By Parker Leavitt
The Arizona Republic
Gilbert’s plan to sell advertising inside residents’ utility bills is on hold after residents last week raised concerns over fairness, transparency and the dreaded proliferation of “junk mail.”
The town council was scheduled to vote on the utility-ad program last Thursday but delayed a decision after fielding questions about the town’s policy governing the proposed public-private partnership.
The program would allow Standard Printing Co., which prints and mails Gilbert’s utility bills, to recruit advertisers and split revenue with the town. Bill inserts would include up to three pages of discounts and coupons, according to a town staff report.
At a council study session last Tuesday, town officials projected the program would generate about $108,000 annually but acknowledged there was no policy in place to dictate how the funds would be used and what sort of businesses might be allowed to buy advertising.
