Where Are All the Voices?

By ERNIE GARRETT

Metropolitan Water District, the major wholesaler of water to our region, announced in January it was planning to raise the rate for water. The San Diego County Water Authority, MWD’s largest customer, immediately launched a protest campaign soliciting support and help from water agencies, ratepayers, and others to protest this planned rate increase. CWA even came to the Ramona Municipal Water District Board meeting and gave a special presentation explaining the increases and asking for help to object to the increase.

I happened to attend that RMWD session, followed up, and asked CWA how I could help.

That help was to join a busload of some 40 people from the San Diego area and to go to the Los Angeles MWD headquarters, with placards, and speak against the proposed increase. This protest caused a delay, resulted in “another look” by MWD at the proposed increase and, followed by yet another protest, eventually resulted in reducing the proposed rate increase.

The protest group included top management from CWA and representatives from all parts of San Diego County — virtually every local water agency except one — Ramona! Not only did other agencies show their support, but I was impressed that every one of those agencies was accompanied and supported by local service organizations, Rotarians, chamber members, Kiwanis, etc.

Where were our RMWD representatives, management, and supporters when their voice could be heard? And perhaps have a lasting effect in containing rate increases and costs?

Why can’t we join together here in Ramona, show some leadership, and speak as a solitary voice on some local issues — rate increases, pension outrages, safety, you name it. Multiple voices speak much louder than an occasional individual complaint or gripe.