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Show Opinion and Commentary A2 Wednesday, January 7, 2004, 2003 PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes wel-comes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable reason-able length (two typewritten double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, phone number num-ber and address. Letters for the sole purpose pur-pose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in the forum. Letters may be mailed, faxed at 789-8690 or through e-mail at editorvernal.com. The name or names of those submitting letters must appear on all published letters. let-ters. All letters are subject to condensation. condensa-tion. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Express Editor. I Will not forget Dear Editor, May we extend our heartfelt thank-you to you dear friends, neighbors and associates. We came to this community 22 years ago hoping to pay back a 3-years public health obligation and then move on. As you can see, we fell in love with all of you and this wonderful area. Thank you for your kindness and generously extended toward us and our children. Thank you for opening up your homes and your hearts to us. We will not forget and, we will miss you. Norman (Sandy) and Mary Nielson and children Vernal Antifur Dear Editor, An animal rights group's anti fur campaign is giving children tormented nightmares this holiday season, instead of visions of sugar plum fairies in their dreams. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have been terrorizing children at the performance of the "The Nut Cracker" in 20 U.S. cities. Giving them handouts that reads "Your Mommy kills animals." "The campaign is intended to terrorize young children chil-dren whose mothers wear fur," the alliance says of the flyers, which show a color illustration of a woman stabbing stab-bing a rabbit. The text implies that a child's mother who wears fur, may kill the family pets. 'The'Mbner she stops wear ing fur, the sooner the animalswjll be safe. Until then, keep your doggie or kitty friends away from mommy, she's an animal killer." A PETA headquarters spokesman provided the statement, state-ment, "PETA activists are making guest appearances outside Nut Cracker performances across the country this holiday season with a cheeky message of compassion. compas-sion. As children arrive, PETA will be there to greet any fur clad mom's and their children with their newest anti fur leaflet, "Your Mommy Kills Animals." . Kids will see the bloody truth behind their moms pretentious pelts. Accompanied by graphic photographs of skinned carcasses and animals that never get to swim or have fun. All they can do is cry, just so your greedy mom can have that fur coat to show off when she walks the streets." So next time you hear one of PETAs radio ads, perhaps per-haps you will be as incensed as we are to even hear the name PETA mentioned. HK LATHAM Vernal Facilities... Continued from A1 Abegglen. "There needs to be someplace for these facilities, so we don't have to fight the same ridiculous battle every time one wants to be established," said Heather Hoyt, county grants writer, who help establish a rehabilitation center in the county. The commission gave Attorney Baden a week to look at the ordinance and make a recommendation. According to state law, the county may require residential resi-dential facilities for persons with a disability to limit the number of occupants as long as it compiles with the FHAA. mm VERNAL Expi (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $24 per year in shopping area and $36 per year out of shopping area within state and $39 per year out of state within USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodicals postage paid at Vernal, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O. Box 1000, Vernal Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Virginia Harrington Guest Writer Maureen Spencer Feature Writer Mandi Oaks Feature Writer Courtney Millecam Public Notices Jacque Hobbs Advertising Vanessa Grimshaw Advertising Terri Black Circulation & Classified Ads Tasha J. Robinson Advertising and Layout Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 435-789-8690 Website: www.vernal.com e-mail: editorvemal.com NEW DEADLINES News Monday 12 noon Display Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Classified Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Public Notices Monday 2 p.m. DIM) "Hull SQDITaDo by Maureen Spencer Express Writer On Jan. 4, 1896, that's how the folks in Salt Lake City received the first news of the newly accepted state of Utah. Two shots in the air at the telegraph office. After decades of bitter debates, grinding government take-over of Mormon-owned businesses and properties, years of villainization in the halls of Congress and federal fed-eral imprisonment of hundreds of the Utah Territory's leadership, a 45th star would be placed on Old Glory. People began filling the streets within minutes of those two pistol shots. Hoorays, whistles, more excited gunshots rang throughout the streets. Statehood had been a very long effort and half of the celebrants were happy women-whose suffrage movement move-ment had placed Utah as the third state in the Union whose "wimmin folk" could vote. This oasis in the middle of the great western desert had gone "up town" with statehood. No doubt every state has its pride points, native sons and daughters whose claims to fame echo worldwide. Utahns dot those lists. My adopted state of Utah has given my children and grandchildren a relatively safe place to live, law enforcement that can be approached with a sense of security, clean streets and oceans of faces of strangers who's somberness dissolves when receiving my smile. I know that if I get riled enough about poor performance perform-ance of an elected official, I can put my all into a new name on his door. We rub shoulders with pretty level-headed neighbors and still look forward to good things in our futures. All in all, she's a grand old state at 108. Maybe I'll borrow a six shooter and go fire off a couple cou-ple more rounds in the air. Utah's growth i impacted by three events " Over the 'past decade, Utah Foundation has periodically periodi-cally reviewed state government growth in Utah and compared it to the growth in personal income for the state. The purpose of these reports was to address the questions: ques-tions: How fast is state government growing? And is state government growing faster than residents' ability to pay for it? Reports addressing these questions were published in 1995, 1997 and 1999. The decade saw three events that changed the lens through w hich