The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-06-07

Precisely 80. replied she president
o. the commission. "and Tint b wha,
We figure 20 he proper. n lnvesti-
station develops that fact that the
same policy Is followed elsewhere. n
il certainly fair that every depart
ment pays Tor Whit u ~actaaiiy ussei
II me result ~ this 10 to very slightly
increase ms tax rate. and materially
reduce the water rate. We think that
placing the burden where Il be-
lcnnn.
"And hat " what the commission
rcans when IL vefces 10 the charge
10 De made on vacant lots. ~ course
W. can not levy q water rate on lots
which arr no, served with water. but
IL ne tax rate h made 70 cover h .
~reenrnl municipal service. the vacant
loo viii ne charged with It's propo'
sion Of that expense.
ITO reduce the water rate ami
make II up on che tax rate mny seem
Ia some like taking money out Of one
pocket and putting u into the other.
bu; IL seems to the commission 20
work out a move equitable aspor-
uonmeni or the cost Of malntalnlus
the department. what we hope for
r. By this plan to get the consumers
water rate to the absolute minimum.
ana allow consumers to use all tho.
water that IL required
One Of the chlaf obiectlona Ia the
granting Of a new franchise, as we
understand Il Il that our city council
objects 20 the city being charged for
water for municipal purposes. II y.
Interesting. therefore. "a read not
only the above. ~ the following
statement by the q Bernardino
water commission to the people OF
that city. giving iss reasons why the
city should pay for water used in
zach department. This statement.
also taken from the san BeTnardino
sun. follows:
The water commission proposes 20.
charge NJ city for AL water used by
the various departments in order thas
the water department records %
costs and service may he more truly
kept, and tina, the expense OF main
tanning the department may be more
equabiy divided.
al the present time the people
who pay nat or meter rates for city
~ater are the ole maintenance 81
the waite department.
"YeL. tho water department benc'
nts hundreds OF people who paw
nothing toward the maintenance q.
the department.
The water department now sup
plies water. free of charge. 10 the IRE
department houses and for use at
fires; to the street department FOR
spdinklinR. flushing sewers. drains.
etc, and for washing streets to the
city library. TO the two parks. to the
city cemetery. and To the various
drinking fountains n watering
tronshs about the city.
1.-The water department hos also in
stalled 326 IRE hydrants within the
city limits. at a cost of sec 10 SIS
each. These are a protection 10
every resident and property owner
within the city and their entire cost
has '1en met by the water consum-
ors alone.
Throughout the city are hun
dreds Of pieces OF vacant property,
vaiueless until water pipes are laid
In front Of sach property. when
water mains AMI laterals are laii
their cost met by the water users
alone) this property in Immediately
transformed from a thing Of little
value to a property worth up 10 sew
eral hundreds 81 dollars. II h but a
matter OF Justice that each property
so benefited should pay a Few cents
annually In return Tor this benefit.
The matter Of keeping down In
surnnce rates IS nov left entirely a.
the water department. and the costs
met entirely by the water consume
by charging the city Tor an water
used by the city for purely municipal
use, the cost of such water must be
shared by an property owners in di-
rect proportion 10 the moun OF
benefit they receive.
THE present system of not charg-
ing the various departments Of the
city government for the water they
use Is not In harmony with good
business principles. i is just a. In
|oquabie as Il would be 10 give the in
divldual free water, and
have the taxpayers Of the city pay the
entire exponse 81 the water depart
me T. II IL just az unbusincsa like
az q would he for the stationery de-
rartment OF "a department store 90
fan 10 charge the business onice 81
that store with the stationery drawn.