Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-04
Woman Taxpayer Thinks Bond Issue
Should BE Defeated at the Polls TOdau

Editor Morning Journal:-About
this matter of the water bond issue
land the reference to what other cities
have done, ia like to make few re-
marks, II you will permit me.
! "Other elites have an elephant
on their hands" Albuquerque can
have one too. but does she want it.?
Not many "other cities have the al
ready blightlng rate Of taxation that
Albuquerque has DO the taxpayers
wish TO assume a greater borden?
We must not be deceived by the
glittering array Of profits glibly
compiled by people who are not In
position to know all that enters into
the cost of furnishing water delivered
60 the consumer Tor what they are
talking aboutD Experts who have
made study of the situation and are
qualified TO give opinions have calcu-
lated the value of Alhuquerque's
plant TO be In the nelghborhood OF
100000. Albuquerque is a rapidly
growing city. and the cost of exton-
sions will quickly offset any amountsI
received for new services. People
newcomers in our city who pay no
taxes, have no active business and
therefore wish a "hobby'D have made
equivoeal statements regarding cost
of water in other cities In an en-
deavor TO mislead they have told only
a small part Of the truth. They have
stated water costs so much maming
a small amounO in such and such a |
city; and ! understand that on in
duiry from the superintendent of the !
water works of that city it has been
ascertained that the sum named rep
Resented only the cost of pumping NJ
the plant: did not cover the cost Of
mains nor service lines To the house. |
nor meter service, nor the deprecia- !
ton of the plants equipment, nor in
terest, nor sinking fund, nor the taxes
nor the new construction, nor re-
pairs, nor other labor and office ex-
peuses--nor anything save merely the
cost of pumping at the plant Truly, !
the people of Albuquerque should
think for themselves" l wonder
how many stop to think-Alhuqucr |
que is almost entirely a residence city, |
and It's almost sole businesses are
those which supply merely the local
people with their necessities. To put
a city on substantial basis. and as
sure its future, it must have manu- |
factories and industries OF various |
kinds How many can Albuquerque
point ont? In my residence here of
over a decade | have seen several in
dustries start, and fail These were
industries, too, which used a negligi- |
he quantity OF water, SO while the
water rate may have been high in the !
past dt evidently needed 60 be 60 en- !
able us to have a water plant at alll) |
it had nothing 60 do with the matter |
to which | now refer. My implica- |
ton is that we do not have those sub
stantial industries 60 add to our city's |
wealth and 60 share in its burdens and |
expenses. Aid / can't for the life of
me see how IN reason the merchants |
OF our city could be enthusiastic over
having their stocks of merchandise,
in addition TO their real estate. pay
large tribute tprpportionate to the
value and size Of the stock) for water
which the merchandise does not use
or require, in addition to the mereh-
ants paying a bill for the infinitesi-
mai amount of water which he or his
clerks may drink or use for toilet ne
eessities 1t has been stated that in
the early days (and this city is very
youngD the water company was run
at loss. II would have been utterly
impossible at any time for Albuquer-