The economy may be going down the shitter, Boeing may be headed for layoffs, and this spring may never really come, meaning you’ll have to heat your place until June. But at least you won’t be paying higher rates to do so. So say Councilmembers Richard Conlin and Bruce Harrell–chairs of the Environment and Energy Committees, respectively–in a press release this afternoon. According to the release, Seattle Public Utilities and City Light had been planning rate increases to cover revenue shortfalls, but Conlin and Harrell are telling them to go back to the drawing board. “Passing the burden on to rate payers is the last solution we want to see at this time,” says Harrell.The Council is also taking issue with City Light’s plans to cut production, which they say could force the city to buy electricity on the open market if demand exceeds the reduced supply. On the spot: City Light head Jorge Carrasco, whose controversial ways were documented by Aimee Curl in this cover story. Says the release: “In a memo sent to City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco today, The City Council asked Carrasco to take another look at the utility’s budget with the goal of identifying reductions that will bring actual savings.”