EPB, the power utility owned by the city of Chattanooga, has been signing up quite a few customers lately for bundled TV, telephone and Internet services. Some of the customers told the Times Free Press they have been pleased with the service since subscribing.
But it is reason for regret whenever government steps in to compete with free enterprise in a business that really is not government’s job. Should EPB sell groceries or manufacture auto parts as well? And if EPB should not be doing those things, then why should it be in the TV, telephone and Internet service business in competition with private companies?
Back in the 1930s, in the early days of the Tennessee Valley Authority, dams were built for the purposes of river flood control and navigation. Of course, it made sense to install turbines at the dams to produce electricity by flowing water through those turbines. At that point, TVA should have sold the electricity to the highest free-enterprise bidders to distribute to customers. Instead, taxpayer-financed, government-based electric operations were formed to distribute the electricity. EPB, formerly known as the Electric Power Board, became our local power distributor. Free-enterprise Tennessee Electric Power Co. was eventually put out of business.
Now, government-backed EPB is not only in the business of distributing electricity, but it is also competing with private companies to provide TV, telephone and Internet services.
That is unfortunate. Government should not be in business against free enterprise.