Imagine being a low-income senior living on $648 per month to pay for necessities like food and housing. Further imagine that you only use 22 gallons of water per day (compared to the average San Diegan who uses 140 gallons) and having the City of San Diego turn off your water after sending you exorbitantly high bills.
That is the real life story of Patricia Bryant. Veteran journalist Joe Little of Channel 10 tells her story.
Cutting off a basic necessity like water for a frail senior is unacceptable and could have caused potentially serious health complications for Ms. Bryant. Many companies in San Diego — SDG&E, ATT, and Cox Cable to name a few — have programs to assist low-income seniors pay their bills. The question is why the City of San Diego does not?
The Mayor and Council have the opportunity to make the necessary changes to ensure that other low-income seniors don’t have to endure the indignities suffered by Ms. Bryant.
Paul Downey: Seniors First 