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Show , Dear Editor, V In keeping with President's Bush's announced goal this last week to establish es-tablish an ethics code for government officials by creating a 'code of con -' duct to ensure that those who serve the public trust avbid any actual or ap- .parent conflict between their personal and public interests 1 feel he should takcaThonest step toward demonstrating this in regard to the SO percent pay raise proposal by certainly doing more than having White House spokesman, Martin Fitzwater, tell reporters "we are watching congressional congres-sional action at the moment" - . - If his goal is to have higher ethics in government service and not work for personal gain, then why is something not being done about this completely com-pletely unethical, ridiculous pay raise for government officials. How can Speaker Wright of the House of Representatives feel he is being ethical when he claims that "to object would violate the spirit of the law that created the pay raise process." How naive does he and anyone else in government service think the American people really are? - In light of present problems of government debt and financial obliga- tions that are overwhelming, depressed economy for most of us, over-taxa- tion of many, an underpaid workforce for the mostpart, and Jhousands of. homeless and underfed men, women and children, how can this 'slap in the face to the majority of the American people not be addressed? f : This proposal is absolutely and totally wrong-no where in the workforce (privately) would it be tolerated-it is nothing short of robbery of the Amer-ican Amer-ican worker. His salary increases are based on his performance and approval appro-val of his employer. Are not government workers considered employees of the American people? We pay their salaries. Shouldn't government salaries be considered in the same vein? Why should they not be accountable to "we the people' ' and increases in salary be made accordingly. - The bottom line has to be-is it right or is it wrong? I'm sure almost 85 percent of the American people would agree with the latter. What about you? 4 A Concerned Citizen, Name withheld upon request Dear Editor, On behalf of Centerville Junior High School, I would like to thank you for the public service you render by publishing school news. This is an excellent opportunity for students to write and see their work published. ,' .' Having worked in newspaper offices, I know how valuable advertising is and that space allotted for these local schools is not cheap. Thank you for your support in this and countless other ways. Diane Speer Dear Editor, : - ;i, -I was appalled when I heard that our congressmen in Washington were maneuvering to boost themselves an astounding 50 percent pay raise in a day when our country is facing "such huge deficits! This would raise their salary to $135,000 per year, plus huge benefits and speaking fees. Their salary, alone, is eight times the average American worker's wage. To address ad-dress the huge deficit, we all need to sacrifice and we would look to our leaders for an example. Furthermore, I am offended by the dishonesty of the legislative maneuver maneu-ver that allows the pay raise to be put into effect automatically unless they make a special effort to vote it down. That is so deceitful...all congressmen should be required to take a recorded vote.! But we cannot complain if we are unwilling to take a moment and voice our opinion. I encourage everyone to do so today before the Feb. 8 date when the raise will automatically take effect Rep. James Hansen '' U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C20515 Senator Orrin Hatch U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 . Senator Jake Garn "-US" Senate '" 'u r ' ' Carol N. Hess Bountiful - - . ' ----- - Dear Editor, ' " r At the end of December, Randy Sant left as redevelopment director of ' . Bountiful City to become city manager of another city. He has my bestwi-, bestwi-, " , shes and as I have reflected on over a decade of Redevelopment Agency in " our city, it is certainly a study in contrasts. . ' ; It was late 1977 when the RDA was created. It soon exploded into the community I To recall the direction, relationships, and outcomes of the first , six years is to recall conflict, controversy and no success. - ; , ; jy-y ' The leadership effort during that initial period came from Mayor Elmer -' Barlow and Councilman Bob Linncll. They were assertive and forceful3" p about the ambitious goal of a regional mall downtown. The first RDA di-' di-' rector was from a prominent family of land developers. His style was ' . somewhat flamboyant as well as very assertive and forceful To this he ; added a penchant for leveraging his relationship with the business com-T com-T munity by drawing on the threatening power of condemnation existing with the RDA's Eminent Domain law. Where actual blight did not exist, the ! more subjective, questionable concept of economic blight would be ap- . From the beginning the direction and single goal was a regional mall in an area of downtown. The process and nature of relationships that followed - split the business community and divided the city-at-large. Controversy il"- r-and conflict literally raged forward with lawsuits, the "firing" of a citizen : -' advisory committee, and much anti-RDA sentiment as well as an anti-mall 0 sentiment '-. -'.','..,'" 'J Vy--; v:: ' l'-':.