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Show X V Schools will graduate 2,418 seniors f Jordan School District will seniors next week. graduate But next fall the school district will welcome 4,847 new students into ' the system. Graduation exercises will be held at the six regular high schools on Wednesday, May 26. Valley High School and the district Adult High School will hold their programs on Tuesday, May 25. South Park Academy, the state prison high school operated by the 2,418 H- - school district, will have a program on Monday, May 24. The largest senior class in the school district will come from Brighton High School where 533 graduates are scheduled to receive diplomas. Alta will graduate 470, HUlcrest 423, Bingham 410, Jordan 265 and West Jordan 140. Valley High School, a school for students who do not attend day high school for various reasons, will graduate 177, while the Adult High School will award 80 diplomas. South Park Academy wUl pass out 65 diplomas. Most of the 4,847 new students coming into the school system next fall will be kindergarten students entering school for the first time. "Leaving Paths to be Followed" will be the theme of Alta High's graduation exercises. School Board Member Maurine C. Jensen Deputy Superintendent Kenneth L. Richard Gourley, of assistant superintendent instruction, will accept the class and Board Member Lois Hirschi will award the diplomas. Graduation exercises at Jordan Prince. High School will be dedicated to will award the diplomas and acceptance of the class will be by Bingham High's theme will be "The Best of Times." Acceptance of the class will be by Deputy Superintendent L. Ray Brown and Rodney Dahl, a member of the State Board of Education, will present the diplomas. Brighton High will have "On the Threshold of a Dream" as the Cindy Squire (front row, right) donated a pine . tree to adorn the grounds at the Midvale senior . . citizen's center last Thursday. To the left with DOMg QCCOptOQ the shovel is Midvale site manager Aiieen Applications for the 1982-8- 3 Sabey. On the back row (left to right) are Midvale city administrator David Jorgensen, Midvale Jr. Miss Pageant will be senior citizen's council president Lois Ray, accepted through June 10 it was The Monday. mayor Trent Jeppson, and the donor's parents, announced be can Helen Edward and application picked up at Squire. City Hall or by contacting Boyd Twiggs at The pageant is open to young ladies from the Midvale area, who are now in the junior year of high school. This year's pageant is scheduled for Aug. 6 and will be held in conjunction with the Midvale City Dees' donation goes to Sandy park facilities and Dee's of Dee's Drive-in- s will doante Restaurants Family to (5000 to Sandy City help in the construction of a new building and the addition of bleachers to Flat Iron Park located at 1800 E. 8600 S., Sandy. Mr Anderson will present the check to Sandy City's Mayor Larry Smith at his cabinet meeting held at the city hall May 25. 255-377- 5. by Dee's will be used to purchase two sets of steel bleachers that will be installed at both of the baseball fields. Commenting about the donation to Sandy City, Wes Anderson explains, "Dee's feels Celebration.- a (WBBA). scorers iur we uaaeu-- u plus there will be a concession stand available for players and spectators. In addition to the new building, the money being donated g-u- ica murder victim Larry Ray. "Through the Years" will be the theme of the ceremony in which Board Member Jane C. Callister will award diplomas and Marlin assistant Fairbourn, superintendent of personnel, will accept the class. In its first graduation ceremony, Raymond Whittenburg and diplomas will be awarded by Board president Mark Kioto vich. The Adult High School graduation exercises will be at Alta High with the theme "Chase a Rainbow, Follow Your Dreams." Deputy Superintendent Brown will accept the class and Board Member Wahlquist will award diplomas. "Teach Them Well and Let Them Lead the Way" will be the theme at the ceremony at Valley High which will be held at Bingham High. Acceptance of the class will be by Superintendent Whittenburg and Board Member Jensen will award the diplomas. Mian ValleuS Votum 49 Numb hMsbei 20 vaakh at 12S W. CCSfesiSg Tfct ttidVlIC Stnti.lil tot St. SaK Lake Caaaty, Saascriptiaa rata $ per Itaa jut b MMvalt m Jordan School USPS 347 940) Thurtday. May 20, 1982 ScatM. lac. Secaatdass ptstaf a paM at District Tin ssaatMsactiaas. liink, Itah. - cloar burglarios responsibility of helping the people in the communities surrounding our drive-in- s and restaurants. The of Sandy City have been a people in the growth and factor big development of Dee's throughout the years. This is one way that we rcan show appreciation to the who have helped us over the people Midvale police detectives, believe they may have cleared as many as 11 residential burglaries with the arrest of a 28 year old SaU Lake City man over the past weeki to detective $.RqrJ Baan, 134,43) worcrer property Accord was taken in the 11 breakins, but so far little of the property has been The