Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and C-E-O Dale Steenbergen is happy that Cheyenne Light Fuel and Power Customers won't be paying more in franchise fees on their power bills.

A proposed ordinance increasing those fees from 3 percent to 4.5 percent over a 25 year period had been put forward as part of a new franchise agreement in conjunction with a franchise agreement which would have allowed High West Energy to continue serving 14 customers in Cheyenne. The city council Finance Committee last week voted against the increase in fees, but the full council could have still chosen to implement them.

But since the High West proposal failed to win approval on a 5-5  vote, Cheyenne Light Fuel and Power will continue with it's existing franchise agreement with the city, which remains in effect until 2016. That means franchise fees paid by Cheyenne customers to CLFP will remain unchanged, at least until 2016.

The fees are used to pay for city infrastructure work associated utility projects, such as power lines. "Merry Christmas, your taxes are not going up!" was Steenbergen's comment on Tuesday morning.

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