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Show TOPAV fKGt A4 VtVdnesOJv $apfempef 24. Guest Editorial IWf NEWS MCUON 1 Its time for big government to stop irrigation subsidies It out over central Utah. Why not build a big extravagant water project if the money Is University of Utah "Dee" (I e. the taxpayers of Imagine for a moment that America pay for it)? For you need a loan a big loan. decades, politicians lavished So you go to the bank and ask money on their constituents for a large amount of cash. by funding pet projects such The banker says, Tm In a as the CUP. But shaking the good mood today, so Ill give federal money tree had a you a loan. In fact, lm in price; the nation is now 3.3 such a good mood I won't trillion In debt, and now the even charge you interest on feds are not so quick with a this loan, and Til give you a dollar for the folks back repayment period home. ' The CUP was started when and a grace period." You're stunned at your good federal money flowed as fortune This is one generous thick as Utah honey but banker. Dut there's more "1 before the project could be like you so much," the banker completed, the fiscal climate explains with a smile, "that Ill changed. In 1992, a new law required that local project only ask you to pay back whatever you think you can afford; beneficiaries (thats you) pay 33 percent of the projects you decide." Dy now you're thinking remaining costs. That comes this is the luckiest day of out to a whopping $300 milyour life, or, this is one crazy lion if the entire project Is banker. built Much of the CUP Is But of course this is just Is is it? there Or any already completed, including fantasy Daniel MeCool, PhD. llufmor. political science 50-yea- r r lending that Institution would act so irrational? The answer is yes, and you've probably guessed the culprit: the government Sixty years ago, the government started offering this deal to farmers who wanted an irrigation project It is still in place today; irrigation farmers who receive water from a federal water project do not pay interest they have a grace period before the repayment begins, and they have 50 years to repay the loan according to their ability to pay" This extraordinary program is federal law. As a result farmers use over 80 percent of the water in Utah, ven though farming is less than two percent of the states economy Farmers love federal rrigation projects because they get more water and they get someone else to pay for most of it In other words, big government irrigation not only redistribute water, they also redistribute wealth. In the past the feds paid he bill, so the burden of pay-nfor these projects was spread out among all the nations taxpayers. The $3 bilion Central Utah Project (the CUP) was just such a project, planned in an era when the federal government was the ig candy store. It was designed to take water out of the Uintah Basin and spread 10-ye- give-awa- y pro-.ec- ts g the Jordanelle Dam and Reservoir, that will supply water to Salt Lake County The biggest part of the project that Is under construction now is the $300 million Spanish ForkNephi irrigation system. It will provide water to a small number of Clipper Youve head the story before. A man raises pigs out In the middle s of nowhere, the kind of place-wherthe tallest structure in town is the TV antenna. Suddenly another person moves nearby.and then another...and then anothec Before you can shout Suburbia!, the mans "pig farm" Is surrounded by new homeowners Dee- -' ing the city to nail down their own small piece of rural environment But these folks want picture-postcar- rest? Salt Lake County residents have paid 67 percent of the property taxes for the CUP, but will receive none of the benefits from the Spanish ForkNephi irrigation project. When money for water projects was plentiful, it might have made sense to pour millions of tax dollars into the Spanish ForkNephi irrigation project, but now there is growing resistance to such a wasteful project. In todays budgetary climate, the choices are clear. There are limited funds for government programs; to spend more money on one program is to spend less on another. If we eliminate irrigation subsidies, it leaves more money to fight crime, educate our children, and reduce the deficit. If you want less government and lower taxes, we can start by eliminating d rural...They dont like the smell of the pigs. They dont like the squeals of the piglets. Of course, the pigs were there first But pigs dont vote JoEllen is a factaholic. She collects little bits of useless information like Dennis Rodman collects tattoos: Stewardesses and "reverberated are the by Clipper Publishing Co., Inc P.O. Box 267 1370 South 500 West Bountiful, Utah 84011-026- 