Here is an update on the Special Districts sewer rate increase.
With the poverty rate higher, one young man was on the phone all day with the Public Utilities Commission and other government agencies to look for help because of the hardship that our five supervisors inflicted on the citizens of Clearlake.
At this time the PUC declined to take action. So much for the Christmas card to me in the form of a bill with a sudden rate increase, so happy holidays to all. I would like to know what the citizens of Clearlake are to do now about a county government that doesn”t take into account these tough times for Lake County residents because they appear to be eager to increase the economic hardship for many of them.
Lake County”s unemployment rate as of November 2010 was 18.7 percent. Compare this to California”s statewide rate of 12.4 percent and the U.S. nationwide average of 9.8 percent and many say that the rates would be much higher if those who have given up looking for work were included.
Millions more Americans are living in poverty every year due to rising medical and utility expenses. Of course we know that many in our county are also on fixed-incomes because they are retired or disabled. Increases for food, gas, electricity and heating oil are especially trying.
One lady asked how she would pay for this. Another man said they just didn”t care. One person said that it”s a good thing to pay your property taxes and special district charges because they provide essential services but if your income can”t keep up with the higher expenses, then what can you do?
I thank you all for your input and in my opinion it seems that we have five supervisors with high incomes and financial security who have neglected the interests of the citizens who elected them. Not being an attorney and looking at 218, is this a fee or a fine for clean up or an out and out abuse of power against low income citizens and the elderly?
To me it looks like a deliberate action. Out of the five supervisors only two pay for special districts and three as yet do not, but all of them voted for it.
Bill Shields
Clearlake
