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jc L * ? w 2 > 7 Mr. Frank Strong: ( oo - Mr. S. E. Bennett) X enclose copy of letter from Public Service Commission! June 3* and complaint from Las Yegas Hos­pital, dated May 6, both of which are self explanatory. This is one of the very rare oomplaints mads to the Public Service Commission on water rates in Las Yegas, one of the reasons for the soarolty of oomplaints being our policy of fairness in the application of rates and endeavoring in all oases to base the rates on actual usage in the absence of meters. However, in­equalities are bound to appear occasionally under flat rate sohedule because each classification is definitely stated without any leeway between the large usera and the small users in the same classification of servioe. our position in responding to the complainant, but suggests the rate prescribed may be too high in this particular case. in Las Yegas are too high; in fact utility rates here are about the only cost of living items that have not increased tremendously in the last 15 years. However, it does appear that the total rate of $57.*K5 Tor the Hospital is out of line when compared with rate paid by commercial laundries of $30.00 plus toilets. We have no desire to be arbitrary in the matter of the application of water rates and have always exhibited a tendenoy to meet the Publlo Servioe Commission more than half way, which is recognised by their spirit of cooperation and friendliness toward us. Will be glad to have you die- ouss this with Mr. Bennett and if you concur we will submit a request to the Commission for permission to charge, say, $15.00 per month for laundries operated in conjunction with hospitals, of whloh there are only 2 in town. Mo thing will be done with the restaurant rate; a charge of 8^ a day for water used in connection with cooking for patients in 48 rooms is not excessive. Xou will note that the Commission has sustained X do not agree that any of our water rates