The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-05-15


A : WAS anticipated. advocates
n ~ lurnlclp4i owptrahlp %
4 b wnicf Wafks hare come.
before fht civ council. IN course 81
THAI body's hearings on The water
spHpls question. 20 urge the lmmc-
sssle purchase Of tbs water supply
plant. or rcrrsruciioA 81 . new plant
~ the city. No enc should question
ne sincerity of the gentlemen who
arxaed tor municipal ownershlp be-
fere the council ~ Thursday night
hir. ". p. Metralf. probably the lead
Ing Socialist IA New Mexico. would
nc untrue 20 one o. ths cardinal
principals Of his political and eco
nnmlc faith 10 ne did moi insist upon
municipal ounershlp Of everything
ana the sincerity OF hin belief In those
principles certainly has been proven
hy his admirably poraissens adher-
encc 10 them. The sincerity Of Judge
b. > Roaey likewise IL not open 20
question. THESE gentlemen expound'
the principle n the theory Of mu-
nicipai ownership. which are admir-
able, hht Il seems 10 Us that they
overlbok al local conditiens which.
mlsht serve 10 make municipal own
ership % our water works an ex-
nenssve experiment for consumers.
a taxpayers.
The Heraia has stated it, position
on municipal ownership fully and
frankly. Wa are opposed TO Il at this
time - we would be In any young
community before which there Is a
reasonable expectation OF extensive
growth and development u Alou-
auerune we're 10 remain 1T is pres
ent populatlon, II local conditicEs
were fixed and determined for all
time 10 come. IL might be well enough
70 Try the municipal ownership ex-
pertinent. although ever under those
conditions the risk Of expensive mis-
management. political control and
misuse is considerable.
Bus this city. Il Il Is to grow at
All. viii grow during the next ten
Years The water supply plant Of this
city viii DC an expensive property
FOR whoever owns Il. municipality or
private corporation. There viii be
constant and expensive extensions.
1as present water plant Is nearing
the point where Il h inadequate for
the Highland and the University sec
ton The endorsements 10 meet
those requirements wil be very ex-
pensivc. The expansion that Is sure
10 come IN the University district
may occur IN almost any other side
Of sne city at any time, Taxpayers
would hay 10 bear the expense Of
those extensions. by successive bond
lssuea; for u has been the experience
u municipality owned plants. almost
without exception. that the earnings
are not sufficient 20 provide a surplus
either for extensions or for recon
strnctlon and replacement. as the IN
e,itabie deterioration occurs.
n is well enough 20 support the
theory Of municipal ownership. but
what Albuquerque must consider II
sound financial policy. Examples Of
cheap municipal water furnished IN
some distant state where a mll-fiow-
ing mountain stream gushes uniimit-
ed water directly into reservoir OF
mains do not afford sale compari-
sons FOR local conditions But VI
PaSo, Texas. does furnish a safe ey-
ample for comparison hers and the
vase Of that city does not present
much Of an for municipal
ownership. Usually a municipality
owned water plant saves a littls
money for the consumers, at the eN
pense 81 the property owners whe
pay the taxes the low rate 10 the
Is made up by the direct
property tax for maintenance. Inn
proyement or deficit. aud Very Otter
for an three. But In ~ Paso wher'
she supply conditions are PRACTICABLE
the same as our own there has beer
not only no saving for the consumer
bur also a heavy increase In the prop
erty tax for water works purposes
Thus the ~ Paso water works state
mont shows that the Fate to consum
ers Of 20 cents per 1909 gallons hal
az times been raised 10 80 cents pei
1000 gallons, 10 meet shortage o
revenue' while laat year the direc
tax levied on property Tor waite
works purposes was t67. goo. In al
dition every one Of h frequent ex
tensions which that growing city hal
required has been met 10 AZ add
tional bond issue until now sewers
of these issues are outstanding-an'
~ further sxtensions are necessarl
more bonds must issue; for there IL o.
provasion In the municipal OWNERSHIP
scheme OF things Tor providing a sur
..~lon n~.alufanaRaa a