| OCR Text |
Show Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, November 4-7, 2006 The Park Record A-2 Candidates praise Evans Candidates for state Senate say retiring Republican was great By JAY HAMBURGER Of the Record staff Putting aside party loyalty, the three politicians competing for a local state Senate seat on Thursday night bestowed praise on Republican Beverly Evans, the retiring senator whose decision not to seek re-election set off a GOP battle for the party's nomination. At a candidate forum at Wasatch Mountain Junior High in Heber, the three people vying toi replace Evans in District 26 of the Senate said Evans, who was not wildly popular in Park City even as City Hall officials worked closely with her at the Statehouse, is a model legislator. Kevin VanTassell, the Republican candidate, said he would emulate Evans if he is elected, noting that Evans was available to constituents. Roland Uresk, the Democrat, said that he would represent the diverse parts of the district and said Evans listened well. Sonya Ray, the Constitution Party candidate, said Evans supports family values and is a hero. The District 26 campaign has not been watched closely in Summit County since a June Republican primary, when VanTassell beat Rep. David Ure, a lawmaker from Kamas, for the party's nomination. None of the District 26 candidates on the ballot on Tuesday are from Summit County. The district stretches over a large swath of northeastern Utah, encompassing parts of five counties. In Summit County, people living in the West Side and a small swath of South Summit are in the district. Evans has served in the Senate since 1999. She was a House member from 1987 until 1998. The Thursday forum, like others held in the area, was largely uneventful and the crowd appeared more interested in the candidates who are seeking positions in Wasatch County than those who are campaigning for the Legislature. The crowd was especially anxious to hear Wasatch County candidates talk about school construction and zoning rules. Also appearing were Democrat Laura Bonham and Libertarian Gary Shumway, two of the three candidates who are running for District 53 in the Utah House of Representatives. Mel Brown, the Republican in that contest, did not attend. The District 53 competition has garnered more interest in Summit County than the Senate campaign. The district stretches over parts of five counties. In Summit County, the district incorporates North Summit, South Summit and Park City. Bonham and Shumway responded to a question regarding funding for the Wasatch County campus of Utah Valley State College, with both committing to the future of the campus. Bonham said it is smart to charge taxes to some industries that she said receive a "free ride" on taxes now and said she would seek more funding for the campus. Shumway said officials should be smart in a funding solution so that taxes are not raised. Meanwhile, speaking more generally about education funding, Bonham said she is campaigning "to adequately fund public education and get funding directed to our classrooms." "In the family values state, I find this unacceptable," she said about the dearth of money earmarked for schools. .Shumway countered that he is well-educated, that he wants parents to have more choices in their kids' education and that teachers in Utah deserve better salaries. He said, though, that he would not support tax increases if he is elected. He said teachers require more money for materials so they don't pay for the classroom necessities by themselves. "We're losing teachers to Wyoming," he said. The District 26 candidates also addressed the college. VanTassell indicated that funding for specific programs is important, Uresk said money should be earmarked for campus buildings and Ray said education is critical to ensure America remains free. VanTassell spends big Kevin VanTassell, the Republican seeking the seat in Senate District 26, proved a financial powerhouse, campaign-finance reports show, raising and spending huge amounts of money compared to his competitors. According to reports filed with state elections officials, VanTassell has raised $83,141 and spent about $54,125. He had a little more than $29,000 in his campaign account as Election Day approaches. He was successful in raising money from the private sector and business interests. His report indicates that corporate donations included those from Questar, Qwest, health insurers, banking interests and homebuilders. Uresk funded much of his campaign himself. His largest donor other than himself was from a group supporting Democrats for the state Senate, which gave $1,000. Ray entered the final days before the election $266.97 in campaign debt. She garnered $945.71 in contributions and spent $1,212.68. Her donations came from individuals. Taylor wants investigation By PATRICK PARKINSON Of the Record staff While standing Friday on the steps of the state Capitol Hoytsville resident Brody Taylor, a write-in candidate running against Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds, called on the Utah Attorney General's Office to investigate a Sheriff's Office captain who allegedly threatened an exdeputy not to support Taylor's campaign. The sheriff's race has become ugly since Taylor sued Woodland resident John Moon