October 13, 2019 (Santee) -- Customers of the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, which encompasses about 72 square miles, will see their rates for both water and sewage increase starting Nov. 1--and then go up again, starting on Jan. 1.
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August 2, 2012 (La Mesa) – The Board of Directors of Helix Water District will conduct a Public Hearing on proposed Water Rates August 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the Helix Water District Administration Office, 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa. View the proposed water rate hikes here.
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Helix Water District raises rates in contentious hearing
By Kristin Kjaero
August 19, 2010 (La Mesa) – “Get used to it. We’re going to pay more each year,” Helix Water District Board member John Linden told the audience, shortly before the board voted 3-2 to raise the three-tiered rate structure an average of 8% more starting in November. Last year rates increased 21+%.
Discussion at the rate increase hearing was lively to say the least, as tempers frayed and the public, General Manager and Board members accused one another of not being truthful and of micromanaging. The room was filled to capacity, and occasionally members of the audience called out and were gaveled back to order. A La Mesa Policeman stood in the back quietly observing.
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Public meetings set; first is July 14 at Fuerte Elementary
June 22, 2010 (La Mesa) – By a 3-2 vote, Helix Water District’s Board on June 16 voted to increase water rates as recommended by staff. Board members Kathleen Coates Hedberg and De Ana Verbeke opposed the rate hike, while members Richard Smith, John Linden and Chuck Muse voted in favor of raising rates.
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February 18, 2010 (La Mesa) – By a unanimous vote, the Helix Water Board voted yesterday to disband an ad hoc committee on rate increases after several citizens objected on grounds that the process was not transparent.
“Your ad hoc committee has two board members on it,” Josan Feathers, a registered civil engineer, observed. “So when the ad hoc committee brings its recommendations to the Board , it only needs one more vote.”
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“Why can’t we charge people the right cost at the right time?” – Board member Kathleen Hedberg
By Kristin Kjaero
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
By Mike Allen
August 2, 2012 (La Mesa) – The Board of Directors of Helix Water District will conduct a Public Hearing on proposed Water Rates August 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the Helix Water District Administration Office, 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa. View the proposed water rate hikes 
![](/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/resize/Helix-Gordon-Place-250x188.jpg "Gordon Place, a resident with a fixed income, urged the Board to "scrub" its budget and minimize rate increases")
By Miriam Raftery
“Why can’t we charge people the right cost at the right time?” – Board member Kathleen Hedberg
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