7 Accepted tints Mon. ! I am Friday 5 pm menoN hats: 50 per copy. But this isn't a story of rebellion and resentment This isn't a story of swords and sneers. No, this is a story of contentment a tale where most everybody worn It's also a story of government cooperation. Rather than attempting to freeze out the Junkyard, the mayor, the city manager and members of the city council approached with an olive branch. The city would obtain vacant land far to the west of the housing developments, then work out a trade so Frank could relocate his business. In a city meeting, Frank Branch was called an asset to the community The sniping stopped. Frank more than 100 vocal sounds while dogs have only about 10. Camels milk does not curdle. A ducks quack does not echo. Where do you pick up this stuff? I asked hen Oh, just . . . around, she said. In books. Magazine articles. The internet. National Geographic TV specials. My niece. I couldnt argue with her butions mean little compared to the millions contributed by large organizations. Members of Congress have the responsibility to stop this deterioration of our political process by passing legislation Editor, aimed at campaign finance In 1996 campaigns for Con- reform. Because of the soft money gress and the presidency were the most expensive in history loophole in current legislation, with fundraising by the major ' corporations, labor unions, and are individuals parties up 73 percent over 1992. wealthy At the same time, voter allowed to spend unlimited turnout was the lowest it has amounts of money, not only on been in the last 70 years. The party expenses and state elecLeague of Women Voters tions but on campaigns for Conthinks that is not a coincidence. gress and the presidency. Studies and polls show voter Because of the advocacy loopcynicism increasing, as cam- hole, political attacks on candipaigns become more expensive dates are disguised as issue yet ignore the issues that affect advocacy ads, not subject to disthe lives of ordinary citizens. closure requirements. After the election, when pubAs a result, voters do not lic policy decisions are being know who is trying to influence made, voters are finding that the outcome of the election or their small individual contri even how much was spent This Voters calls for campaign reform branedtetefy upon reaching mam number! Oassffied Ads Thursday 10 am Tuesday 5 pm Display Advertising (If Proof Required and color: 24 hours in advance) News Articles & Photos Tuesday S pm Obituaries Accepted Until Thurs. 1 1 am PubSc Notice Wednesday 5 pm $25.00 per year. Mailed: $35.00 per year. y on Tuesday Publication No. (USPS 149-180-) published ISSN: 1061-122and Friday except the week of Christmas and New Years at Bountiful, Utah. Periodical postage paid at Bountiful, Utah. Address all correspondence to P. O. Box 267, Bountiful, Utah 8401 1 Branch moved his business to a new area designated for industrial purposes. And those residents who love to complain about government meddling in the marketplace, should sit down and have a chat today with (Yank Branch. The move was the best thing that could happen to my company he says. It's been a learning experience for me What the city did was enable my business to grow Our success was limited in the former location. Igivealotof credit to the city officials." One can argue that Frank never really operated a junkyard. An ignition from a 1986 Pontiac Is not a piece of junk in the hands of a mechanic. If you need that part bad enough, you might consider that ignition finely-honepiece of d art But even if you carelessly called South Bountiful Auto Parts a junkyard, youll only get a smile from Frank Branch. And that is proof enough that government can work! doesnt echo? rightable The Main Library at Indiana University sinks more than an inch each year because the engineers who designed it failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building. Well, that last tidbit is at least helpful - maybe even instructive, I said. Theres a lesson in there about planning, preparation and carefully considered forethought If Im looking for lessons. Ill pay more attention during church, JoEllen said. "I dont collect facts to be motivated or inspired. Im just interested in learning stuff. Arent you? Well, yeah. Important stuff Worthwhile stuff And what is it that makes and something important worthwhile enough that you should want to learn it? said. Knowledge doesnt have to be utilitarian in order to be worth having. Sometimes the best thing about knowing something is just . . . knowing it. Shes right, of course. Unfortunately, some of us become so focused on the power of knowledge that we forget to savor the joy of knowledge. We lose track of the inside of us