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Show y A6 Wednesday. August 1 , 2007 Vernal Express inion. p O.PINION I'm happy to pay my share Br Lb Bun Express Associate Editor I got my first tax notice in the mail last week. As a new homeowner, this is the first year I've really paid attention to howproperty taxes work. Certified rates, assessed values, mil levies - all words I've heard before, but now they mean something. A thousandth of a percent has a real impact on me now. ' Like many homeowners, my taxes are included in my monthly house payment and the proposed increases will take a few more dollars from my monthly income. As we discussed how to cover the tax changes, there was a learning curve for our newsroom staff this week. We dug in to find out why property taxes are going up and how that's even possible when rates went down across the board. We got our hands dirty as we pulled out our calculators, fired up spreadsheet programs and crunched numbers. Hopefully what we ended up with all make sense. That's really the whole point of this business is to communicate a message to our readers. After going through this exercise and looking at the overall picture, I'll be happy to pay my few extra dollars each month. Most of the increase is going to classrooms. I've learned over the past few years of the struggles that face rural schools. The modern education machine was designed to work in suburbia. Just like inner city schools, rural schools don't fit that mold and I admire educators who struggle to make the system work in their classroom. I should be volunteering my time in classrooms, but I figure the next best thing is helping to fund schools - sort of like buying an indulgence for my own failings. And on a bigger picture, the latest round of assessments is just one more signal to me that the economy is strong here. One of the big variables is the increased value of homes. And if most taxing agencies can support the growing economy on a lower tax rate and nearly break-even tax revenues, it shows the health of our local governments. Family traditions are important ByKevw Amy ; Express Publisher Last week, I found myself at Lake Powell, basking in the warm sun and then relaxing in the tepid 82 degree water. Wait a minute! I must still be dreaming. Actually, I was at Lake Powell and the sun was warm and the water temperature was truly 82 degrees, but I was with my four grandsons, one of my sons and my tather. And, to tell you the truth, it was anything but relaxing as we spent upwards of six to seven hours a day in the water swimming, weaving in and out of bushes along the shore, cliff jumping, cliff climbing, hiking, and we did a little fishing. It was great fun and the second year I have taken the grandkids to Lake Powell as we begin what I hope is an annual tradition - something my grandkids can look forward too. We took a bunch of photos of kids jumping, swimming, climbing, holding ugly catfish, eating ugly catfish, sleeping in a tent, drinking lots of water and doing a lot of smiling. These photos will be added to the album of last years photos and I suddenly realized the importance of family traditions and the value they play in our children's and grand children's and in this case their great-grandfather's lives. . . , . ..'. .. : . 'doesn't' matter what you do, justdo something: Kids tcylieed'some forward to. They need a little structure in their live that includes grand parents and other family members. My grand kids ages ranged from four to seven and it was great fun getting to know them better. I learned what makes them upset and what foods they will not eat.T learned that one grandson gets car sick easily. (Oh! Did I learn that lesson well.) I learned some neat ways to make them smile. We read a story each night and I could tell how they were doing in school and what kinds of things keep their attention. We got to explore in and around rocks and plants. I got one grandson to actually overcome a whole lot of fear of water and swim, by himself, with a life jacket. It was only three days and it was hot and maybe not the Hilton camp experience, experi-ence, but we had fun. We laughed. We enjoyed one another's company. And we have started a tradition that I hope will go on for many years. The summer is running short. What kind of tradition have you got going with your kids or family? It's not too late to start and I promise you that it will be worth it. I can't wait for next year. IT MAPPIMMim KZ UIAXITU By T.G. SCARECROW A COUPLE 5AW A BACK ROAD THAT APPEARED TO CROSS PELICAN LAKE AND DROVE INTO IT.TURNS OUT THE ROAD HADENT BEEN USED SINCE THE FIFTYS SO THE TRUCK AND CAMPER SANK. A FARMER WITH A BACKHOE HAD TO PULL THEM OUT.THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS THE COUPLES PRIDE. Another choice spirit Dear Editor, Sonja Ray says the "Constitution "Con-stitution will be saved by the citizens of this nation ... who love and cherish freedom. It will be saved by enlightened men and women who will subscribe and abide by the principles of the Constitution." Constitu-tion." (Vernal Express, July 25) How very right she is. But what is a citizen to do in a democracy such as ours when nationally known presidential candidates brag about all the wonderful but unconstitutional things they will do for us if elected? One set can't wait to raise our taxes or to otherwise more intimately control our lives. Another set seems to think America's destiny is to control con-trol the rest of the world with hegemony or war. Is there no hope? Fortunately, there is - Republican Re-publican Congressman Dr. Ron Paul from Texas is a candidate for the presidency. A philosophical libertarian (as were the Founding Fathers Fa-thers and the authors of the U.S. Constitution), he has served forl6years in the U.S. Congress and has never voted to send American soldiers overseas, or voted for a tax increase, or for more government govern-ment meddling in our lives. ums,&m, 'SPOUTS &mxtBhJ IS ON I r sbst V . c u -- l- ' He believes, and his record clearly shows, if it is not permitted in the