As you probably know, the Lakeport City Council has adopted a 100-percent increase of your water and sewer rates despite the 615 protests we all filed.

The upcoming election gives you an opportunity to put three new people in office who realize that the present city council’s rate increase is excessive and unreasonable.  

Candidates Marc Spillman, Martin Scheel and Mary Nolan have all indicated an interest in reducing the 100-percent increase.

While I have no doubt that some increase is necessary, it is apparent that the present council was unable to balance the hardships to all of us with what is really needed by the city when it adopted the 100-percent increase.

Unless you want to pay double rates, see more dead businesses and brown dead lawns, which will fundamentally change the character of our town, please consider voting for new people who will listen to our serious and real concerns instead of blindly following the city’s half a million dollar staff and its $40,000 out-of-town Washington consultant.

Bob Bridges lives in Lakeport, Calif.