Investigate the facts (March 21, 2017)
If any person is going to accuse someone else of lying, (“Lies and lying,” Daily Press, March 21, 2017) that person should have in very least, investigate the facts.
The Big Lie began by the unprecedented and undeserved attacks on Liberty by the town to vilify the utility. You can complain about your rate, but there is no guarantee of a 9.7 percent profit as the town likes to tout. If the writer had attended the Liberty Utilities Open House (Pat Orr could have attended too), he and Mr. Orr might have learned something. Not one proponent of the takeover will admit that a comparison of rates is apples and oranges. Infrastructure is part of an investor utility rate and must be spent on improving, replacing and maintaining the system. A municipality does not have that requirement.
Liberty Utilities does not charge a connection fee. There is a $75.00 dollar refundable deposit, that is returned without interest. But the “interest lost” is like the “savings” on the Apple Valley Choice Energy billing, just pennies! Compare that to an $11,000 connection fee on a new home, calculated into the cost of the house and amortized with interest over 30 years. At three percent, a homeowner pays , $5,695.00 over 30 years, in addition to the $11,000.00 for the connection. The accuser did not grasp that fact. The accuser cannot use the term “liar” if he does not investigate nor understand the truth.
The problem with “just accepting” and not challenging the biased news that emanates from town hall is that people buy into the Big Lie. I thank the people who are willing to stand up and present their side. Informed residents value the dialogue, consider the merits and come to their own conclusion.
Diana J. Carloni, Apple Valley, CA