Previous Story
On gov’t. agencies` utility bills
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Posted on Aug 23 2000
The Issue: Recommendation to turn over utility payments to each government agency.
Our View: It’s a good idea, provided that disconnection policy, is equally applied.
The government-run utility agency (Commonwealth Utilities Corporation) has recommended a change in billing for government expenses on utilities.
Rather than the current arrangement where the bill is lumped together under a single account (governor’s office), it would be turned over to each department and agency.
All agencies would be required to factor-in this expense in their annual budget. It’s a good idea in the sense that it would give a rude awakening to public sector employees against the usual attitude of “it’s the government”, therefore, the liberty in perpetuity to engage in wasteful spending.
The legislature should give this recommendation some teeth if it really wishes to embrace it: Ensure that CUC’s disconnection policy is equally applied in both sectors. After all, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
The proposed change in utility billings ought to force all government agencies into real conservation of both precious energy and finite water resource. It’s something we teach our school pupils. It’s something that must begin in role model fashion from government offices.
It should teach public sector employees to be mindful that like everybody else in the community who fail to pay his or her monthly utility bills, they too would be disconnected if they can’t manage prudent spending of taxpayers money.
In other words, disconnection policy must be made equally applicable to one and all. It’s only fair that all must be dealt the same penalties for failing to pay for utility services. The days of freebie mentality is long gone!
To date, the cumulative government utility bill (and still counting) is about $12 million. It now pays $250,000 per quarter while monthly bill runs over $1 million.
