OCR Text |
Show THE PARK RECORD SAT/SUN/MON/TUES, FEBRUARY 26-MARCH I, 2005 Viewpoints. EDITORIAL Our Utah legislators have only four more days to wreak havoc ow that they have their pork barrelsfilled,er ah, ducks in a row, Utah legislators have just four more days to wave a magic wand over the whole mess to make it look as though there is enough money to cover all of their noble intentions. Since it is not an election year, citizens will not be seeing any of those state tax-rebate checks their predecessors used to hand out like political candy. In fact, this year, lawmakers are dipping a wide cup into the state's rainy day fund to build a bunch of highways. As usual, some of the most important pieces of legislation are still being shuttled back and forth behind closed doors, where boxcars full of amendments and miscellaneous favors are being stuffed into the loopholes. At this writing, though, local immigrants are still unsure whether they will be able to drive after their next birthday, public school administrators are still waiting to learn whether some of their already scarce resources will be diverted to private schools and a host of other social service agencies are still peering through the smoke and mirrors to see whether their programs are dead or alive. During the last month and a half, it has been especially interesting to watch local legislators dis- N A-15 SORRY LITTLE BUDDY. SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO "HIDE" OUR CAN, T H I S I S OUR NEW WAY TO GET TO PRESCHOOL! tance themselves from last fall's campaign rhetoric. Rep. David lire has done some serious back-pedaling on previous promises to help reform Utah liquor laws and Sen. Beverly Evans is suddenly quiet on the education front. Interestingly, the state Senate this week forwarded a bill to begin phasing out the corporate franchise tax. Educators say the loss of those revenues could take as much as $7 million out of school funding within the next two years. The logical question is why arc legislators trimming a tax that would help schools when, by their own admission, schools arc underfunded? Their illogical answer is that lowering corporate franchise taxes will attract more businesses that, in turn, will pump up taxes in general. But that seems like ariskybet. If you run into a state legislator this weekend, please keep him or her away from sharp pencils and be sure to remind them about why you voted for them. Ask them if they really think they were sent to the hill to give corporations another tax break, to hold the line on school funding, to outlaw smoking in bars and to take driver's licenses away from working immigrants. JOHN KILBOURN/PARK RECORD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Mine waste disposal Editor: In response to Mary Thaler Dillon's letter, printed in the Feb. 23 Park Record, and having heard the emotional testimony presented by Royal Street residents at the Feb. 9 Planning Commission Public Hearing - it has become painfully obvious that hauling 3.900 trucks of mine waste down either Royal Street or the Mine Road is a LOSE-LOSE-LOSE proposition. Royal has hairpin turns and bus stops. The Mine Road has 12 percent grades, minimal setbacks and a history of fatalities. Let's not forget the rest of the route and the subsequent impacts on Bonanza, the four schools and athletic facilities on Kearns Blvd., as well as the Prospector neighborhood. If the trucks roll this summer, Royal Street loses, Marsac loses and Park City loses. Any route through the city compromises the health, safety and welfare of all Park City residents, business owners and guests. Let's take the dirt up, not down. In this spirit, the City Council must be commended for calling up the decision by the Planning Commission to grant Talisker the GUP for jemoving the mine wastefrom Empire Pass using a truck convoy through the heart of town. It is in the community's best interests to revisit the question of "why" the mine waste needs to be moved in the first place, especially given the acknowledgement by authorities that capping the mine waste in a repository in Empire Canyon is an acceptable solution - due to the "exposure pathway" being eliminated with an impermeable cap. My understanding from these same authorities is that the mine waste in question has indeed been tested and determined to provide no human health risk. The mine waste that Talisker and the city want to move has been described as a "pimple" on a mountain of mine waste, and the common sense approach would be to leave it in the Canyon. Everyone knows that when you squeeze pimples, you create other problems. Let's get creative with exploring more common-sense solutions that don't endanger the life, limb and property of Park City residents, business owners and guests. Let's seriously entertain the idea of capping the mine waste at the Daly West Mine dump, a remediation site already approved by the EPA. Or, what if we identify and isolate the mine waste with the highest levels of heavy . metals, and move just the "hot" stuff? The range of lead and zinc levels in the mine waste range from 27 to 171,000 ppm. Let's • not move it all if we don't have to. The EPA's EE/CA report stated that approximately 300 truckloads of mine waste need to be transported. How did we get from - 300 to 3,900 trucks? Considering the trade- offs, a 300-truck convoy is a much more rational solution. Let's get creative. Park City! Maile Buker Marsac Corridor Association