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<br />0'02'537 <br /> <br />';"~';,"~P_'r'!'~rr,\ .I,~"",~~ <br /> <br />issue, in the first place, that is from a third to <br />greater than the state's entire revenues last <br />million." <br /> <br />three-fourths <br />year-$468.2 <br /> <br />Furthermore, wrote Mr. Campbell, the kind of bonds con- <br />templated for financing CAP would be revenue bonds, to be <br />retired with revenues earned by the project. And this type of <br />bond was considered more speculative than general obligation <br />honds backed by the taxing authority of a governmental unit <br />and therefore would command higher interest rates. Right now, <br />said Mr. Campbell, both kinds of bonds were more, than usually <br />difficult to sell because of the money squeeze then prevailing. <br />"Realistically, too," he said, "it must be acknowledged that <br />any CAP offering is going to run into a stumbling block of still <br />another more insidious type: skepticism on the part of investors. <br />Buy'ing bonds backed by a turnpike entails some risk to the <br />investor, of course, but revenues in most cases are at least <br />fairly predictable, and there is historic reason for believing that <br />a well-managed turnpike can be made to pay. But the sort of <br />endeavor that the CAP represents-a hydroelectric-pIus-irriga- <br />tion project-is considered less well understood, even though <br />it, too, isn't without precedence. None of which means that CAP <br />can't be financed through the sale of bonds satisfactorily, but it <br />would be a mistake to assume that the job would be a snap." <br /> <br />Another dubious note was sounded at a Tucson Chamber <br />of Commerce breakfast forum. Dr. Robert A. Young, associate <br />professor of agricultural economics at the University of Arizona, <br />said Arizona farmers probably would refuse to pay what it <br />would cost to get CAP water as long as they could pump water <br />for less money. And he thought the underground supply would <br />last another 50 years. Thus CAP was at this time "premature," <br />said Dr. Young. <br /> <br />Dr. Young's view did not go uncontested. Stream Commis- <br />. sioner Ashby Lohse said CAP water would cost about $10 per <br />acre foot, and most farmers already were' paying that and more <br />for pump water. He said he knew of no farmer pumping for <br />less than $9. A third panelist, L. M. Alexander, assistant general <br />manager of the Salt River Project at Phoenix, agreed with Mr. <br />Lohse and said water must be channeled to all parts of the <br />state regardless of cost. . <br /> <br />': <br /> <br />Phoenix Mayor Sees Rate Increase <br /> <br />In Phoenix, Mayor Milton Graham said that if Arizona <br />chose the "go-it-alone" route toward CAP, Phoenicians' water <br />rates would increase by $12 to $14 a year. But even so, he said, <br />the rates would be [ower than those paid in other metropolitan <br />areas such "S Tucson and Oklahoma City. (Mayor Graham's <br />statement was challenged by the A.rizona LcgislMit'c Reviow, <br />which quoted "an Arizona Power Authority source" as saying <br />his figures were "probably accurate but. . . misleading." Ampli- <br />fying, the Revieqv quoted the "AP A source" as saying that <br /> <br /> <br />-36- <br /> <br />;" '" . ~':., w~. .~ .;.~ <br />