Last Monday night I listened to the Homer City Council meeting regarding water and sewer rates. I was not surprised to hear the line up of “small business owners” and their employees speaking against proposed changes to the rates. I turned off the radio before I heard the vote because I had heard enough. In emotional pleas, certain business owners and employees explained why an equitable water and sewer rate structure would so chew away at their revenues that they would have to let people go, close for the winter, go belly up — whatever.

I, as a landholder in the city of Homer, have subsidized the build-out of the gas line through assessments. These small business owners will enjoy considerable savings in utility costs because of that gas build-out. So why whine?

I paid for the gas build-out. I’ve paid for business subsidies on water and sewer for many years. Can’t they just take the savings from the gas build-out and pay their fair shares on water and sewer?  They sound like Adam Smith’s worst fear: capitalist whiners.

Deland Anderson