The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1924-10-31

The above is a4facsimile of bal
lot that will be handed to the voters
of the City of Hamilton on November
A, for the purpose of determining the
consensus of opinion of the stock
holders of the City Electric Light
Plant as to whether or not the best
interests of the city will be served
in selling the electric light plant or
whether the city shall incur an addi-
tional indebtedness of approximately
million dollars in rebuilding and
undermining its present plant.
The primary question that comes
naturally to the mind of every citi-
zen is first: What benefit will 1T be
to the citizens of Hamilton to go in
debt to the extent of million dol
lars in order to furnish electricity to
the inhabitants of the city.
Q.-If the citizens assume the OBJ
legation will it enable the inhabitants
of Hamilton to purchase electricity
at cheaper price than they can Sc
cure electric current from private
ly-owned corporation?
A.--The answer to this is found in
a guarantee offer that the city now
has from The Union Gas and Electric
Company of Cincinnati, wherein that
company agrees to sell electricity to
the citizens of Hamilton for the next
twenty-five years at exactly the same
prices that the City of Hamilton is
now charging it's customers, with the
further guarantee that if at any
time during that period a cheaper
price is given to any other customers
in any other city that The Union Gas
and Electric Company serves the
same reduction shall be made to the
users Of electricity in the City of
Hamilton.
Q-What guarantee has the city
of Hamilton that this proposition will
be carried out?
An the first place, the proposal
is in the form of franchise con-
tract, ard # it is not carried out, the
forfeiture would be a loss of the
franchise to do business in the city.
Furthermore, a good and sufficient
bond of $150,0O0 for the faithful per-
formance of this contract is provided
for which sum would be forfeited in
oJJ.+;o,, ~ tIa lncc Of fya,1nbfcof
Q.-Can the Union Gas and Elec-
trio Company at any time during the
period of the contract (25 years. ap-
peal to the public utilities commits
sion of the State of Ohio or the
courts for an increase in rates on
the ground that the prices charged
are confiscatory
A-No, the Attorney General of
the State of Ohio and the Supreme
Court of the State of Ohio has held
that no such thing is possible be-
cause it is contract, and the laws
of the state hold the contract to be
inviolable, so that there is no reason
able doubt but that the City of Ham
ilton will be secure for the life OF
this franchise contract in purchasing
electricity at the present rates, ano
ii any lower rates are granted any
where else where the Union Gas ano
Electric Company are selling electric
current that same reduction is guar
anteed to the citizens of Hamilton
but in no case at no time can they be
any higher than the present rates.
Q-Can the City of Hamilton if il
goes into debt million dollars, make
any lower rates for electric current
than is now being charged?
A.-No, it is very questionable il
the City can continue to sell electric
current at the present rates. For the
year 1925, the sinking fund require
ments for the payment of electric
light bonds and interest is $113,
857.15. The utmost that it is posi-
BILE to take out of the electric light
receipts for that year is $4,000
leaving deficit of $25,857.15 to bt
made up by the taxpayers in order te
pay electric light bonds and Interest
falling due. A ballot will be handed
you at the November election, asking
your approval of an additional ia,
levy Of two mills in order to enable
the City to have sufficient funds tx
pay the operating expenses for Po
lice, Fire and Health Protection since
the sinking fund requirements take
nearly all Of the money that comes
into the city for operating expenses
This money has to be used to pay
these sinking fund charges because
the present rates charged consumers
do not yield sufficient return to en-
able the sinking fund charges to b