Matters of common courtesy Editor: I am a bit stunned by the choices our representatives are making. Here is a bill that would require people to drive their vehicles at least three feet away from a bicyclist on the road or they could get a ticket and be fined "roughly" $40. Correct me if I am wrong, but we seem to have a leash law in this county as well, but I don't believe there are enough officers out there to enforce this one! Now we want to give them something else to "try" to enforce. The leash law and the potential bike-safety law are simply a matter of common courtesy. Why do our representatives need to spend so much time on these issues when we should all just have a little common courtesy for our fellow citizens. There are plenty of other issues on Capital Hill that could use the representatives'-attention; school issues, balanced budgets, and plenty more. Why don't we, as citizens, show the courtesy of leashing our dogs, giving plenty of room for our athletes on the road, and let the legislators work on the other pressing issues like the future of our children's education. By the way, House Bill 39 and Senate Bill 59 have to do with education. Thank you. theatre company. This season will catapult the Egyptian to an unprecedented level and that is a direct result of the hard work of the staff and board. Unfortunately. I am a 50-year old trapped in an 80-year-old body (ex-husband's statement which explains the "ex" status). I have come to know and depend on the doctors at Park City Health Care. They take the time to listen, diagnose, heal and, most important, become friends who care. Thanks for keeping me in one piece - which wasn't always easy. With our children grown and living elsewhere, our dogs and cat became our second-generation children. To the staff of White Pine Veterinary Clinic, you have always been there when needed. Shasta, our oldest lab, has dodged numerous "medical bullets" with your help and we appreciate the time you devoted to her. To K-9 Kreations, you made grooming a "day at the spa" for the girls. It's a testament to your loving care that Shasta and Allie couldn't wail to get through the door. Finally, to Tom Walsh of Jess Reid Realty, you have our heartfelt thanks for finding the perfect home for us eight years ago - and for helping us pass that home along to the next people who will enjoy the wonders of Park City. Although we can't mention everyone, remember you won't be forgotten in our hearts and who knows, we may return some day. For now, we hope we contributed more than we took away, but we doubt it. To all - thanks for the memories! Vicki and Steve Boyer Park City Sincerely, Marci Landis Park City Smoke-free legislation Thanks to all and to all a good night Editor: I am writing to express my desire that our stale representatives take advantage of an extraordinary opportunity to save lives from Utah's tobacco use. They have before them Senate Bill 77, which would remove exemptions from the Clean Indoor Air Act that include bars, private clubs and taverns. Critics of clean indoor air policies have a list of reasons smoking should be permitted in private clubs, taverns and bars. One argument is that bar employees understand the risks of working in a smoke-filled environment and have accepted the consequences. Many people working in the hospitality industry are young people, working in private clubs, taverns or bars because of the flexibility those jobs provide - flexibility to attend school, earn a degree or maybe hold a second job. To make a blanket statement that hospitality employees understand and accept the risks of working in a smoking environment assumes these workers are fully aware of the unsafe levels of smoke they inhale, and unfairly implies nonsmokcrs arc indifferent to the danger. I see no difference between bars, private clubs and taverns and other common public meeting places such as restaurants and Editor: Eight years ago, Steve and I moved to Park City, excited to be living in an extraordinary resort town. The years have flown by and we are once again moving to embark on yet another new chapter in our lives. As the sun sets over our stay in Park City, we find ourselves appreciating the uniqueness of our town and the people we have come to know. As a result of Steve's position at American Express, he joined the board of the Park City Performing Arts Foundation. Many diverse artists have graced the stage and we were fortunate to provide support to some of them. I always knew I would love Kevin Bacon but was surprised to realize I thoroughly enjoyed the Tibetan Monks! About two years ago, I joined the Egyptian Theatre Board and was privileged to see the revival of this wonderful The Park /7aa?