 by Don Hoff Jr. January 15, 2005
What amazes me was the foresight of our old City Fathers to purchase the electric power company, solely to control lower rates and services for its population. They were looking at keeping revenues generated in Ketchikan for creating jobs for local residents. The worst thing anyone can do is sell any part of your assets. K.P.U. is your cash cow. Do you really think selling your phone division to private enterprise is going to give you better service and lower rates? I would not take that bet or chance. No. We always had that same argument that local government competes too much with private enterprise. So what I get is cheaper electric and phone rates and I -Joe citizen - control and have a voice to say in what my rates are going to be. I will give you a small example of what private enterprise won't do for rate payers. I was on the City Council and made a motion to reduce K.P.U. electric rates 25% for residential and plus a free month of electricity. The motion passed. At that time our K.P.U. reserves were extremely high and we capped the reserves and credited the residents their monthly bill. I would not sell any part of the phone division or electric division or any division of K.P.U. It would be stupid. You have to think who is pushing the sale of the phone division. I will guarantee they are in somebody's pocket. K.P.U. belongs to the citizens of City of Ketchikan and not by a private enterprise office that works in Anchorage or Seattle or Boston. This is my opinion. Don Hoff Jr.
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