A new $4.20 yearly fee increase for Comcast users in Joliet would raise nearly $100,000 a year to be used for upgrades to the city’s public access TV studio and other video-related needs, city officials said.

The Joliet City Council approved the fee at its Dec. 19 meeting as part of a 10-year renewal of the franchise agreement with Comcast. Under the deal, the public, education and government (PEG) fee would never increase during the 10 years.

The fee, which is 35 cents per month, could be assessed on subscribers as early as March or April.

Comcast provides cable service to more than half of Joliet residents. AT&T users pay a 1 percent PEG fee, but do not have nearly as many subscribers, said Ben Benson, a city spokesman.

The new revenue could go toward upgrades to video capabilities in the city council chambers where meetings are televised as well as possibly a new studio that could be used by other organizations in Joliet, Benson said. Currently, the city’s public access TV studio is located in the basement of City Hall.

The approved deal also allows Joliet to continue receiving 5 percent of Comcast’s annual gross revenue, which is the maximum amount permitted by federal law. Joliet has received just over $1 million in the last two years from the franchise fee.

The deal would also allow for the city to obtain a second public access channel if they provide sufficient original content on the current station.