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On June 16 the SLO City Council voted to increase the water bills of you and me. The rationale was that since SLO residents are doing so well at water conservation, we must now be penalized and charged more because the water department must have enough money coming in to cover expenses. So unlike in the real economy, where prices are generally lowered when consumption is down, in the minds of politicians and bureaucrats prices must be raised for a public utility like water in the same situation. This is reasoning from the Mad Hatter in Alice and Wonderland.
Was there no other way to provide money? Was there no way to cut expenses at the water department? We collectively have done what we’ve been told is vital in saving water, so now we’re slapped for it. This will hit regular citizens hard. The rich won’t care. This is wrong on many levels. But it’s happening.
One question: Will executive salaries and expense accounts and bonuses at the Water Department be increased with any of this extra money? Has that been banned/prohibited? If not, it should be, and those responsible for its not being banned need to be thrown out.
-- Robert McHale - San Luis Obispo