after Moon allegedly warned the candidate to withdraw from the race or he would go public with an accusation that Taylor raped a member of Moon's GRAYSON WEST/R4RK RECORD family. Moon has not returned sev- Shown from left to right, Jason Taylor, Brody Taylor's brother eral calls seeking comment. and campaign manager, listens with his brother, a candidate Meanwhile, about two weeks ago Sheriff's Office Capt. Dave for sheriff, as their attorney speaks Friday to reporters. Booth approached a former of threats and extortion," said threats on the eve of an elecdeputy at his place of employ- Jason Taylor, the challenger's tion." ment and demanded the ex- brother and campaign manager, But Taylor wouldn't say officer-quit supporting Taylor during a press conference on whom Booth allegedly threator risk losing some of his retire- Capitol Hill. ened, adding, "this retired capment benefits, Taylor claimed. The candidate's allegations tain is one of my friends." Taylor said he expects the against Booth were confirmed "It's ridiculous," responded state to investigate Booth, who by two sources, Taylor's attor- Edmunds, who is a Republican was not immediately available ney Ken Ivory said. when asked about Taylor's for comment, after a formal "We know of one deputy, I accusations against Booth. "I complaint was filed Friday with understand he is a retired deny it categorically and this is the attorney general. deputy (who was threatened)," election-eve politics at its "We came here today Ivory said. "It seems quite worst." because we, within the last two strange within weeks of an elecEdmunds is vying for his secweeks, have been made aware tion you have two very serious ond term as sheriff. say how much theyVe spent - Continued from A-1 county council with a hired manager each reported spending several thousand dollars. The largest contributor to Summit Steps Forward, a group encouraging voters to support the change Nov. 7, was Parkite Gill Blonsley, who donated $1,000 to the campaign. Snyderville resident Steve Dougherty contributed $500 to Summit Steps Forward, Blonsley said, adding that the group has raised nearly $5,000. Less is Best, a group against changing the form of government will likely spend around $5,000, Woodland resident Mike Marty said, adding that he and Summit County Democratic Party chairman Rob Weyher are the biggest contributors to Less is Best. Miles: citizens irked by lawsuits Bonham steers toward rural votes with anyone." While campaigning, Miles is decades of public service in Park attempting to tie Richer to an . City, could prove too daunting alleged illegal stream diversion in for Miles, a South Summit politi- Peoa. The accusations are the oi^^b^pUpi-Sa^undersUatest lawsuit his!career.,i.p..ih& inin'inglndustry^ '. against the county/. ;7.;Y.\'"V' Wiles "blasts' the Snyderville Richer denies the county took "~~" * ~* Basin General Plan"'" and' water illegally from the Weber Development Code as "oner- River. "Bob Richer is flat-out lying to ous," which may have some West Side development watchdogs the community by saying it's a afraid to place him in the position gray area," Miles said. "He's to decide planning disputes in either telling a fib to the community or he is flat-out inept." Snyderville. The county will be cleared of "I feel like I'm fighting for the future of our community," Richer any wrongdoing when the state said. "Open space is big, real issues Mountain Regional a permit to take both surface and big." If elected, Miles claims he groundwater from the river, wouldn't open the development Richer countered. "There are some facts here floodgates, however, Miles' campaign-financing documents that are reality," the incumbent reveal several of his campaign said. "Right or wrong, we've got donors have challenged zoning some litigious players here in our ordinances and water policies in community." the Basin. His largest contribution was 'Lawsuit du jour' $2,178 from the Summit County A spike in the number of lawRepublican Party, however, Hy Saunders, the president of suits filed against Summit County Summit Water Distribution Co., under Richer's watch indicates donated $1,000 to Miles' cam- the Democrat hasn't been able to get along with his constituents, paign. Numerous lawsuits filed by Miles charged. "People are upset about the Summit Water Distribution Co. against Summit County's lawsuits," Miles said. "Over half Mountain Regional Water of them are dealing with people [and] Special Service District are pend- like Summit Water ing, conceded Miles, adding that Anderson Development." Saunders' contribution does not Miles received a $1,000 contrimean the candidate is "in bed bution from Joe Tesch, an attor- Continued from A-1 ney in Park City who has criticized Summit County government. A $500 contribution to his campaign came from Greg Ericksen, who is an attorney with litigation pending against the county. Another plaintiff who is suing Summit County, Basin resident Mel Flinders, gave Miles $250. Many of the lawsuits against the county were filed by one group of land-use attorneys in Salt Lake that is trying to "bust our code," Richer said, adding that attorneys like Michael Hutchings and Bruce Baird "don't want to mediate anything." The county recently defeated lawsuits filed by Hutchings that alleged county