DES MOINES, Iowa —

The Des Moines City Council has approved an increase in the franchise fee on utility bills to 7.5% for the next five years to support Des Moines Area Rapid Transit (DART) services, resulting in approximately $30 extra per year for residents with a $100 monthly bill.

The funds will be used to offset funding gaps for DART.

While every council member agreed on the importance of maintaining DART services, Chris Coleman and Linda Westergaard voted against the increase.

"DART needs our money. We need to find a way to fill the gap. But it should not, we should not raise taxes on people in Des Moines to give tax cuts to people in the suburbs," Coleman said.

In 2023, state lawmakers gave cities with populations of 200,000 or more the power to charge a franchise fee up to 7.5

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