Water rates in Asheville are going up. Increases to stormwater and recreation fees will be addressed in future reports. The stated objective is to help the city balance its budget, which is far more important than letting citizens balance their household budgets. Besides, citizens need to pay government as a middleman to create jobs for favorite-son schmoozer companies. One would think those magnificent economic multipliers would have started rolling in by now. Don’t hold my breath, and I won’t hold yours.