Constitution, Constitu-tion, it is not permissible, and he votes, "No." In fact, he votes "No" on just about everything so much so his colleagues call him "Dr. No." As an example, he voted no about going to Iraq in the first place and the second place. He would remove our muitary as fast as possible from that hell-hole and also from the over 100 other foreign countries coun-tries where we have soldiers now stationed. He would dramatically reduce taxes and the size of the federal government. He would also return significant political power to the various states as was originally intended. Of course, the Congress would fight him tooth and claw, but he is the only presidential presi-dential candidate that can help show the way back to the founder's original intent - if it is not too late. So Sonja, I believe Dr. Paul is "another choice spirit," and I suggest you check him out in the "Ron Paul Archives" on your Internet search engine. You might like what you see. Sincerely, Bruce Daniel Vernal Public Forum - Letters to the Editor What is your opinion? The Vernal Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions on contents, if in good taste and not libelous or vindictive. Letters may be edited for length. All letters must be submitted exclusively to the Vernal Express and bear the full name, signature, phone number and address of the writer or writers. Letters for the sole purpose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in this forum. Submissions may be mailed to 54 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078; faxed to 435-789-8690 or sent by e-mail to editorvernal.com The name or names of the persons submitting letters must appear on all published letters. Letters express the opinion of the writer or writers and are not necessarily the opinion of the Vernal Express. FEMA grants funding wildfire efforts In the midst of an already busy fire season, the Federal Fed-eral Emergency Management Agency has issued six grants that will cover a portion of state and local firefighting costs in Utah, Colorado and South Dakota. All six grants make FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. "While we don't send engines en-gines or firefighters to battle these blazes, FEMA does reimburse states a significant amount of money for their suppression efforts," said FEMA Region VIII Regional Administrator Robert Flowers. Flow-ers. The six grants included three in Utah, two in South Dakota and one in Colorado. Here's a state-by-state breakdown break-down of all six grants: Utah p. YlfiT0TOiCH . June 30, the NeolaNorth Fire July 7, the Milford Flat Fire July 21, the Salt Creek Fire South Dakota July 8, the Alabaugh Fire July 21, the Box Elder Fire Colorado June 19, the New Castle Fire Fire Management Assistance Assis-tance Grants are provided through the President's Disaster Di-saster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies. sup-plies. The grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire. Roofers takes blame for LDS stake center blaze Bt Heat Bakhtb Uintah Bain News Service A cigarette left burning on the Roosevelt LDS West Stake Center roof is believed to be the causeofasmall fire Wednesday evening around 9 p.m. Accordingto investigators, the roof of the church building build-ing on Lagoon Street is being re-shingled and on the night of the fire, employees with American Roofing unloaded their supplies and returned to their motel shortly before the fire was discovered. "It appears that it was probably a cigarette that caused the insulation to burn that may have been left up on there," said Keith Yorgason, vice-president of American Roofing. Yorgason said he wasn't sure if it was left by someone on bis Salt Lake City-based roofing crew, or if it may have belonged to an employee with the company that delivered the supplies. "Our crews are basically instructed that on those roofing roof-ing projects they should not be involved with smoking, so we're not sure who or why the policy was violated," Yorgason said. No one has admitted to leaving leav-ing the cigarette on the roof at this point, but American . Roofing is taking full responsibility respon-sibility for the fire, he said. A small group of LDS church leaders were having a meeting in the building at the time the fire was reported but were safely evacuated, said Roosevelt LDS Stake President Jason Willard. Firefighters were not aware that anyone was in the building because the doors were locked and they had to force entry through a glass door on the north side of the building. Roosevelt Assistant Fire Chief Terry Stringham said crews had the fire, which was located on the roof of the north side of the building, under con tropin less than 10. minutes. "Once we determined where it was we were able to take care of it very rapidly," Stringham said. Three engines and 14 firefighters helped extinguish the blaze. Because of the quick response by the fire department the damage was minimal, Yorgason said. "From what we can tell there is no structural damage to the building. It looks like some of the insulation that was being installed on the roof caught fire and did fairly minor damage to the roof. We've done a repair on it but it's going to be re-roofed," he said. Most of the damage on the inside was from the water wa-ter used to put out the fire, said Jim Lisonbee, facilities management director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "They used so much water to try to get the fire out and the water does more damage than the fire a lot of times," Lisonbee said. "We're just lucky it didn't burn through anywhere, we're going to have ceiling damage and not too much floor damage." Water damaged the wall panels near the walkway between the cultural hall and the chapel and some ceiling tiles and light fixtures were damaged as well. "It could have been a lot worse," Lisonbee said. "We would just like to express our appreciation to the fire department there for their quick response," said American Ameri-can Roofing's Yorgason. "It certainly could have been a much bigger problem if they had not responded so quickly." |