The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1908-02-14
City Affairs.


cussing municipal affairs disclosos
that discomfort is rife among the
taxpayers Of West Point The two
causes of complaint seem to Toe the
high tax rate and poor manage
ment 90 the water and light plants.
The suggestion of the Leader to the
Board of Alderman is, that they
would manage these utilities so as
to make them a source Of revenue
to the city and in such way as to
reduce the direct tax. The article
is followed up with the recommen-
dation that the water and light
plant be managed through a COM
mission of citizens. The Leader
says;
Now it has been proven in other
places, that the best and most pro-
fitable way Of conducting such utili-
ties is through a commission. In
| fact this has been shown to be the
only successful way of managing
them. Many of your fellow citi-
zens, think that this should, at
least, be tried, and they are looking
to you to make the change. They
think they could select three good
to act as commission, to whom
shall be referred the whole matter
of water ane lights. Then this
commission select a live, up-to-date
business man, who shall take charge
of the plant, under their supervl-
sion, and to him shall be committed
every detail of the management.
That all the management, en-
ployes, fixtures and offices shall be
placed on the grounds owned by the
city, proper buildings being erected
to accommodate same.
Aberdeen. like West Point, has a
water and light plant managed by
her Board Of Alderman, but as far
as the Weekly has been informed,
like discomfort does not exist among
A berdeen taxpayers.
However, the utilities here are
young and new to our people, SC
so that discrimination as to the best
method Of administering such af-
fairs has not yet become apparent
to them. Still, cities, like indjvid
uals, profit by experience. and, i
= West Point, Jackson and othet
places in the State. have found tina
public utilities are best managed
: by a commission. it behooves The
Aberdeen Board of Alderman, a
e least to investigate the method.
The Weekly, however, does no
! agree with one suggestion of tn
3 Leader. It does not believe tina
/ the water and light plants should b
: conducted as a means of revenue t
the city and thus reduce direct tax
alton. 1t does not believe tina
those who use large quantities 0
i current and water should be mad
IS to pay a high rate of profit and thu
lessen the rate demanded of small
: users in direct tax on their property
The Weekly's idea is to let eac
/. public utility and department c
n city government tote its own ski
let.
Water and lights should not Coz
: the consumer any more than
y does the city. In plain terms.
Ie should be furnished to him at cos
e These public utilities belong to til
Sc consumers. They were Installed /
y their permission and with the
&c money. Not to enable the city
make money, but in the interest
health, convenience, and econom.
Any management that will be
subserve the above enumerated il
terests of the taxpayers is the met
cd desired. If it is the commissio
system, let Aberdeen have that,
some other system let us have tina
ne In other words, give us the syste
a that will supply pure water al
- good lights to consumers at t
minimum cost and eliminate t
idea of making these public neee
80. sites a means of making money
= the city.