commissioners violated federal housing and racketeering laws. Richer said. Richer raises and spends the most Richer had raised $19,525 and Miles $10,428 this week, according to campaign-finance papers. Notable contributions to Richer's campaign include $1,000 each from Park City residents Jan Wilking, Hans Fuegi, Richard Bizzaro and Steve Chin. Paladin Development Partners gave Richer $1,000 and a $1,500 contribution came from All Resort Express. Miles this week had spent $9,330 campaigning while Richer had spent $14,004. Get out and vote! For voter guide information, see A-8 or log onto www.parkrecord.com/voterguide2006. • Continued from A-1 campaign planks. The candidates have faced each other in a series of generally uneventful campaign forums, the latest on Thursday night in Wasatch County, which Brown skipped. 1fhey are competing to replace David Ure, the veteran Republican legislator from Kamas who did not seek re-election, opting for an unsuccessful attempt to win a seat in the state Senate. Bonham's returns in 2004 and 2002 underscore her need to make inroads outside of the Park City area. In 2004, she received 36.3 percent of the district-wide vote, badly trailing Ore's 61.7 percent. Her showing outside of Summit County was weaker than her overall performance. Ure defeated her by an almost 4-1 margin outside Summit County. In 2002, when she ran as a Green Party candidate, she finished third, throttled by Ure and Weyher, who ran as a Democrat that year, in each county. On Election Day 2002, Bonham's showing was especially poor in Rich County, where she received two votes, less than .01 percent of the tally in the county. Kelly Patterson, a political scientist at Brigham Young University who has followed campaigns in Utah since 1992, says he has not heard of a strategy similar to Bonham's. He calls it "certainly unique and certainly innovative." He says candidates from one part of a district must show that they can represent other parts. Patterson says Bonham could score votes in the rural parts of the district if people do not dismiss the livestock as a campaign stunt. "Sometimes a campaign strategy is a campaign strategy and voters look at it and say this person is not sincere," he says. Brown and others are unconvinced. Brown says "not very many" voters will be swayed. He charges that Bonham will not protect the property rights of farmers and ranchers she is wooing if she wins. Brent Tanner, an executive with the Utah Cattlemen's Association, which represents the beef industry, says Brown will win big regardless of Bonham's push outside of Park City. "I think you'll find the rural voters tend to be loyal and tend to recognize people who have supported them," he says. "I think the rural voters would rather see strong substance on issues." Leisure pool still raises questions • Continued from A-1 leisure pool designs. The size of the pool depends on the amenities decided on for the pool. Whether a climbing wall, expanded weight room, gym facilities or other facilities would accompany the pool has yet to be determined. Property taxes on the bond, should it pass, would be in the vicinity of $15 per year for every $100,000 market value of a primary residential property, according to the Recreation District, a figure which does not take operating costs into consideration. Operating costs become a question mark with no answers until other decisions are made. The effect on drawing swimmers away from the Aquatic Center is unknown, and that is what concerns the school district, which is already subsidizing the Aquatic Center pool with around $250,000 per year, according to school district. "No doubt it's going to impact us," said Klarich. But he strongly believes a leisure pool should be built. Klarich argues in favor of building a leisure pool at the Aquatic Center, where he said boilers operate at 30 percent capacity and would easily support a leisure pool. He said the Aquatic Center already has the administration to operate a second pool, and would only need additional lifeguards. Park said that the cost analysis studies the Recreational District did determined the Field House would be the least expensive location for the leisure pool. The Recreation District argues that a leisure pool in its Field House would allow kids to swim while parents worked out, and the additional facilities accompanying the leisure pool would benefit the community, which shows support for the leisure pool. "If you use the funds well, the electorate will take notice. We wish you the very, very best," said Chapman. "I have great faith in your ability." 8 Great Years in Park City! The Blind Dog opened on October 23,1998 and we want to celebrate with a special Price Roll Back, all the way to $19.98 for 3 courses! Anniversary dinner special: Starter: Small Baby Spinach Salad Choice ofEntrde: Pepita Crusted Double Cut Pork Chop, Sweet Potato & Pablano Pave, Chardonnay Jus. OR Our Famous Crabcakes, Sauce Louis, Jacktar Potatoes, Crispy Leeks Dessert: Our Original Vanilla Brioche Bread Pudding Hours: 5-Close Monday-Saturday, Closed Sunday. No substitutions or changes. No other specials are offered during our Anniversary special. Please visit our website at www.blinddoggrill.com or call 655-0800 to make reservations • 1781 Sidewinder Drive Park City, Utah |
