Tuesday, December 18, 1974
their ass. iss.
ass. iss.
day. day.
case acade
ent erent
ent erent
the for
ent erent
timo 38:30
ma's en
ma's en
y. y.
University Dally Kansan
3
Public opposition to KP&L rate increase mounts
By JILL DOLES
City Reporter
Public officials and private citizens alike are expressing opposition to a proposed rate increase by Kansas Power and Light Company.
A group of Lawrence and Topeka citizens calling themselves the People's Energy Project recently launched a petition drive to oppose the increase.
Marti Brodsky, an organizer of the group, said yesterday that the drive was going extremely well and that about 3,000 names were submitted, most of the names were from the community.
"We really haven't had the hardest drive on students until today," Brodsky said. The group plans to concentrate on students at the University today and tomorrow.
KP&L has asked the Kansas Corporation
Commission for a $11.1 million annual rate increase across the state, the first general price hike for KFBL since 1949. If approved, the commission would be $18.8 per would be 13 per cent, or $1,88 less.
A formal hearing will be Thursday before the corporation commission at its offices in the city.
Brodsky said that although it was usually difficult to fight a rate increase she thought their group had good chances. She said a bridge of citizen support and the other groups opposing the increase gave them a chance.
She said the Army and a group from Emporia as well as the Capitol Area Welfare Rights Organization at Topeka were formally fighting the hike.
The position paper states the increase would add $11 million to the present $9.8 million. This would be a $540 million increase.
The group has hired an attorney to represent it at the hearing. Their position
paper and evidence has been filed with the corporation commission.
The group claims that the rate structure is unfair, that the average residential customer pays more per kilowatt hour than that of all-electric homes, stores or industries.
It states that residential customers provide 40 per cent of KP&L revenue although they get only 30 per cent of KP&L power. It also contends that Topekans will be faced with an even greater rate increase than those living outside the city.
People's Energy Project is calling for an equalized rate structure per kilowatt hour where the customer structure inverted so that the more customerless, the more he will pay per kilowatt hour.
The group argues that the increase is even more objectionable because much of the money to be generated by the increase will go outside of Kansas. They state that the top top stockholders, including the Chase Manhattan Bank, are from outside Kansas.
The position paper states that KP&L has its own money invested outside the state. For example, KP&L money was used to fund an atomic reactor in Fayetteville, Ark., and a nuclear-fueled electric power station in Pennsylvania.
The group says KPRL's operations in Kansas aren't dedicated to public service. People's Energy Project advocates public owned power companies as an allegation
People's Energy Project isn't alone in its fight against the rate increase. Lawrence City Attorney Milton Allen will represent 10 cities at the hearing. He has filed a petition of intervention with the corporation commission.
Allen will present testimony on behalf of Lawrence, Abildene, Ablestone, Emporia, Hutchinson, Leavenworth, Lyons, Manhattan, Oatlie and Salina.
The Capitol Area Welfare Rights Organization at Topeka also is opposing the rate increase. That group also will be represented by an attorney at the hearing,
The rate increase would raise Lawrence's annual electricity cost by 25 per cent, nearly three-fold.
A spokesman for that group said it was because KP&L wasn't working for the government.
The group gave reasons similar to those given by the project's paper (or抿着胶条) for covering the surface.
Topeka's mayor Bill McCormick said last week he opposed the hike. He said KPAL's out-of-state stockholders were a reason he opposed the increase.
Duane Walrafen, KP&L vice president, said that the proposed hike was the first general rate increase in 25 years and that he has seen the rate decreases, two in 1964 and one in 1968.
store and caught several shoplifters in the plaza. The store prosecutes all shoplifters, he said.
Merchants cite shoplifting rise
KP&L has said it needs additional money to pay for the cost of inflation, pollution control and to increase its return on investment.
KP&L has said it cannot continue to maintain its present service or expand to meet growing demand for electricity unless it can make sure it is high enough to attract large investors.
The holiday season is a time of sleigh bells, snowflakes and Santa Claus. Another characteristic of this time of the year is a marked increase in shooflifting.
The problem has become so acute at the Kroger food store, 23rd and Naismith, that manager Bob Fluhrer recently hired a security officer for the store.
Fluhrer said yesterday that since November 22 his store had prosecuted 12 shoplifters and that all of them had been charged with unlawful policy to prosecute all shoplifters, he said.
Flihrer said a "significant number" of the shoplifters at his store were students. About 40 per cent of his customers are students, he said.
Catfish Bar 'n' Grill
20c Draws
$100 Pitchers
According to several Lawrence merchants, the current economic recession has been a significant factor in recent years.
"I didn't realize how bad the problem really was until we hired the security officer," Fluhrer said. "Right now he's only working about eight or nine hours a week, so probably catching only a small fraction of the people who actually shoplift."
people spend is used to reimburse the merchant for shoplifting crimes, according to recent statistics from the Kansas Association of Commerce and Industry.
About 6 cents out of every one dollar that
The Association also reports that shoplifting in the United States is a $8.5 billion a year crime problem, and that one of the 10 customers in a store is a shoplifter.
Lawrence merchants have responded to these alarming circumstances by forming Operation Alert under the sponsorship of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
Larry Danielson, public relations manager for the Chamber, said yesterday the program included 90 Lawrence merchants. The program involves a telephone call to each of the chamber's eight other of shoplifters, quick change artists and bad checks. Danielson said.
For the Rest of the Semester
Operation Alert played a major role in helping Lawrence Police apprehend professional shoplifters last week at Litwin's, he said. Danielson said the shoplifters had about $200 worth of merchandise when they were caught.
Art Cromer, manager of Gibson's Discount Center at 2525 Iowa St., said his
RMS
ELECTRONICS
"TUNA AUCTION"
CLOSE: DEC.12
OPEN: DEC. 5
WHAT IT IS . .
- An auction of stereo equipment that lasts eight days and has the bids anonymously posted.
- Bids will be accepted and posted continuously during business hours with the bidder's number.
- On December 12 at 7:00 p.m., the highest bidder on each item will receive the item upon payment.
Major Brand Stereo Components
--including JVC, Miracord, BIC, AR, Marantz, ESS, Akai and many more.
-The terms are cash only, no refunds, no exchanges; winners must pay in full at close of sale (unless prior arrangements are made), and bids have to be made in person . . . however, bids can be checked by phone.
-All bids over $100.00 require a $10.00 deposit, refundable upon supercession of bid
-Entire stock not included . . . selected items including floor samples, trade-ins, and overstock. . . most with manufacturer's warranty.
724 MASSACHUSETTS
841-2672
BETTER DAYS a record store 842-0530 Selected Group-$6.98 List
FIRST ANNIVERSARY SALE
INCLUDES:
John Denver Bill Wyman $3.97
Deep Purple Dave Brubeck
Pharoah Sanders Herbie Hancock
Joe Farrell Eric Clapton
more ...