/tfwelcomes letters to the editor on any subject. We ask that the letters adhere to the following guldelines:They must include the address and telephone number of author. No letter will be published under an assumed name. They must not contain libelous material. Writers are limited to pne letter every 28 days, Letters must not be longer than 350 words (guest editorials, 550 words) and should if possible, be typed. We reserve the right to edit letters if they are too long or if they contain statements we consider unnecessarily offensive or obscene. In addition, thank you letters may be limited in length with regard to businesses and event sponsors. concert halls. All similarly cater to the public and employ workers whose health will be adversely affected by second-hand smoke. Another criticism of smoke-free policies is they have a negative impact on business. This myth has been proven incorrect repeatedly, in studies from Colorado, California, New York and Massachusetts, to name a few. There was no negative impact, and in many cases, the economic outcome was positive. Many patrons returned to smoke-free establishments after avoiding smoke-filled ones, once the danger of smoke was removed. Non-smokers are the majority, so why work so hard to appeal to the decreasing number of smokers? Clean indoor air laws do more than just provide bar patrons with a healthier place to gather. In 2000, the Surgeon General reported that clean indoor air laws encourage more smokers to quit and regular smokers to smoke less. Also in 2000, The Journal of the American Medical Association found that with these laws in place, smoking among youths was reduced. Given the unacceptable number of preventable deaths and instances of heart disease related to smoking, and the fact 12- to 17-year olds smoke more than 900 million packs of cigarettes yearly, aren't these reasons enough to enact smoke-free policies? The time has come to put the interests of non-smokers first. This is not an issue of one's right to smoke; it is about our right to have a safe environment. Take your health to heart, and vote to adopt clean-indoor air policies in our private clubs, taverns and bars. Sincerely, J. Brent Muhlestein, M.D., President Utah Division Board of Directors American Heart Association First annual NAC fundraiser Editor: On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff at the National Ability Center, I would like to extend our gratitude to the community for their support of our recent fund-raising event, the "Park City Culinary, Wine and Ski Classic." It was a tremendous success for a first-year event and that is solely due to the support we received from our sponsors, donors and supporters. Vital amongst our supporter group were our remarkably dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly over four days to ensure the success of this event. Volunteers from across the community including members of the Park City Ambassadors, the Newcomers of Park City and countless others rolled up their sleeves and got the job done! Thank you all for helping us to enhance the lives of the families and children with disabilities that we serve. Together, with the funds raised, we will touch the lives of Visit The Park Record website at iuzvw.parkrecord.com thousands of individuals with disabilities this year alone. Thank you also to our friends at the Blind Dog Grill for believing in our dream. We look forward to working with all of you again next year! Sincerely, Nancy Rattie President, NAC Board of Directors The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER Andy Bernhard Editor Nan Chalat-Noaker Staff writers Jay Hamburger Pat Parkinson Joe Lair Jared Whitley Adia Waldburger Matt James Anna Bloom Contributing writers Tom Clyde Ten Orr Jay Meehan Joan Jacobson Silvia Leavitt Linda Jager Editor's assistant Courtney Herzinger Classified advertising Inkama Black Sheree Durastanti Office manager Holly VanDenAmeele Circulation manager Michael Duffy Accounting manager Kate Fischer Advertising director Valerie Deming Advertising sales Wendy Halliday Anne Anderson Molly Ballard Cheryn McNicol Teresa Chavez Lacy Brundy Chris Gill Annie Macdonald Editorial production Kat James Photographers Scott Sine Grayson West Production director Matt Gordon Production Kristi Ruppert Scott Schlenker Jason Plawecki Kyle Burress Kim Vance Jon Smedley Distribution Chris Anderson Todd Kendall Cartoonist John Kilbourn Contents of the The Park Recordme copyright 0 2005, Diversified Suburban Newspapers. All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the managing editor or publisher. The Park Record (VSPS 378-730) (ISSN 07459483) is published twice weekly by Diversified Suburban Newspapers. 1670 Bonanza Dr., Park City. Utah. Periodicals Postage paid at Park City. Utah. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Park Record. Box 36SS. Park City. Utah 84060. Entered as second class matter, May 25.1977 at the post office in Park City. Utah 84060, under the Act of March 3. 1897. Subscription rates arc $37 inside Summit County. $70 outside Summit County, Utah. Subscriptions are transferable; $5 cancellation fee. Phone (435) 649-9014 or fax (435) 649-4942. Published even,' Wednesday and Saturday. Home delivery subscriptions in Summit County include delivery of the Sunday edition of The Sail Lake Tribiaie. There are no other service options available. PHOTOS BY JASON HUNTER t l l B rOCOrCl Asked around Park City Do you agree with this year's Oscar nominations? Should another person or film have been nc iinatet ? Shflri Nelson "I agree with the nominations because there is a committee determining what's right and wrong. I think they did a good job this year." Steve Pariter "Every year someone or some picture gets overlooked, but overall the selections are excellent." Matt Strader "I definitely agree with 'Sideways' being nominated. Usually best pictures arc ones I'd never go see, but this year I've seen them all and enjoyed them." Elisa Shrout "I think with Leonardo DiCaprio, he has definitely grown up and deserves an Oscar." Trevor Nelson "I'm always upset, my favorite director, Sam Raimi, never makes it. I thought Jaime Foxx did an extremely good job. He's a good nomination." |