OCR Text |
Show LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Citizens' Committee , Circulates Petition Because its public spirited citizens citi-zens have accomplished the unusual un-usual in many ways. Cedar City has developed a reputation for culture and progress. The community com-munity will also be grateful to unselfish leaders who have put public welfare ahead of personal person-al and private interest. Now the citizens are faced with the unusual un-usual of another kind. It appears its cooperate leadership has placed private interest ahead of public welfare. The granting of a 20-year franchise to a power company which does not represent repre-sent local interest without even a public hearing Is unusual indeed. in-deed. It would not be like Cedar City people to let such procedure go unchallenged. Here are some of the facts which should be considered. And following is a suggestion as to what you personally per-sonally can do about it if you are interested In your own and the public welfare: 1. Cedar City pays 20 per cent higher power rates than any comparable city in the state. 2. Cedar City pavs the highest tax rate of any city in the state with one exception. 3. About 35 cities in Utah (about 5,000 in the nation) have solved their problems of high power and tax rates through some sort of municipal control of power Just as they control the public water distribution. 4. The Southern Utah Power company is not a local private business. Its 63,049 shares are owned outside the state w-ith the exception of 105 shares plus five shares allocated to a local individual indi-vidual to front for -the company. 5. Cedar City voters went on record decisively three years ago as favoring some sort of municipal muni-cipal power control. 6. No public hearings were held by the city officials prior to granting of a 20-year franchise to Southern Utah Power company com-pany in February. 7. A bare majority of city councilmen were present to grant the franchise and it was done with all the earmarks of giving the nod to agreements already made with the company. In fact, Jt has the appearance tf keeping keep-ing a promise made to the company com-pany three years ago when Ceda. City voted in favor of municipal power. It is difficult to explain the bond holders refusal to sell at that time in any other way than that they received some sort of assurance that the people's peo-ple's vote would be ignored. It was when the franchise was granted. 8. Publicity to the effect that the franchise does not prevent municipal or other private companies com-panies from coming in is meaningless mean-ingless and all pretence to generous gen-erous contributions by the company com-pany is poor return on a fran-l chise which would commit Cedar Ce-dar City to the highest power rates and tax rates in the state for 20 years. The out-of-state stockholders of the Southern Utah Power com- An Open Letter Cedar City, March 10, 1952 Dear Editor: In a recent issue of the Iron County Record I noticed a report re-port that City Manager Thomas Thorsen had said that the city did not have sufficient funds with which to build a bridge across coal creek leading to the city softball and baseball fields. I disagree with this statement and would like to point out where the funds can be found for the bridge construction. First, I would like to point out that a bridge across coal creek to handle traffic to the recreation area is most urgently needed. The present bridge is not only inadequate but very dan-Igerous dan-Igerous because of the fact that the bridge must be used by pedestrians pe-destrians and automobiles alike, and it is barely wide enough for a car to pass over. The park is used by hundreds of people each evening during the summer months, and with the development of little league and pony league baseball, together to-gether with other activities the use is increasing rapidly. Some thing must be done to eliminate elimin-ate the danger to users of the park caused by the bridge "bottle "bot-tle neck". Last year the city purchased steel for a bridge that when placed across the channel wMll solve the traffic problem. The steel has been laying on the park area for several months, but the city manager says it cannot be erected because no funds are available for construction construc-tion of abuttments for the bridge. I would like to call attention to the fact that in the budget adopted in December, 1952, a total to-tal of $15,090 was set up for use at the municipal airport. Of this amount, $8,362.68 was for building build-ing purposes at the airport, with the stipulation that if not needed it could be transferred to any pany have a juicy plum in Cedar Ce-dar City power as long as you and I are willing to tolerate their exploitation. Perhaps we should add as long we are willing will-ing to tolerate being sold down the river by public officials who betray public trust to private interest. in-terest. What can you and I do about it? Official papers have been executed ex-ecuted initiating a referendum and notarized signatures are accumulating ac-cumulating rapidly to prevent the city officials' action from becoming be-coming effective until the people shall have opportunity to express their will in a November election. elec-tion. If you are really interested in your own and public welfare, you may add your signature to the circulating list. The Citiiens' Committee By J. M. Palmer, Chairman |