Electric light Quote by Susan P. Crawford
““The ownership and operation of municipal light plants stands upon a different basis from that of the ownership of water works, with which it is so often compared. Water is a necessity to the health and life of every individual member of a community. … It must be supplied in order to preserve the public health, whether it can be done profitably or not, and must be furnished, not to a few individuals, but to every individual. Electric lights are different. Electricity is not in any sense a necessity, and under no conditions is it universally used by the people of a community. It is but a luxury enjoyed by a small proportion of the members of any municipality, and yet if the plant be owned and operated by the city, the burden of such ownership and operation must be borne by all the people through taxation.17””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “Municipal Light Plants and Public Health,” 2020
She argues electricity is a luxury, not a necessity, unlike water, and should not be taxed universally.
In simple terms: Electricity isn’t essential like water.
Key Takeaway
Question the fairness of universal utility taxes.
Themes
public policy
economics
utility management
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
policy
economic
When to use this quote
- city budgeting
- utility regulation
- citizen advocacy
Key Concepts
luxury vs necessity
taxation
public good
Questions to Reflect On
- Should essential services be defined differently today?
- What alternatives exist for funding?
A Different Perspective
Utility needs can be essential for modern life.
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