Dowagiac Michigan Mayor Attacks Local Paper and residents

In the February 19, 2010 edition of the Informer, there was an article titled, “Web Quote of the Week.” In that article the writer confesses to being confused. From the math that is used to support his/her contention of confusion it’s easy to see why the author is so confused. What the writer overlooked is the fact that there are 12 billing cycles during the course of a year. These billing cycles correspond to the 12 months of the year. The City of Dowagiac has about 2,750 utility customers. 2,750 customers multiplied by $6.00 each and that total multiplied by 12 billing cycles equals $198,000 in annual revenue. I used $200,000 as a round number as none of the underlying numbers are precise given fluctuations in the number of customers and the impact of varying utility usage over the course of a year. However, for purposes of estimating the effect of a $6.00 per month utility increase, I believe that $200,000 is a reasonable approximation. I would also note that it’s very difficult to take seriously criticism from someone who’s so poorly informed about city affairs that they don’t understand that there are twelve utility billing cycles during the course of a year. It is even more difficult to take seriously a publication that is so poorly informed, in spite of its name, that it would publish something like this as though it were correct and valid information.


Donald D. Lyons, Mayor

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