, 1935-08-11
To The Herald:

To The Herald:
Thank you for your general in
v.tation to your readers to say what
they think about current affairs.
I am expressing my ideas about
our city water and light rates.
In your issue of July. 70 you say
First. Of course, Is the desire Of
ali to be charged rates In conform
ity with the general charge for SIM
liar service through this section"
I doubt that statement.
We. the citizens Of Brownsville
mot the honorable mayor. nor the
city commissioners nor the city
manager, own the city utilities
plant. We are entitled to a very
much better rare for light and
water than the rates charged in
cities served by privately owned
corporations. Directly on the river
water rates, at least, should be
much lower because expense of get
ting the water into the mains Is
less. And, pray. why should we
charge ourselves a rate higher than
cost?
In most states, I should say in all
up-to-date states. publicly owned
utility plants are required by law
70 serve the public at cost. tOf
course, figuring depreciation as
part Of the cost. Yet you boast
in this article That all operating
Expenses of the city Of Brownsville
are paid from the profits Of our
water and light plant"
There Is no one thing that so at
tracts citizens 10 a town as low rates
for liTht and water. Yet the pres
ent regime" whose control OF our
city extends s far back that the
mind OF man runneth not to the
contrary" have never offered a
better rate than ether Valley cities
and are. in my humble judgment.
thus directly responsible for the
tremendous strides made by rival
Valley towns in overhauling both
III business end population the City
OF Brownsville.
III Is elemental and every pros
pective citizen knows. that it is bet
Ter to live IN a town served by a
corporation that pays taxes or its
plant, than to live in a town serv-
ed by a publicly owned plant not
subject to taxation. If the rates
charged are the same.
And again. you say that "75T OF
the users Of water and light do not
pay taxes Any school boy knows
tEat he who paws the rent on prop
erty pays the taxes thereon.
The City Of Brownsville could
and should sell water and light to
her citizens at a rate far less than
that charged in neighboring cities
and II she had We would not have
had the spectacle as we did last
winter OF vacant houses and houses
rented at a loss in Brownsville while
Harrington and San Benito had ev-
cry house occupied.
Yes. the realty owners as we'll as
the renter suffers from our out
rageously high rates for light and
water. I venture the assertion
based on the results in other cities.
that Brownsville would have dou-
bNE AACA B4CoCA4O ROPQldllOll ldI
water and light been sold at the
cost Of production plus depreciation
for the last twenty years.
We have more in Brownsville TO
attract the tourist and prospective
citizen than any other Valley city.
vet other towns get the bulk OF
them. let's put our utility rates
down where they belong and we
will get our fair share and. more Of
new citizens and also treat our own
citizens as they deserve.
! believe firmly in Brownsville
owning and operating her light and
water plant. but rates should be
low enough that we could afford To
tErow a grapefruit or an orange tree
i'll our yards and for MI. Average
Citizens TO use sufficient water 70
keep his yard green. his shrubs
trees and flowers growing.
r -1s should be reduced not less
than 20 per cent for both water
and light in Brownsville.
"A man or corporation Is q fool
that thinks he or it can make
money by charging himself or IT,
self a profit on his or its experEes
w. B. WALTON
Brownsville.