recovered. burglaries occurred between March 1 and May 9 and most were in the area of the city east of the freeway and Remomber date for C.F. jog-a-tho- ceremony. Superintendent Midvalo polico Flat Iron Park is a 30 acre park .that, has been, developed with grass, trees,' trestrooHu and a tiny tot playground.' In addition there are designated areas for organized years." baseball, soccer and football plus there is a one mile rigorous trail for those who like to jog. Development of the new building is being done under me guidance of Randy Taylor of the Sandy City Engineering Department and the World Boys Baseball Association Director of High Schools Thomas L. Owen will accept the class for graduation. "Beginnings" will be the theme for HUlcrest High's graduation West Jordan High will have "What Appears to be the End May Really be a new Beginning" as its theme. Acceptance of the class will be by Applications for Midvalo Jr. Miss Sonlor citizens' contor spruced up Wesley C. Anderson, president theme of its ceremony. Board Member Mark Wahlquist will present diplomas to the district's largest graduating class, and south of Center St. Baarz added that more arrests are anticipated in the case. n The West Jordan Public Safety Department is sponsoring a 5,000 to raise funds for meter the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Four juveniles ages 12, 14, 16, and 17 were referred to juvenile court on charges they broke in the St. Theresa's Catholic Church last May 3. All the property taken has jog-a-th- The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 29, in West Jordan. been recovered. Klwanls, JEA award teachers Jordan Valley Kiwanis and the Jordan Education Association presented two teachers with the 'Teacher of the Month" award for May last week. Pictured above are George McKay, director of the JEA (far left), and Larry Pickering, president of the Kiwanis (far right), presenting the awards to teachers Karen Metzold and Joy Robison. Metzold is In her first year at South Valley Enterprises after spending three years at Bingham High. Her work involves developing an academic program for intellectually handicapped high school students. Robison works from the district offices as a home and hospital instructor. She teaches all grades and subjects and has worked in Jordan District for 30 years. Both were elected by other teachers at their schools. The Franchise Tan: blessing or curse? The utility franchise tax is it a blessing or a curse? As economic hard times erode away the revenue tax base of Utah cities and towns, more and more of them are looking toward the utility franchise tax to balance their budgets. Elected officials see this tax as a steady source of income which continues to rise without the need to vote for a tax increase. Elderly citizens are far from enthusiastic since they see their utility bills continue to escalate beyond their income. '. Initially, the utility franchise tax was an impact fee charged to the utility companies for purchase of and easements and caused for any impacts by the need to tear up roads or for accidental damage to water or sewer lines. But over the years, the purpose of the tax has changed, according to Jerry Dean of Mountain Bell. Dean stated that the tax has now simply become "a way for cities to supplement their Vaun Cox of Mountain Fuel Supply stated that while his Company "sympathizes with the financial nature of cities today," MFS "doesn't like to be a tax collection agency." Jerry Dean of Mountain Bell was quite vocal in opposition to the tax. He stated that the position of Mountain Bell has been that the franchise tax is "a hidden tax," and that "it is not a fair tax to consumers since many don't know or undersold the source of the tax." He voiced the opinion that sales tax revenues and property taxes should be sufficient sources of income for cities. Dean stated that he sees the franchise tax as since it "uncontrollable" an automatically grows by increase in the number of utility customers and by the utility rate increases. Hershel Hester of the Utah League of Cities and Towns stated that he feels that the utility franchise tax is perhaps "the most funds." equitable tax." "Everyone pays this tax," he explained. Unlike Three utility companies have tax and sales tax in which been involved heavily in the property it or tax exempt franchise tax: Mountain Bell, such as churches, Utah Power and Light, and, organizations offices, Mountain Fuel Supply. Of the schools, governmental from etc. receive exemptions three, only UP&L did not voice is one no exempt from taxes, opposition in some form to the tax. tax. It is franchise UP&L paying the of Meade David bill sent out to stated that their company "has not added every utility Hester stated that this is one tax opposed the franchise tax." He stated that they "recognize the which residents have some control over. He explained that everyone need of cities to raise revenues." right-of-wa- ys , , non-prof- . has the choice of how much gas the franchise tax, Olsen stated that and electricity they use simply by "there is a reason why the federal