state government operations are viewed. The first was the reorganization of state government in 1996 to align itself with federal welfare reform. Utah state government departments from Economic Development to Health were affected by this reorganization. reorgani-zation. The second event was the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake, which predicted a large buildup in capital expenditures, such as highway construction. While some of the work done was backlog that had ben delayed during the mid to late 1980s due to a weak economic situation in the state, much of the work was newly requested infrastructure. The third event to impact Utah governmental expenditures was that the recession dated from March 2001 and subsequent decline in revenue to state coffers. Tied to all three of these issues was the realignment of federal budgetary priorities, first with welfare reform ad Medicaid funding fund-ing then after the event of Sept. 11, 2001, a focus on homeland security that benefitted Utah during the Winter Games. Federal funds comprise approximately one quarter of Utah's budget and, in fiscal year 2002, brought nearly as much money to the state was was raised locally in General Fund. Any changes in the allocation of these monies on the part of Congress are going to impact Utah greatly. Highlights of the report are: Federal sources show Utah state government expenditures were the fastest growing of any state during dur-ing the 1990s. When adjusted in proportion to personal income growth, Utah still ranks fifth. State sources show a slower growth rate. In 1991, $120.21 of every $1,000 in personal income went to pay for state government expenditures. By 2002, that had increased to $126.69. The drivers of growth were health, corrections and transportation capital spending. Other budget areas either declined or stayed level relative to personal income. Since 1999, federal funds have brought almost as much revenue to the state as the state General Fund. Dedicated credits make up a larger portion of funding than they did in 1992. 55 of very 1,000 jobs in Utah are state government govern-ment jobs. This is down slightly from 60 per 1,000 in 1992 and 1993. Federal employees receive high wages in Utah, while state employees are general on par with the private pri-vate sector, and local government employees are lower. 9? ON SLICK ROADS S ALL OVER A&A IN by Steven R. Wallis Express Editor Those seeking the Utah's governor gover-nor seat have already spent over $1 million to get their names out in front of the public. The clear money spending leader so far, according to the Deseret Morning News, is millionaire medical med-ical company founder and owner Fred Lampropoulos. Lampropoulos has spent over $700,000 through 2003. Others running for the governor gover-nor office are Speaker of the House Marty Stephens, Jon Huntsman, Jr., Scott Matheson, Jr., Regents Chairman Nolan Karras, and former Private conservation funds available The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servcice announced today it is seeking seek-ing proposals for private lands conservation con-servation funding through its Private Stewardship Grants program. About $7.1 million is available to support on-the-ground conservation efforts on private lands through this grant. As envisioned by President Bush, this program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that benefit imperiled species including includ-ing federally listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed, pro-posed, candidate, and other at-risk species. Landowners and their partners part-ners may submit proposals directly to the Service for funding to support those efforts. This cost-share grant program exemplies President Bush's cooperative coopera-tive initiatives, said Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton. Private stewardship stew-ardship grants encourage and support sup-port landowners and their partners to design and carry out efforts to conserve con-serve species and protect habitat on private lands. In May 2003, the Service awarded 113 grants totaling more than $9.4 million to individuals and groups to undertake conservation projects for endangered, threatened and other at-risk at-risk species on private lands in 43 states. For more information regarding this grant opportunity and on how and where to submit proposals, visit the Services Private Stewardship Grants website at http:endangered.fws.govgrantspri vatestewardship.html. You may also contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of State Grants, Endangered Species Program, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 420, Arlington, Va., 22203 or call 703-358-2061. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-miI- U.S. Rep. Jim Hansen. While these state candidates are making their plunge into the state political arena, four Vernal City candidates took the oath of office this week. I doubt if any of the Vernal candidates candi-dates spent over $200 on their campaign. cam-paign. They all ran unopposed. The reason for the lack of challengers in the municipal election, as expressed by the incumbents, was: "There were no real issues in Vernal City that had people upset enough to run for office." JqAnnuCowan,. 5th .term council member, prides herself on the fact that the council has addressed the major issues of the city: roads, side walks, curbs and gutters. "We have provided the services people want," she said. The city has made the improvements improve-ments without increasing taxes. Surely the governor's salary greatly exceeds that of the Vernal City Council persons, but is the quality of the leaders any better? Probably not, but the level of responsibility for a governor is much greater. Perhaps the title of "governor" is worth the millions that will be spent on the campaign, but for me, the title of City ,C,oiu.iciL person, County Commissioner, School Board member mem-ber or water board member has a much clearer ring to it. ifri f ffrfii-na1 nil r p 7- -; l 'Mmm j mk , , L Latest painting by Garth Harrison adds to the Jolley Collection of paintings of early Vernal architecture. The painting is of the northeast corner of Main Street and Vernal Ave. as it was in 1918. Businesses in the painting are Uintah State Bank, Vernal Drug, Vogue Theater and Dr. Lloyd Shimmon's dental office. The painting is at Jolley dental den-tal office, 40 West 100 North. ul Vernal City council members, John Parker, Cal Dee Reynolds, JoAnn Cowan and Alan Mashburn prepare to sign their oath of office. lion-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery fish-ery resources offices and 81 ecological ecolog-ical services field stations. K |