Delsa Pedalu stood before the Helena City Commission during a public hearing on proposed water and wastewater rate increases and made a straightforward case: the people who can least afford higher utility bills are the ones who have no way to earn more money to pay them. Pedalu, who receives Social Security Disability, told commissioners that annual cost-of-living adjustments to Social Security do not keep pace with the cumulative effect of repeated rate hikes across city services.
Pedalu was careful to acknowledge the underlying reason for the increases, noting that aging infrastructure requires ongoing investment to keep functioning. But she drew a distinction between the necessity of maintenance and the question of who bears the burden of paying for it, asking commissioners to consider what options remain for residents living entirely on fixed government benefits when utility bills climb year after year.
The testimony came during what appears to be a broader rate-setting process for Helena's water and wastewater systems. No vote was recorded on the rate increases at the September 29 meeting. Commissioners did not respond publicly to Pedalu's remarks during the hearing.