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Show OO monday, April 17, 1978 A Youve Never Heard It So Good! Featuring each week a guest from the community at large Sheltering taxpayers By Robert W. Poole, Jr. What city government could turn down a proposal like the following? Instead of spending $19.4 million of the taxpayers money on a needed public works project, have a private firm do the job for nothing. Not only that, the firm will pay the city $4.8 million for the privilege. A pipedream? A city managers fantasy? Hardly. Just such an offer was recently made to the Houston City Council. The issue involved bus aluminum and plexiglass structures stop shelters designed to keep rain and snow off waiting transit passengers. The city wants to put in 2000 of the shelters, to help increase ridership on its bus system. Even though federal funding is available to pay 80 percent of the purchase price, at $3500 each, the bill to local taxpayers would still be $1.4 million. And then theres maintenance. It takes about $900 per shelter each year to remove graffiti, repair broken panes, and keep them clean, totaling $1.8 milion a year for 2000 shelters. Thus, the 93 STEREO J V Affordable Portable Tubs and Spas Give vour aches the air As seen in the Home POOLN patio supply 2174 E. 3300 So. 10-ye- ar 485-004- 1 & cost would be $19.4 million. Garden Show Naturally, a figure of that magnitude raised a few Houston citieyebrows, not only among zens but among some Council members as well. It was at that point numerous private firms came forward with what, by now, has become a standard proposal. Let us install and maintain the shelters, they said, and we will pay all the costs and assume full responsibility. Well sell advertising on the shelters, just as you do on your buses, and well pay you five percent of our ad revenues. That five percent royalty would amount to about or $480,000 per year. $20 per shelter per month Thus, over 10 years the city would be receiving $14.8 million . . . instead of spending $19.4 million. Yet the Houston City Council did not rush to accept the plan. Cautious about whether the private firms were for real, and leery of negative public reaction to ads on the shelters, they adopted a compromise. The city will build 100 shelters of its own (without advertising), while allowing one of the private firms to build another 100 (with ads). After six months, theyll compare notes and decide which way to proceed on the remaining 1800. Houstons reticence is surprising, in view of the impressive record being backed up by private shelters in other cities. The concept got its start three years ago in New York. French immigrant Willie Bourchara got soaked one day while waiting for a bus in the rain in Manhattan. Recalling the shelters he had seen in Paris as a youth and the ads his familys fabric business had placed on them he decided it was lime to bring the idea to New tax-wea- ry Join tine people wfluo flnave ftowumd Aztec Gold GUESS WHAT? Now Aztec has a new office in the Kearns Building at 136 South Gold is what you will save when you have your copies done at Aztec. And time! Three Xerox 9200 duplicators in one convenient York Citv. But Bourcharas pioneer firm is not resting on its laurels. It has recently signed contracts with Louisville and St. Louis, and is actively seeking business in 23 other large cities. Its California subsidiary Main that specializes in legal briefs! Call or them at see them. Suite 301. downtown location mean virtually instant service. Add to all that free sorting and stapling and you have gold of a verv special nature 364-68- 28 Aztec Gold! has just put up a Bustop Shelters of California demonstration shelter in Anaheim. The companys attorney was instrumental in persuading the Los Angeles City Council to modify its plan to build an initial 15 $3600 shelters, one in each Council members district. Instead, the city will build 10 and select a private firm to build and operate five more. With an estimated 3000 shelters needed in Los difference in cost to local Angeles, the taxpayers between public and private shelters would be $36 million if federal funding is obtained, and $45 million without. In existence only a few years, private bus shelter firms have already proven the concept. By permitting such firms to assume full responsibility for bus stop shelters (while regulating the advertising to ensure good taste and esthetics), city officials can kill two birds with one stone. They can provide a valuable addition to the citys transit system and save the taxpayers millions of dollars. That combination is pretty hard to beat. 10-yc- ar Si We specialize in legal briefs and architectural specifications. 0 205 East Third SouthSalt Lake City. Utah 841 1 1 136 South Main Street (Kearns Building) 364-680- Sk 6 Phone 364-680- 7 364-682- 8 Copyright C National Taxpayers Union 1978. |