Our views: ; Does it really make sense to borrow for solar panels?; Spending $193,000 to save $1,000 is something no one else would do

BEN Newhouse, city manager of Hurricane, was happy when CityCouncil approved a contract to install 20 3-foot-long solar panelsat the city's wastewater treatment plant.

The panels will produce enough electricity to reduce the town'spower bill by more than $1,000 a month.

"We're making $13,000 more per year," he said. "It's like puttingmoney in our piggybank."

Best of all, the panels are "free." The town will put up nomoney. Federal taxpayers are footing the bill of $193,000 through …