Key takeaways:The Edmonds City Council voted 5-2 to extend the utility tax increase until Dec. 31, 2028. By a 5-2 vote, the Edmonds City Council Tuesday night approved extending the City’s temporary utility tax increase by an additional 18 months, through Dec. 31, 2028. “The utility tax is what is keeping the wheels on the bus,” Paine said when proposing her amendment. The Council is required by law to have a balanced budget, and the utility tax extension will help, Eck said. Why two councilmembers voted against utility tax extensionIn stating his opposition to the tax extension, Councilmember Will Chen noted he also did not vote for utility tax increase in December because it was “extremely regressive.”