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Show Provo, Utah Monday, November 4, 2002, THE DAILY HERALD, (www.HariTheHerald.com), Page A3 Fate of Tgdioactive waste tax initiative in voters' hands FOR INITIATIVE 1 By DONALD W. MEYERS The Daily Herald Utahns . will have chance to raise taxes on radioactive wastfe to help the homeless arid education, ban higher levels of radioactive waste that already are accepted in the state and impose; ethics regulations on indus- - j i try regulators. Initia--tiv-e Proponents say 1, the Radioactive Waste Restriction Act, will allow Utah to be adequate? ly compensated for acceptradioactive ing waste at Envirocare's dump in Clovis. Doug Foxley, a lobbyist with Utahns for Radioactive Waste Control, low-lev- el - low-lev- el said Utah's existing tax structure makes it the cheapest place in the nation for disposing of nuclear waste. "Utah charges 10 cents a cubic foot, and only on new contracts," Foxley said. "And Utah took in 14.4 million cubic feet of radioactive waste." By contrast, the other two states that take radioactive waste, South Carolina and Washington, took in 120,000 and 58,000 cubic feet respectively while charging $235 and $20 a cubic foot respectively. But opponents, led by Envirocare, say the initiative is an attempt to put the company out of business. Proponents say Initiative 1 will allow Utah to be adequately compensated for radioactive waste at accepting Envirocare's dump in Clovis. low-lev- el They also argue that the initiative violates the U.S. and state constitutions. "You could pick an industry, tax it and put it out of said Senate business," Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, The initiative would raise Utah's tax on Class A radioactive waste uranium mill tailings, used smoke detectors and some from 10 hospital waste cents per cubic foot to between $4 and $150 per cubic foot. Legislative fiscal analysts estimate it will raise $200 million a year in taxes, the proceeds of which proponents would use for public education, an endowment fund to help the homeless as well as pay for Envirocare's eventual closing and maintenance. The education and homeless funds would be supervised by two appointed boards. The initiative also would from ban Envirocare C of B classes and accepting nuclear waste, which have higher levels of radioactivi state only allows those classes of nuclear ty. The waste with approval from the Legislature and the governor. It would also bar employees from the Department of Environmental Quality from having any business dealings with the radioac- tive waste industry and require DEQ employees to wait three years before going to work for companies like Envirocare. Proponents that it violates the state's rule that legislation can AGAINST INITIATIVE 1 say the changes are necessary to ensure that Utah gets its fair share of taxes and that there is adequate funds to cover the cost of cleaning up Envirocare, should the company go out of business. Foxley said the group chose to use the initiative process because Envirocare's lobbyists have too much sway with lawmakers. He said the Legislature watered down the tax it imposed on Envirocare after industry lobbyists applied pressure to lawmakers. But Bette Arial, Enviro only cover one topic. She said iiutiative 1 covers sevtax code, envieral areas ronmental regulations and government conduct. Opponents, led by Envirocare, say the initiative is an attempt to put the company out of business ... and it violates the U.S. and state constitutions. care's spokeswoman, and Ken Alkema, Envirocare's senior vice president for licensing and compliance, said the initiative would literally tax the company out of business. They said the company only made an average of $120 million in annual revenue from 1998 to 2000, while the tax would take $200 million a year from the company. Arial said Envirocare already has a projected $16 million annual tax bill, and contributes an estimated Frank Pignanelli, trol, said the lieutenant governor's office and the attorney general both reviewed the initiative and public inspection. Alkema and Arial said the company is covering the cost of cleanup, through a $400,000 annual payment and a $35.4 million secured letter of credit issued by Wells Fargo Bank. But initiative proponents pointed out that the letter of credit is only good for one year and would be unacceptable in other states that accept radioactive waste. Arial said while Utah accepts more cubic feet of radioactive waste, it accepts less radiation than South Carolina and Washington, which accept B and C classes of waste as well. Jan Graham, a former attorney general retained did not cite those legal