- - v,- Nonetheless, the RDA remained intact As another agency of city government its board members consisted solely of vcity council and the ' mayor as its chairman. Funds were legally allocated from county tax re- ' venues to finance it and its projects. A major turning point was achieved Mowing the election of Dean S.Stahle in the fall of 1981. Under Mayor t ' - Stahle, the mall project received sound questioning and. careful reassess- ment New studies, public presentations, public hearings, and a different ? ' approach taken with interested developers. The wounds in the community I " had to be healed. '' ' By 1983 it was concluded a regional mall downtown was not feasible. A new direction was needed and a significant change was the hiring of a new RDA director. Randy Sant was the son of a public office holder, college educated in public administration, and with experience in city government a id a redevelopment agency. ; Now, our mayor, with deep roots in the community, was joined with a man of more appropriate background who brought professional, outside objectivity to die process. A new direction with goals and projects needed to be formulated and no less important was the need and challenge of building build-ing credibility and regaining lost trust, especially in the business commun- . . '. ':, " - ' A more positive utilization of the redevelopment agency has taken place with Randy Sant as a key player. The Stahle administration deserves recognition rec-ognition for healing the wounds and earning the credibility and trust neces- ' sary for this to occur. In stark contrast to the first six years, the RDA has proved over the last five years it could function in a largely positive and productive way with two major successes in place. Both the Gateway Project at 500 South and the beautification phase of the downtown revitali-zation revitali-zation project were achieved from good depth and great patience. ' f : Randy Sant's tenure as RDA director has been one of good working relationships re-lationships in all areas. The business community, developers, the financial sector, city council and administration, county, state and federal government, govern-ment, etc. He has been free of personal attacks, including anti-RDA people as they have addressed their agenda. His peers in both national and state redevelopment organizations have recognized his qualities and in 1988 he served as president of the state redevelopment associaticflJv :k f vj Those of us with die Downtown Citizens Advisory Committee appreciate appreci-ate the willingness of Mayor Stahle and RDA director Randy Sant to include in-clude us in the processes. The appointments brought together a group with diverse and frequently- opposing views .and positions.. In addressing- -the Abroad fangeof our ajgendaand : ings1with Randy were rfiaVkeAby working relationships '"as good as they were spirited. Please realize this message is not to say our many initiatives or recommendations have been fully acted on nor an unequivocating endorsement en-dorsement of RDA. It is to recaU what has transpired and commend Randy Sant as his recent career decision takes him elsewhere and thank him for ! his character and professionalism and the positive contributions he has made. ' -:'r" ;- - Robert L. Robinson ' " y ; ' . " Chairman ; Downtown Qtizens Advisory Committee tt- ... ,-. : .. ..... j .......... ... . t r. ,,, .. . v . -.,(, , DearEditor, - J ! ' The 1989 tax form contains a new line entitled, "Voluntary contribu- : tions to assist the homeless." I hope you will consider giving to this worthy cause. , v v - t t ; i - : - Have you seen hopelessness? Suffering is an experience common to all of humanity, but there are depths of sorrow, hopelessness, and despair that we ourselves may seldom experience and yet, if we but look, seem to sur-, sur-, ' round us. , i Thinking back on last winter, I remember some of those homeless people peo-ple I briefly saw or talked with in Salt Lake City. . ' . w ti- One of my visits was to a food kitchen; just leaving was a young family. The mother looked tired, her eyes dulled, her soul heavy; the father's shoulders seemed laden with a heavy burden as he so gently and tenderly ..directed his small children out into the cold. I sat, and watched, as they - silently left the shelter. ' t . - 1 - I also visited a school for the homeless; Utah is the only state with such a v'school" The children are young. When I asked the children what they would wish'for--it was a home. -. ; ' They were like my own children, but with sadder eyes, more tired, with less of that hope and exuberance of youth. , , As we talked, one young boy, about seven, leaned up against me as if for human comfort, protection, human warmth as he shared his feelings and thoughts, ; 1 couldn't help but think of my own family and also the many wealthy i who have so much, oblivious to the needs of this child. Later, in the shopping mall, surrounded by spending and getting, I talked v ,- with an attractive young woman who had not eaten for some time; she was ' still too fearful to go to the shelters, not as innocent as the child. But she too jv i:"ihadhordreanis,jears--fearsaUtro r frX - : As: she said, she "didn't think anyone gave r V In return for food money, she insisted that I have her good luck crystal. I still have it" It is ' ? clear, faceted, but with a surface cracked from being dropped or knocked too many times. Givmg seemed important to her. - - . - : . . There were other homeless people,.not all gentle. Their souls reflecting too miich the darkness of their experience,1- yp&Pf', i '; Misery has many faces."' - . !';is?r;T k'-KV $"i&A&'s i , Christ appealed to us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and bring the ' poor who are cast put into our homes; who more personifies this need than ; the homeless men, women and children we may or may not see around us. . I ' "The poor are always with us." Mother Teresa feels the poor are a., . J blessing to us who have more, an opportunity to love. w -1 ; ,1 hope this year when you come to this new line on your Utah income tax j form, you will give generously. ; t ";r ri U - ,-v, : . ' 4 a 1 ' Donations go into a special trust account, specifically aimed at programs - for the homeless who are mentally ill and the homeless who are' families 1 wi:h children; for self-sufficiency and shclten .and with administrative ' cotslim;xd to three percent 1 . ' - '' s 1 developed the tax check-off program, with the input and support of ' r.any oLhers, because I wanted to do something about what I saw, I hope yj will take the crrortunity to do someiing too. Give generously, it will r h-rC, comfort, and a chance at a rerrectable life for real people in r .1 " . ' ' - . ' ' ' ' - Representative Frank Prante |