By Debbe Blake —
I wasn”t going to get into this proposal of the water and sewer rate hike in the City of Lakeport. But here I am. After looking online at the summary the city has posted with what I will be paying each month, I decided to take Bob Bridges” advice and put my protest in writing to the city council. For the readers here I will try to convey my thoughts of this increase.
We have a large population of seniors living on a fixed-income. Even if you are still working take into consideration what the increase is going to cost this year and every year from now on, until they hit you with another increase. By this time you might be retired, living on a fixed-income, now it hits you, too little, too late.
I know the cities and counties are tired of hearing about us poor seniors; yeah we should have budgeted better for retirement. Well when we were working we started at times when we made 25 cents an hour, we paid as we went and we didn”t buy until we had the cash. We put aside what we could and thought ahead to our future. But as hourly salaries increased, so did the cost of living. Seniors were and are a thrifty bunch. They know how to squeeze that Buffalo Nickel, and whoops we don”t make those any more.
OK off my soap box on seniors. Let”s get to business owners. Have they looked to see what this increase is going to cost them? If they have apartments, they raise the rent. Business property owners, they raise the rent. If you have a house to rent, raise the rent. Businesses will have to make this up, so raise your cost, food, supplies, household goods, clothing, etc. The beat goes on.
Is the City of Lakeport looking to people still living and working here to pay for the loss of revenue from all the vacant buildings? Lakeport and Lake County are losing taxpaying citizens and businesses. This is not a time in the economy to be asking for us to pay for those who have departed.
Now sit home, be quiet, don”t object, don”t write a letter to the City of Lakeport in protest, so the increase can be voted on Sept. 18 and you can complain all you want after you get your bill.
Debbe Blake
Lakeport
