The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-04-23

pal ownership OF ali pupHc Utilities
II do not believe that such owner
ship should have any halter tied to
p. it with the other end Of the halter
!, in the hands of any other person or
corporation. The municipality should
not enter into co-partnership with
any person or corporation. The mo-
| ment it does so it is going to meet
difficulties and distractions it will
not be able to adjust or overcome.
With reference to electric power
for all city purposes the city had
better avoid all foreign alliances
and entanglements. The electric
light department is now and has
been for some time, paying the city
profit over and above all expenses
incident to it's operation. In nearly
every report of the city clerk we see
that a good round sum is transferred
from the electric light fund to other
departments, showing that that de-
partment is not only sustaining it
self but contributing largely to the
up-keep of the other departments of
the city expenses. If with the plant
We now have making this excellent
showing, would it not be far. wiser
to increase the power, if need be, to
meet the growing demands of the
city, than to loosen the grip of the
city from a known paying PROPOSE
ton to make experimental connec-
tions with untried propositions? If
| the present plant should need to be
enlarged, such need must OF neces-
| sity arise from an increased demand,
and if the present demand produces
| good profit to the city, then it is
| reasonable to expect a proportionate
| increase of the income from the in
| creased demand; and the logic of it
| is, that if the present income meets
all the expenses Of operating and
repairs, besides paying a handsome
| bonus into the city treasury, then
| the increased income derived from
| increased demand, would meet the
| expenses Of increasing the power of
! the city plant and still be a source of
much profit to the city; and at the
| same time save the city plant from
! topping into a junk-pile at much
loss to the city. l have heard no one
complaining of the electric lights as
now supplied by the city. Some
times at long intervals, it is true
that something happens that will
throw the city or part of it, into
| sudden darkness, but that is not
peculiar to Ocala. 1t is so wherever
electric lights are used and no mat
ter from what source the current is
supplied. And if the current is sup
piled from a distance, unless it is
conveyed by underground cables, the
chances of these shut-offs are in
creased in the same ratio as the dis
consumption to the point of genera
ton. If the cable conveying the
current is above ground, then every
brisk wind and every thunder storm
that passes is liable to throw the
city in utter darkness, and for how
long no one can tell.
st. Paul said: Prove all things,
and hold fast to that which is good. y
We have proven that municipal
| ownership Of the electric light plant
of Ocala is a good thing and it be
hooyes us to hold fast to it.
/ The water works is going to turn
out the same way and at no distant
day it viii be turning III a whole
some revenue to the city. Get these
two enterprises in good trim and in
a short time the income derived
from them viii relieve 10 large
extent the trouble the city council
is now having with the assessment
of property and levying the tax. II
is all right enough for property to
be assessed al approximately its
real value and reduce the millage,
the amount the taxpayers contribute
Ito the tax-satherer. II the prop
erty is honestly, fairly and impair
TALLY appraised, it ought. and would
result in an increased total to be
paid by the wealthy and we'll TO do,
and a decreased total to the poor
and poorer, for there IS no question
that the tax books show much
greater disparity between the real
and actual value OF the property of
the wealthy. than that OF people of
small means. So that an appraise-
ment al actual yalues-a real, con-
scientious and fair equalization
| would result in a benefit TO the