The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, the Legislature's legal staff, did point out possible free speech restrictions by restricting state employees from working in the waste disposal industry within 3 years of leaving the state's employ and creating nonlegislative bodies to administer the tax. said Pignanelli $8.8 million to Utah's economy. It employs 400 people. But Jason Groenwald, head of Healthy Alliance Utah, said Envirocare tried to make the tax burden the argument before when the by Legislature considered tax- Utahns Against Unfair ing the company in 2000. Taxes, said the initiative And then, fiscal analysts violates provisions of the said there was no danger of U.S. and Utah constitutions. the company going out of She said the initiative illebusiness because of taxes. gally regulates nuclear Initiative proponents waste more strictly than the said they do not know what federal government and Envirocare's true level of interferes with interstate revenue is since the compa- commerce. Graham also pointed out ny will not open its books to Associated Press Writer - Retired BOUNTIFUL, Utah postal worker Bill Wardle couldn't help but notice when congressional hopeful Dave Thomas dropped in a anti-initiati- THE LMLY IIERALD 1555 North Freedom Boulevard P.O. Box 717, Provo. Utah 84603-071- 7 www.HarkTheIIertld.com ( lissintd Advtrtisins .1734456 ' Retail Advertising Subscriptions and ddhwy scrvin Newsroom For not Dcpartmeits listed above FAX berakkitri.coa USPS (ISSN: Published mornings. Sunday through Pulitzer Saturdav. bv Newspapers, Inc., 1555 North Freedom Boulevard, Provo, Utah 84604. Periodicals postage paid at Provo. Utah. Send address changes to: POSTMASTER: The Dailv Herald. P.O. Box "17. Provo. Utah 84603-071Estitdished August 1, 1873. in Bountiful, a conservative suburb of Salt Lake City. The candidate was slow to acknowledge it. Wardle says the Republican grip on Utah never fails to amaze him. "This state is so politically lopsided it's a joke," he said. Thomas definitely is the political underdog in the race for the 1st District seat being relinquished by one of the most Republican of Utah U.S. Rep. Jim Republicans Hansen, who is retiring after 22 years in Congress. On Tuesday, voters will decide who gets the job. Thomas has drawn some attention in Washington, D.C., where Jenny Backus, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, calls him a credible candidate, despite the political odds in Utah. That race is a lot closer than people think," she said. Bishop gets higher marks than Thomas for understanding government from Robert Rowley, 24, a junior studying technical sales at Weber State University, where the candidates held a debate last month. Rowley said he's leaning toward voting for Bishop. Utah's 1st District, once covering the western side and northern end of Utah, has been reconfigured to take in more of Salt Lake County and all of Summit County, which could help a Democratic bid. 40-2- 1997-200- - ' NEWSSTAND PRICE Daily now. 9 percent, centage points to to Research a phone Valley according survey of 450 registered voters conducted for The Salt Lake Tribune. Bishop could win on his Republi1 can credentials alone. He spent as state Republican chairman and 16 years in the Utah House of the final two as Representatives House speaker. Bishop is being outspent, however. He's raised $587,000 to Thomas' more than half of that $640,000 from the candidate himself, who is using much of it for TV ads. Bishop has worked to get endorsements and visits by Republican leaders in Congress. He calls himself a " taxpayer's friend and "avid the theory that tax cuts can generate economic activity that covers the loss in tax revenue. Bishop supports Bush's multiyear Then there's Thomas, a wealthy advertising executive who has spent more than $350,000 of his own money trying to make a name for himself A moderate, he isn't eager to broadcast his Democratic affiliation on lawn signs or television commercials. Instead, he's called on Republican business associates to support his campaign and uses TV ads to align himself with President ' Bush's "Leave No Child Behind" education program. Voters also can choose Green Party candidate Craig Axford, though he has barely made an impression and fails to garner support in independent polls. Some1 polls have shown Thomas, 52, close behind Bishop, 51. Thomas says that gives him hope for victory. coffee shop. "Excuse me, are you a Democrat?" asked Wardle, a Democrat who says he knows only two other Democrats tax cut plan, now in doubt because of ballooning federal deficits. Thomas says the country can't afford it right But when one early September poll told voters that Thomas was a Democrat and Bishop a Republican, Bishop's lead widened from 5 per- polls. the appointed boards would be similar to the board overseeing the Utah Transit Authority. Schoolteacher, ad executive in race to succeed Rep. Hansen Schoolteacher and former Utah Republican chairman Rob Bishop is a conservative running largely on his GOP credentials. The race could be his to win, according to independent prob- lems. dhnews(fl By PAUL FOY cam- paign director for Utahns for Radioactive Waste Con- supply-sider,- Weekdays and Saturdav Sunday".....