The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-01-16
COMMUNICATION

bullOT Logan bepuDl1Cdn.
l have read the report of the au-
dit of the Logan Electrical Light
plant in which it is stated that the
plant has been run at loss to the
city of s1s,196.S7 during the last
los months.
This loss, If such there has been,
Is due to one, or possibly two caus-
es. First, there has been very
strong competitor which reduced the
price for which lights have been
selling to at least one-half of what
they should have been, and that has
been done for the purpose of driv-
business, so that the competitor
might get It all, and If possible to
make the City sell its plant to the
other party.
Secondly, the loss may have been
due in part to mis-management on
the part of those in charge of it.
With reference to the loss of rev.
enue in the first case, one point in
particular, should not be overlooked.
and that Is the fact that all the
taxpayers in all cases get the bene-
fit of the reduced prices of light,
and If all the light users were tax
payers, there would be no loss at all,
for what they would be required to
pay in extra taxes would be made
up to them in cheaper light service.
1t is the non-taxpayer in this case
that gets the full benefit of the re-
duced rates.
1t is useless to say that the City
plant cannot be operated on paying
basis, If the taxpayers would be pat
riotic to their own institution. The
people are virtually the owners Of
the City Electric Light plant, and
they would be very unwise to not
give 1t their support.
The writer was one OF the stock
holders Of the first electric lighting
plant that was established in Logan
City, and when our first annual re-
port was submitted to the stockhold-
ers they were very much surprised
to learn that we had made a profit
OF nearly fifty per cent on our in
vestment in about one year. This
experience shows that the plant can
be made to pay. IL this needless COM
petition were done away with.
In the second case IL the City has
suffered through bad business meth
DDS. then let us benefit by the ex-
perience OF the past and see to II
that the plant in the future is mani.
pulated on strictly business basis
While realize that this competition
matter is helping only the non-tax.
payers, yet as one of the heaviest
taxpayers in the city, | would much
. prefer to have the City plant run
at loss than to dispose of it, for
we all realize what would happen
at once IL we were to let it go.
think the City should try and enter
into an arrangement regarding the
prices of electric lighting. etc, Sc
that both the City and the Utah
Power and Light company would get
a reasonable consideration for the
services rendered, for as it is now
neither one is getting what it should
out of it,
1t is of course business PROPOSE
ton with the Utah Power and Light
company, and l do not feel to cen
sure them for the course they pur
sue, but IL all the taxpayers fee
, as do, the Logan City light plan
3 will never go cut of the hands o.
5 the City. and should 1t ever be sole
: I am sure the citizens will regre
= 1t ever afterwards.
Let the officers OF both plants ge
together and unite upon a fair an,
s consistent price for the service s,
e that both will be properly remuner
( ated.
artt