 17, 2025, after three public budget workshops held on May 1, May 15 and June 17, the Board of Utilities Commissioners voted to adopt the following proposed rate increases: 12 percent for water rates and 12 percent for sewer rates. Property owners have two options for objecting to or protesting the proposed rate increases: (1) AB 2257 “Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies” Procedure; and/or (2) Proposition 218 “Majority Protest” Process.

AB 2257 “Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies” Procedure

Effective January 1, 2025, this legislation created an objection procedure whereby a ratepayer must exhaust all administrative remedies to contest a rate increase, in order to be eligible to bring a lawsuit contesting the increase. AB 2257 bolsters the financial stability of public water and sewer agencies by creating a clear and robust public process that facilitates dialogue, transparency, and the opportunity to resolve questions surrounding a rate increase prior to litigation.

Any owner of record of any parcel upon with water or sewer rates are proposed for imposition, or a customer of record who is not the property owner (e.g., a tenant) may submit a written objection (“Objection”) to the Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners. Please send email protests to commission@lbutilities.org; or mail or hand deliver a written protest to: 

Attn: Executive Assistant to the Board

1800 East Wardlow Road

Long Beach, CA 90807

To be valid, an AB 2257 Objection must:

1.    Specify the grounds for alleging noncompliance with Proposition 218. Specified grounds must be sufficiently detailed to allow the Long Beach Utilities Department to determine whether alterations to the proposed rates are needed; and to provide the owner/customer of record with a meaningful response. 

2.    Provide the location of the identified parcel (street address or assessor’s parcel).

3.    Include the name and signature of the party submitting the Objection.

To file an objection to proposed water and sewer rate increases using the AB 2257 objection procedure, a property-owner must submit the information noted above to the Long Beach Utilities Department by 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

Proposition 218 Protest Process

The Proposition 218 “Majority Protest” Process was established in November 1996, by California voters who approved Proposition 218. Proposition 218 requires a public hearing be held prior to the adoption of any property-related rate increase, including increases to water or sewer rates. Pursuant to Proposition 218, Long Beach Utilities will be hosting a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27 at the Long Beach Utilities Administration Building at 1800 East Wardlow Road, Long Beach, CA 90807. The building is accessible by four Long Beach Transit Bus routes: 21, 23, 71, and 131. Free visitor parking is also available. Language interpretation will be available in Spanish.

All utility account owners and members of the public may attend the public hearing. Protests may also be mailed or emailed to the Executive Assistant to the Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners by the close of the public hearing on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. To submit a written protest:

1.    Customers must sign the written protest and include their name and street address. 

2.    Only one protest will be counted per identified account toward a majority protest. 

3.    Please send email protests to commission@lbutilities.org; or mail or hand deliver a written protest to: 

Attn: Executive Assistant to the Board

1800 East Wardlow Road

Long Beach, CA 90807

To submit a verbal protest, please arrive at the Long Beach Utilities Administration Building (1800 East Wardlow Road) no later than 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. Customers must sign up to provide a written public comment. Customers will be asked to provide their name and address for the public record and be given three (3) minutes to provide a public comment.

The Long Beach Utilities Department will respond to all AB 2257 objections, tabulate Proposition 218 protests, and report the results to the Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners. For more information on Proposition 218 and proposed rates, please visit LBUtilities.org/budget.

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