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Show MX grant package goes to Pentagon A legislative package calling for block grant MX impact funding to local and state governments has been sent to the Pentagon for federal reaction. According to a semi-monthly bulletin published by the Four-County MX Policy Board, based in Cedar City, the legislation has already received input Irom several lederal agencies, and Coordinator Ralph Starr is hopeful that the package will lc approved by Congress. Included among those who have reviewed and commented favorably on the package are the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Kconomic Adjustment and the Air Force. Starr and Board Chairman Chad Johnson have met with several other committees in the past two weeks discussing the proposed legislation and other matters. According to Phil Robison. assistant board coordinator, the block grant would allow lunds to be channeled directly from the Federal government to a stale-local group. This would eliminate several intermediate steps currently necessary for obtaining such lunds. Robison also noted that attempts are being made to lie the block grant directly to the money alloted to the construction of the massive missile system. "In that way, if the system comes, the impact money comes right along with it," he said. In other business, both Johnson and Stair were in Washington, D.C., recently to meet with the President's F.conomic Adjustment Committee. In doing so, they reviewed the Urban Institute's report on local government tax burden thresholds and limits. The report indicated that communities com-munities under 5,000 population ex ptTicncing growth of over ." percent per ear trom military activity are saddled with mil air and burdensome taxes to support that growth. Cities in Iron County in that range include all but Cedar City. Cedar City would fall in the group of cities ranging in population Irom 5.000 to joo.Otio which would have to he examined on a case-by-case basis. Robison also met earlier this month with regional high school vocational directors to discuss potential impacts on educational institutions if the MX system were deployed in Utah. Studies currently underway are examining issues such as existing labor loice capabilities, MX work Iftrcc-labor prolilcs. capabilities and roles of educational institutions in providing vocational training to accommodate demands lor labor, and funding sources to help educational institutions meet these responsibilities and requirements. |