Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-11-17
IS THE MUNICIPAL LIGHT PLANT A FA1LuRE2

Should the Public Service Electric Company make an offer
to the city to buy the municipal lighting plant it is likely that in
the debate that would take place over the question the citizens
would get some valuable information. AT the present time it is diff
hcult to get an unbiased opinion as to just what the lighting
plant is costing the city. The Public Service has data and stats
tics that are convincing enough, showing that the city is losing
heavily every year. On the other hand, those who defend the light
ing plant will produce figures to show that the city is not losing
money.
As a matter of fact, the funds and accounts having to do With
the municipal lighting plant are so involved with other funds and
accounts of the city that it would take an expert statistician
several months to get it all separated and arrive at something
definite as to the actual cost of maintaining the electric light
plant, its depreciation and the length of time before it will have
to be replaced.
The Public Service claims to have all this data and there is no
question but that its financial and electrical experts can get at the
actual facts if anyone can. But because the Public Service is such
an interested party in the matter the public would hardly be will
ing to accept its findings as conclusive no matter how convincing
they might be. The same thing applies to those who are backing
the municipal plant. The people know how easy it is to juggle
figures so as to make the result come out just the way the juggler
wants it to come out. Yet, there ought to be some way of getting
at the facts for the benefit Of the taxpayers.
There is no doubt that the impression prevails that the NUM-
eipal lighting plant in this city is a failure from the financial
standpoint. For instance, Railway is now agitating a municipal
lighting plant and the Railway Record suggested to the lighting
commission that the situation in Perth Amboy be looked over
before taking definite action, intimatng that the lighting plant
here is not a success. Mayor Furber, in a letter to the Record,
asks why Railway should be seriously interested in the failure of
Perth Amboy," when he claims twenty-five other cities have sue
seeded. The Record, replying to the mayor, says: eve haven't
been shown the twenty-five successful plants as yet, but We 90
know OF the failure and We think 1t should be investigated because
it is the nearest city to T Railway with an electrical plant of its own
and thus offers the fairest comparison as to conditions of transport
tation, etc."
The Record goes on to say that it has no doubt that the rea-
son for Perth Amboy's failure may lie in poor management, but
urges an investigation here so that Railway, if it decides to go
ahead with it's proposed municipal plant, may profit by Perth
Amboy's mistakes.
All this is very interesting to the citizens of Perth Amboy.
That there is much to be said in favor Of a municipal plant must
be admitted. AT the same time, if the plant is a burden on the
taxpayers and there is any permanent gain for the city in aban-
it..
1t is pretty well established that private ownership is more
economical and more successful in every way than public owner
ship. In spite of this, the federal government conducts its own
postal service and would not think of turning it over to a private
corporation. Likewise, most municipalities own their water works
and it is accepted as a matter Of course. No city owning its water
works would think Of selling it to a private concern. On the con-
trary, those cities that are still buying from private companies are
endeavoring to secure their own supply. 1t naturally follows that
lie q city can operate its own water works successfully it should be
able to operate its own electric light plant, or its own street rail-
way. for that matter. In fact, the discussion opens up the whole
field of public utilities and the ownership thereof.
Yet, the fact remains that there is good reason to believe that
1t would be much cheaper for the city to buy its electric lighting
from the Public Service under government supervision than to
eontinue to maintain its own plant. This is a matter of vital i'm
at such a rapid rate causing taxes to go higher and higher. 1t
would be very gratifying to have the whole thing threshed out
before the people so that they would understand. Perhaps a joint
debate on the subject between Public Service officials and the de-
tenders of the municipal plant might be arranged.