January 24, 2005
Monday

Mr. Grams has expressed his point of view on the KPU Telecommunications department. I respect that, but I also have another view and I hope that you would listen to me ramble for a moment. You don't cut the throat that leads to the hand that feeds you! Was anybody else listening when it came out in the papers that KPU telecommunications also subsidizes water and electric utilities. Not to break the secret out in the open but what that means for you and and I is that our power and (for those that live in the city) water bill holds steady, but this would mean a significant rise in our bill.( Somebody has to pay for it. That would be US ) Aside from the landfill, it is the only facility/utility that the city owns that actually generates revenue. They pass that money along to the other utilities to defray their operating costs which in turn lowers your monthly bill. Why would you want to sell it? I don't understand!

You, yes... you the person reading this. You own KPU. You have a say in how it is run. It is a publicly owned company. They are not out for profit, they are simply there to provide a service for the community. They have highly trained, experienced individuals ready to take on any task at a moment's notice. How many of you have seen a line truck across the way on a stormy night, whether it be electric, telephone,water, wastewater? What about the streets' department clearing the road for you and it's blowing 50 with gusts to 70, heavy snow, at two in the morning. Well , guess what? That's them! Were you awake? They were doing what YOU, the taxpayer, are asking them to do. AND THEY ARE THERE! People gripe about how much they get paid, I've been there, done that, got that tee-shirt. They don't get paid enough! Believe me!

If you had/have a beef with KPU...or if you would like to make a statement about how it is managed, you have that right. You, as a taxpayer and rate payer, can speak freely at any council meeting. We elected these people to govern us. If you chose not to vote in the last election, then sit back, you don't count . But if you did, then speak up. Let your voice be heard. That's what you are paying for, be a part of it.

I guess I've gotten a little off track here. Mr. Grams believes that GCI will relieve him of (if I'm reading it right) 90% of his bill for telephone. I would advise strongly otherwise. GCI is a company out for profit, and that is what they will go after. ACS, was at a point, willing to offer a fair deal for KPU telecommunications. Anybody else reading the papers? Are we to just jump at that? Just because they offered! C'MON PEOPLE... THINK! I, for one , wouldn't even consider a sale of the telephone division. Money has to come from somewhere!

Since I'm on the soap box I might as well throw out one last opinion. Why are we trying to annex the whole west coast (it seems)? Leave the people in Myers Chuck, Hyder, Hollis and places beyond alone! They didn't do anybody any wrong! Quit trying to soak them up into our mess!

Tom Scott
Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

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