-SUBSCRIPTION RATES period Daily and Sunday Weekends & Holidays' SI 1.20 $8.00 One Year imahrai Daily and Sundav $131.05 & Sunday, Thursday MEDICAL SAVINGS PROGRAM i $26.00 Holidays' Mail, in U.S.A. nnxsukci $144.00 Sunday only(UT. ID, WY) $158.00 Sunday only(All other states) Seven days (UT, ID. WY) $201.00 Seven days (All other states) $252.00 Your Guaranteed delivery: newspaper should arrive by 6:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. Sunday. If you do not receive your 3 by 9:00 a.m. paper, please call weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. Delivery is guaranteed. 'Hobday delivery includes delivery the week of Easter. Memorial, Independence, Thanksgiving. Christinas & New Pioneer. Labor, Year's. For new subscriptions, restarts, home delivery information, or billing information, call weekdays from 6:00 a m. to 5:30 p.m. Member: Audit Bureau of ('mutation ADVERTISING place a classified ad, call 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays. For display advertising, call To AFFORDABLE $.50 S1.50 between 0 or The fax number for advertising materials Calif, attorney scrutinized by Smart case investigators The Associated Press -wasA SANTA ANA, Calif deputy district attorney suspended after his handling of a sexual battery case came under scrutiny by Utah detectives investigating the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart. Randy Payne, a veteran prosecutor in Orange County, was placed on paid administrative leave Oct. 4, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. Payne was suspended after questions were raised about a plea bargain in the case of a man who is being investigated by Utah authorities for a possible connection to Smart, who disappeared from her Salt Lake City bedsex-crim- es room June 5. James Witbaard, 51, was arrested in California in January on suspicion of fondling two girls who lived in his neighborhood. He spent 23 days in jail before posting bail. Salt Lake City police became interested in Wit baard after learning he visited Utah during the summer while out on bail, said Salt Lake City Police Capt. Cory Lyman, commander of a task force investigating Smart's disappearance. In July,- a month after Smart's disappearance, Witbaard pleaded guilty in California to felony sexual battery involving the two neighbor girls and was sentenced to timq served plus five years' probation and counseling. He was later arrested - leaving' California without permission from his parole officer. During a search of car, probation officers found k kitchen knife, an ax and photographs of women and girls in bathing suits and underwear, according to Wit-baard- MARINE CORPS RESERVE wwm l "Smart wwg'naiion v I ' 5 j h Brinain XiJ Merlin Rost How to Awaken Year .4 "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine; and at 1ml "3 hatym -- A- -l Awaken your genius imagination within you! It will crate new life! Order your Ingenious Imagination Kit ! J At the n-- You'll treasure it! Scnd$15ior 836 M Wain, Or era ik, us Intimation IT 84057 (I- - k) Vacuum & Orem 371 S. St. 221-818- A- -l Sewing 1 Vacuum & 398 N. 500 W Sewing Provo 377-444- 4 'Exctudei Carpet Several prosecutors, judges and defense lawyers expressed surprise at Payne's suspension. 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Lyman stressed that Witbaard is one of several people investigators are examining and that they have no direct evidence linking him to Smart's abduction. A police watch commander said Sunday that Lyman would not be available for further comment until today. Deputy Public Defender Doug Lobato said he believed is SAVINGS UP TO 80 Voter Information - Pamphlets containing information about local issues and candidates. Voter Education - Programs to instruct first time, minority and senior voters. Voter Access - Consistent, clearly marked polling locations, updated voting equipment, disabled access. www.munoa.com "j? "Public service, not politics" "This office is not about politics; it's about serving the public. I Invite you to join me, regardless of your political affiliation, to ensure that each citizen has the opportunity to cast an informed vote that is accurately counted." ' |