you know, that little kid who used to rush home from kindergarten, nearly bursting with enthusiasm over some Newly Learned Thing. Remember how great it felt to learn - and not -- because we hoped to accomplish something great with new information, but just for the fun of it? Maybe its time to be 5 again, and to embrace knowledge for its own sake. You may never actually need to know that Afghanistan is the only nation whose name begins with the letter A that doesnt also end with the letter A, but its still good to know. Even if youre not a factaholic. Your Opinion League of Women CfLXuerie point" sources, which cover the full spectrum of knowledge as we understand it in the Age of Information. Still, I couldnt help but longest words (12 letters each) wonder about some of the indithat can be typed using only the vidual facts. Why doesnt a left hand. The longest word that ducks quack echo? I asked. can be typed using only the right No one knows, she said, hand is lollipop. Skeptimysteriously cisms is the longest word that No one cares, I thought, facealternates hands on every letter. tiously Which reminded me: The An analytic friend thinks its word facetious is one of three JoEllens subconscious attempt words that contain all of the I dont know, I said. I guess to bring order and understandvowels in alphabetical order (the ing to a sometimes confusing other two are abstemious and if its information I can use. She looked at me sadly, almost world. I think its a clear indicaarsenious). The only. tion that she has way too much word that can be spelled without pitifully Then youre missing free time on her hands: Cats have repeating a letter is uncopy- - half of the fun of learning, she In Monday 10 am pBMlfM Ad Thursday 5 pm Display Advertising (if Proof Required and color: 24 hows in advance) iW Artkie ft Photos Thursday noon s, he says. Companies like mine are stigmatized and theres not many clues that welcome us with open arms. Still, I was upset And some of the elected officials got angry with me in return. It was never my intention to start an uproar or a controversy among the residents, but my company became the focal Did you know a ducks quack wasteful irrigation mdi Irtidar department &l in extension number A similar thing happened several years ago. For many many years South Bountiful Auto Parts and Wrecking existed In Woods Cross. At one time, it was virtually until homeowners started their mad dash to grab up land in southern Davis County Most of the new homeowners didnt mind the Junkyard in their midst and some of the even cited it as a valued local landmark. But some of the homeowners werent enamored by the company Granted, its hard to find artistic beauty In an axle off a 1384 Toyota. When one thinks of civic beautification, one doesn't envision a dented 1972 Dodge truck. Like the pigs, the auto parts firm had been there first, but that didn't stop the clamor for the company to clean up its act or better yet, hightail it out of town. And when owner Frank Branch applied for a budding permit to improve his property, he was turned down. It didnt totally surprise me," neigh-borics- farmers in southern Utah County and Juab County The recipients of this largess have paid only .7 percent of the property taxes for this project. Who will pay the Published With cooperation government really works destroys accountability Voters are left with increasingly negative feelings toward all candidates and toward politics in general. A bipartisan agreement between Republicans and Democrats is critical in passing legislation that will solve these problems Republicans and Democrats have worked together to develop a balanced budget They can surely cooperate in providing meaningful campaign finance reform. A balanced, incremental plan for campaign reform advocated by the League of Women Voters addresses the worst of the abuses seen in the last election, including closing both the soft money loophole and the advocacy loophole. The plan also includes recommendations for free television time for national candidates, which would reduce the need for large contributions, and income tax credits for campaign contributions under $100 which would encourage more small donors. The advantage of such incremental reform is that, while it is meaningful, it is also achiev- able. Both the House and the Senate are back in session and have campaign reform bills to consider Congress has an opportunity to put aside partisan differences and act in the interests of democracy Now is the time for all Members of Congress to work together and pass legislation to provide practical campaign finance reform. This reform is a vital step in making democracy work. Janice Gygi, President League of Women Voters of Utah |