LAKE CITY, S.C. (WBTW) -- Lake City leaders are exploring a range of austerity measures along with unpopular changes to its water and sewer billing systems as they look to climb out of a financial hole.

"It's never something we want to do, as far as increasing rates, because we know the socio-economic demographics of the city," council member DeWonica Cola Cooper said during a Sept. budget workshop. "But this is the predicament we're in."

In June, the city approved a nearly $12 million 2025-26 spending plan, but officials were forced to revisit its budget after revised projections put its revenues closer to $10 million for the year.

To close the gap, interim city administrator Steven Thompson and his staff suggested cutting back in several areas including switching to less expensive hea

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