their own lifestyle. If a resident government has granted tax practices conservation, they will exempt status to these groups." lower their utilities and therefore Local governments are unfairly their tax. This is not ture of a "circumventing the tax free status" of these groups, he argued. property tax. Hester indicated that this tax Olsen also made the point that could be viewed as "hidden" by the franchise tax is "hard to utility companies since they administer" because it does not usually get blamed for it. allow exemptions for those who Therefore, they often print the tax cannot pay it. He stated that there in a different colored ink to are three programs of relief built differentiate it from the utility around the property tax system: 1) cost the circuit breaker, 2) the tax Hester also indicated that he felt deferral plan, and 3) the indigent that the franchise tax does not tax abatement program. The only have as great an impact on relief in the franchise tax is a residents as a comparable celling usually placed by cities for increase in property taxes. During relief of intensive energy-usin- g the last general legislative session, industries. a ceiling of 6 percent was placed on Aubrey Guynn from Interstate the franchise tax. Therefore, mis Bricks, a subsidiary of Mountain tax cannot become uncontrollable. Fuel Supply stated that franchise In addition, the tax is easier to pay tax ceilings don't necessarily aid since one "spreads the load out" industries as much as expected. over each month's utility bill. He explained that the franchise tax Jack Olsen of the Utah Tax causes "a cash flow problem." Payers Association is not so This is because utility companies generous in response to the which collect the tax only send it franchise tax. His comments were, back to the city on a quarterly tax ever basis. Companies which have "It is the worse He stated that it is a exceeded the ceiling must thought up." which "hidden tax" "falls hardest negotiate with the city to recover on those least able to pay it any amount overpaid. In the case those on fixed incomes." "The of Interstate Brick, Guynn state-th- at at peak production, the plant franchise tax is a politician's dream it rides on the shirt tails uses $l,000day of gas and of utility rate increases." electricity. This amounts to $1.2 In response to the fact that no million in utility costs per year. If groups are exempt from paying the city were to place a ceiling of on the tax, "we would exceed that in the first six weeks of every year," he stated. Therefore, they would have to negotiate with the city to recover overpaid taxes, thus causing a cash-floproblem for the company. In addition, the franchise tax is not tax deductible on federal tax returns. $50,000 w A point which few residents are aware of is that cities and towns which require utilities to collect the franchise tax do not reimburse for the utility companies administrative costs incurred. These costs are therefore passed on to all consumers in the base rate for the utility. Are these aciministrative costs substantial? Answers vary. David Meade of UP&L stated that administrative expenses are "minimal.'' Vaun Cox of Mountain Fuel Supply stated that it is "fairly expensive" since it takes time to program which residents will be' assessed the tax, to establish and adjust city boundaries, and to do selective computer runs. In addition, Cox stated that this is an expense since cities are constantly adjusting their city boundaries and adjusting the franchise tax rate. Hershel Hester of the Utah League of Cities and Towns estimated that to initially impose the tax it costs "approximately $25,000." David Meade estimated that "over 40 on-goi- entities" now utilize the franchise tax as a revenue source. Another charge brought up by Jack Olsen of the Utah Tax Payers Association is that the franchise tax "is a tax on top of a tax." In totalling a utility bill for computation of the sales tax, the franchise tax is added to the utility cost and this total is assessed the sales tax. Therefore, the sales tax is on top of the franchise tax. In addition, Olsen stated that Salt Lake County attempted to establish a 3 percent utility franchise tax on residents in unincorporated Salt Lake County. If the legislature allows this tax in the future, it is conceivable that residents might have to pay this percentage on top of the amount set by their own city. In this way, Olsen stated that the 6 percent franchise ceiling could be surpassed. Hershel Hester explained another potential problem on assessment and collection of the franchise tax. Since none of the three utility companies are totally monopolistic, the companies are making the case that it is unfair to not assess the tax on their competitors. In recent court cases, there has been an argument made by Mountain Bell to exclude equipment costs from the tax. The exclusion of equipment has resulted in "a 40 percent loss in revenues," Hester explained. Similar arguments could be made by Mountain Fuel Supply against alternative fuel dealerships which are not assessed the franchise tax. |