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Electric Rate Hike Irks County Officials

RT HOUSE — 30 percent or SKi 7 million ^

COURT HOUSE

Atlantic Electric Company’s recent fuel adjustment increase and two more proposed increase* have sent a surge of. discontent through the Cape May County

treasurer’s office.

Philip Matalucci, county treasurer, could not predict the specific effect the rate' hikes will have on the county budget, but some fiscal juggling and probable cutbacks in other expense areas could result. County government offices are charged for electricity at the commercial rate. The commercial increases, under the Dec. 1 fuel adjustment increase of 17-26 percent to residential customers, will be ' rated ‘'somewhat smaller'’ percentage rate. Tom Custer. Atlantic Electric spok^man said. A flat commercial fee cannot be quoted because commercial rates vary according to the amount of

useage. Custer added.

The two proposed in-

s are designed to add

30 percent or $85 7 million to the utility's total estimated annual revenue. The proposals, currently before the N.J, Board of Public Utilities <BPU>, If approved will be portioned out in two separate increases occurring in July

1980 and March 1981.

The rate hikes are needed because of the inflationary cost of materials and operations, particularly the soaring cost of oil, increasing customer demand, the higher cost of interest on loans and higher gross receipt and franchise taxes, according to

Atlantic Electric.

The projected increase for street and private lighting alone will be raised approximately 10.5 percent on July l, 1380 and March 1, 1981 depending on the lamp

size.

Whatever, the exact rate charged to local govern ments, the increases are going to mean tightening the county and municipal purse strings tighter than

ever.

GOINCi UP AGAIN. Electric rate* for Cape May County customer* have gone up again with the granting of a IS4.3 million rate hike to Atlantic Electric. "This is something that The county has made a nobody likes to see, concerted effort to conMktahicd said. serve energy in recent The county spent an years with measures such estimated $192,000 for as using two instead of four electricity in 1978 and has fluorescent bulbs in spent$232,000asof Nov. 30, lighting fixtures and in1979, the treasurer said. stalling storm windows on

the courthouse, Matalucci

said.

With an annual county budget of $20 million and reserves created by high interest investments, the county stands in no fear of a deficit, Matalucci said. Whether specific cutbacks will have to be made and where they will have to be made, cannot be determined at this time, the treasurer said. "We will do what we have to do to keep budget right to the bone and we will keep the utilities to the bone," Matalucci said. The County Board of Choseri Freeholders is "very energy minded," he added. Freeholder ' Gerald Thornton expressed displeasure w#h the current and proposed increases and said he has long opposed such rate

hikes.

Tve opposed these increases since I came on the Board in 1976,’’ Thornton said. In fact, the board has gone on record, passing

several resolutions protesting similar increases in the past. The rate hike could mean eventual cutbacks on some services, the freeholder said. Thornton questioned the utility’s "It costs more to produce less" logic saying "it’s obvious we keep cutting back and the price skyrockets.” The utility has an unfair operating principle in formulating increases because it makes its users rather than its shareholders, take the risks, unlike other private businesses, Thornton said. "They have to make the shareholders bear the responsibility. I just don’t think it’s equitable.^ The freeholder said he thinks Cape May County is

Search For The Christmas Tree

With Christmas less than two weeks away, many Cape May County residents will soon partake of that most important of all Christmas rituals—the search for the perfect Christmas tree. The Christmas tree, clearly an uncontested symbol of Christmas, is not merely a classic Christmas decoration but a tradition that embodies the very excitement and warmth of Christmas itself. For some, the wide variety of artificial Christmas trees is adequate, serviceable and economical. But, for those who enjoy the annual trek to the corner Christmas tree lot or a Christmas tree farm to cut their 1 own, the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers’ Association has provided a few Christmas tree facts. According to the associations there are some 300 Christmas tree farms scattered throughout New Jersey. The New Jersey growers have readied about 200,000 trees for the Yule season. "To select the right tree and to make tree-picking a thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable experience for the whole family, there are a few facts you should know," F.E. Johnston Tree Growers’ Association President said. The most popular species of trees found on New

Jersey tree farms are the Colorado, Norway and White spruce, Scotch and White Pine and Douglas, Concolor and Fraser Fir. Pine and fir are recognized as having the best needle retention. According to a marketing survey conducted by the Association since 1966 tastes in Christmas trees are changing Whereas spruce trees were the traditional favorite, pine are now running neck and neck on the popularity scale. Fir trees have also made favorable gains. Scotch pine is gtill a favorite tree, but recently White Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce and Douglas Fir have closed the gap. "Dug" trees, those with roots intact and wrapped in burlap for planting after Christmas, are a good and longer lasting alternative to the cut tree. With proper planting and tending, the "dug" tree can give en joyment for many years. If a "dug” tree is chosen a hole for planting the balled Christmas tree after the Yule Season should be prepared well in advance of freezing weather. The freshness of a cut tree can easily be determined by tapping the tree lightly on tne ground. If many needles fall off, the tree is probably too dry. (Pafp28Ptott6)

Holiday Schedule For the next three wteks, Herald and Lantern news and advertising deadlines will be a little earlier than usual in order to commodate holiday scheduling. All issues during the holiday period will come out as usual on Wednesdays. News and display advertising deadlines for next week’s paper (December 19), will be Thursday, December 13, with final classified ads due at noon on Friday the 14th. News and ads for the issue of December 26 must be to the paper by Wednesday, the 19th (classifieds by noon on the 20th); and news and ads for January 2 are due by Wednesday, the 26th (classifieds at noon on Thursday, December 27).

THE SEARCH FOR the perfect Christmas tree is no easy task. Here, Sandy and Michael TTiombury check one promising specimen out.

being, made to shoulder more than its share of the financial burden for the electric company. "We’re going to bear the burden in Cape May Comity for the projected growth in Atlantic County," Thornton said, referring to the booming casino related industries. "There’s no doubt in my mind - I’m against it," Thornton added. There are no plans to introduce a formal resolution opposing the increase current, though most of the other freeholders would probably support such an action. Thornton said. The treasurer, who has a keen interest in politics and is himself the head of the Republican party for Cape May County, does not hang the criticism for increasing electric costs on Atlantic (Page 28 Please)