While our memories may have faded, our water bills certainly have not.

A little over two years ago, the Lakeport City Council voted for a 100-percent increase in our water and sewer rates.

They did so despite providing defective notice to the ratepayers and charging for park services that are not a proper charges under our state constitution, and after receiving over 600 protests from property owners in Lakeport.

While the council decided to ignore the protests of its citizens, it was not able to do so at the election held shortly thereafter.

The two incumbents who voted to raise our rates were soundly voted out of office by the good citizens of Lakeport.

A new election is coming up shortly, and the only remaining incumbent who ignored our protests, Stacey Mattina, is on the ballot.

She has recently voted to spend nearly $1 million on all new water meters which were not necessary and which were installed by an out-of-county contractor.

While she wants you to conserve water, she has been a vocal advocate of the South Main Street annexation, which will further drain our water system and spread thinner our excellent police department.

Each of us needs to take a close look at the three candidates and determine who has the compassion and good sense to feel the pain that our monthly water bills have caused and who will not ignore our protests in the future.

We also need a council person who is working for us instead of making us work for the city government.

Bob Bridges lives in Lakeport, Calif.