Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-07-29

Deen set for tonight to consider re
vising' water rates charged to con-
sumers served by the city. The peo
pie would have been perhaps a bit
better informed had the language of
the Council been more specific by
calling it increasing" water rates,
for that is what is contemplated.
| Little has been said to indicate the
motive for an increase in rates. AS
matter of fact, information that
was spilled at the Council meeting
last Monday night came as a bolt
from the blue and was the first open
intimation that any such project was
in mind. It smacked rather of other
procedures in divers places that have
come to be quite popular in the handl-
ing of the peoples affairs-that is, of
| doing what is desired and letting
the folks find it out later, if they
can, and if they can't, so much the
better
One of the reasons advanced for the
proposed increase is that a reserve is
needed for the water department No
one will dispute the merits of that
claim in itself. Every business-and
the waterworks is about as fine
one as there is in Henderson-needs
working capital.
But the department had quite 9
comfortable reserve several years ago,
and it was calmly and quietly lifted
and put into the general fund ana
there spent for other purposes. What
assurances are there that if another
be transferred and used in like man
ner? The peoples pocketbooks would
be better off to risk an emergency,
and get whatever money were need
ed under such circumstances and
then pay that off out of waterworks
eernings with a higher rate If
such were required-than to accumu-
late funds in advance only to have
them applied to general city purposes.
One argument advanced is that the
standpipe was built at about the
same time as the one that collapsed
some months ago in Goldsboro.
Which in itself does not necessarily
spell anything. There are probably
standpipes in use much older than
this one or the Goldsboro tank, that
are in good condition and giving sat
isfactory service. But if new
standpipe is needed, the funds for it's
construction can't be raised by in
creased water rates, except over a
long period of years, unless an I'M
reasonable charge were made. More
over, the Federal government is just
itching to dole out it's bounty for the
mere taking, and that source of easy
money can be tapped if new stand
pipe is desired.
Rumor is that basic increase OF
Is cents is planned, hiking the
charge from the present $3.50 mini
mum to $175 minimum. The Coun-
ci seems powerfully fond of that
$1.75 figure, for it set the tax rate at
that last year, and now apparently
wants the water rate made to CORES
pond!
AS a mere layman We would not
pretend to know, but is it not logic
that the higher the rate the stingier
CT nsumers are going to be with their
water in order to keep down their bill?
The reasoning of proponents of an
that much-boasted national economy
theory for "a more abundant life
that calls for having more by having
less, or the doctrine of greater pros
perity through greater scarcity.
w Il1CIl Is uOL dlO IDS AAOVOA OSSA
sound, and which never has and
never will work satisfactorily.
While a mere matter of Is cents
month is not likely to keep any one
cut of the poor house nor put him in
there, it is a fact nevertheless tina:
there are water consumers in Hen
dcrson to whom 1.-TWO bits" seems as
big as a dollar does to some of the
honorable members of the City Coun-
c:l.
Citizens are compelled by law, as we
understand it., to connect with water
mains if they live within convenient
reach of the service, and are adjacent
sewer connections. And they ought
not to be forced to submit to arbitrary
increases in water rates when they
are helpless to resist such an imposi-
ton. s*
For our part, we can pay the extra
% cents if citizens generally are ready
RI Submit RI this action of their City