It was with some misgivings that I opened my most recent “Resource” newsletter from the San Luis Obispo Utilities Department, but I was dumfounded to find that they have the audacity to compare my consumption of city-delivered water and sewer rates to the cost per gallon of Starbucks lattes, Vicks Cough Syrup, and Chanel No. 5 perfume.

I believe it was somewhere around second or third grade that I learned the human body was mostly comprised of water and not Revlon nail enamel.

Why is the utilities department comparing the cost of a basic human necessity to items like Tide detergent and imported beer? Do they really think they can sweet talk us into considering our current high rates a bargain by comparing them to the cost per gallon of Visine eye drops?