Show f I 1 tL tIR i Ul 1 i tV AVi 1 1 65 Protest Sparks Cost of Living Survey rV Here I A unified protest from members of 01 Moab's Retail Merchants association this past week following tion of an editorial in last weeks week's eek's Times Times Independent Independent has has resulted In compilation of It Interesting statistics this week regarding the cost of or Jiving Giving in this community The protest was made in the form of questions surrounding the Joss loss of 01 a new business in the community attributed to alleged alleged al al- al price increasing here A cross town cross town survey of prices and conditions In Mo Moab b bat at the present time as compared com com- compared pared to those two years ago when employment was at a peak here has been made Various businessmen and individuals In Individuals Individuals In- In were consulted regarding re regarding re- re garding the effect of 01 the tightening of economy durIng during during dur dur- ing the past months has h had hadon hadon d don on local prices In General Things Good Our findings Indicate that In general groceries are now estimated to be about five per cent cheaper now than two years ago Influencing the cost is the stamp competition competition competition compe compe- Jn In n which most merchants merchants merchants mer mer- chants participate and m merchants merchants mer mer- r- r chants Indicate the general competitive situation has ten ten- tended tended ded to enter Into the price lowering situation I Some apparel stores indicate Indicate Indicate Indi Indi- cate there has been little change in the price of their merchandise for the p past st stIve Ive years however m merchandising merchandising mer mer- l meLI methods have changed with buyers lookIng looking looking look look- ing for special buys to Intrigue In Intrigue In- In customers In general Moab buyers of ladies ladles wear are requesting less expensive mer merchandise managers Indicated Indi rated but are unwilling to lower r quality standard de de- e. e mands Parcel post rates have increased but the additional overhead has been een assumed through store profits one manager s said ld Appliances Down Furniture and appliance stores tores indicated the cost of appliances In general was down otherwise retail prices pric pric- es remain stable with prices two years ago ago- One manager admitted merchandise in general gen gen- general general gen gen- eral has assumed the national nation nation- al aJ increase of 3 to 5 Sper per c cent nt and freight rates rates' were con con con- higher Even c company company com com- m- m pany freight rates had increased In Increased increased in- in creased from to per cwt a manager said Labor Labor Labor La La- bor and rental space remain stable One manager said the type of purchases had changed considerably within the last year with customers more mora interested 1 in hi television consoles consoles consoles con con- soles instead of portables however In gener general l TV and stereo prices have decreased it was stated Moab residents have a tendency to purchase cheaper carpeting this year yeat Utility Repairs Stable Utility repairs have re remained remained re re- stable with the exception exception ex ex- of f new businesses which some indicated had Continued on page 6 Protest Sparks Survey l 6 Continued ud from page 1 1 been started with too small a a margin and later Increased Most of the comp competition with repairmen comes comes comes' from the manufacturers with appliances fees ces decreased in price to the point where many prefer to purchase new items in lieu lof of expensive r repairs also of the appliances are arc arenow arenow now difficult to repair beI be be- I cause of construction t Electricity has had no Increase in increase increase in- in crease since January of 1963 when when an 8 to J to 10 30 per cent Increase in in- crease was noted gas rates have remained stable since 1956 l City utilities have not In Increased in- in crea creased ed since e the bond three years ago which increased jj water water rates and doubled the thel l sewer sewer rates 4 Rent Still SUII High ty 1 Prominent Moab city real estate estate brokers sized up future fu fu- ture Iture ture possibilities by review review- I ing conditions in Moab at the f peak of the prosperous per per- hod two years ago There was no such thing as a vacant t house anI and almost anything could be rented The temporary jary ary workers did not demand de man I high thigh rental standards nor I did they object to high rates a I The situation could be repeated repeated repeated re- re for the same type of i rentals anI and renters the Moab real estate men predicted f However for the better type f- f i demanded by permanent permanent permanent per per- manent renters most of the f available homes In Moab are areV areV V 1 on contracts and rates are thus based on the gov backed emment-backed loans Most people hope only to get their money out of a home or keep l up payments Can Accommodate More Morea v a The real estate jives felt this city could easI easily ease I V ily accommodate an influx of I families due to the fact tact fact ry i t that many construction workers worst wor wore st 1 kers have adopted trailer r homes as a way of ate We Am Ara- c f pie trailer facilities exist In Moab at the present time f l x they said laid and added in case casen A n no Vacancy no-Vacancy vacancy time arises T the they hope the city will go al along ong eng with private parking rather rathen ra ra- i ther then than forcing additional I trailer parka parks to be built and Ed tt Idle after atter the construction construction construe tion period 1 Is ended Saleable real estate remained remained remained re re- re- re up until the last six months they stated and now has leveled off Salaries are Stable In general service salaries salaries salaries salar salar- ies in Moab I have remained fairly stable even even through high employment periods As Asa a rule local employers tend to pay minimum or bett better r salaries a raise has been noted noted noted no no- ted in household help which is still much In iii demand In Inthe Inthe Inthe the past larger employers moving into the area have attempted to abide by local levels with often the only incentive fot l luring tern employ employees ploy ees the fringe benefits The ceiling seems to be lifted lilted from salaries with better job opportunities available for lor those willing to wor work wont their w way way y up The most startling boom possibility is a large hiring company which might move in in with no regard for tor local wage scale which would force Loree local employers Jo o com come pete This has not happened here to date Difficult to Survey Still not tabulated and almost al ale almost most impossible to survey are the various services offered offered of of- tere by individual businessmen business business- men throughout an area which are needed by tourists and new residents These in elude clude all types of 01 professional profession profession- al services automotive re see repairs repairs pairs and traveling Jes les such as eating lodging entertainment which can aid aidor aidor aidor or hinder tourism in any area A survey of apartment rentals rentals rentals ren ren- in the shows show that prices generally have dropped over the past two years anywhere from 5 to 20 per month in some in jn stances About the Same Sarno Generally speaking Moab's cost of 01 living in all categories is about the same as it was two years ago Lowered costs in food rentals and appliances appliances ap ap- ap have been largely offset by Increases in postal rat rates 5 utility increases etc ete Jf U boom type boom type price ing does take place vInce here It will win be a result of 01 individual moves in Sn that direction and nd not in areas areu where organizational I elton efforts are directed |