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Show Free Press - Wednesday, October 2, 1996 - Page 4 Politics have changed since Romney's terms Police investigate rash of tool thefts, ,. By GARY HATCH During thia election year, Vera Romney has had a chance to reflect on his own years of public service, first as State Attorney General and later as Highland City Attorney. He has seen a lot of changes in politics and law, but few of these changes have been for the better. Vern Romney grew up in Salt Lake City, attending East High School. Although his father had been a lawyer, Vern decided initially to be a journalist. He studied at BYU and the University of Utah and worked as a reporter for the city desk at the Deseret News. Then he made the decision to join his father's profession. But Vem doesn't regret his time as a reporter. "It was the best training I ever had," he said. "It gave me a real advantage in law school. I learned to write concisely and dealt with a lot of legal work." Vern studied law at the U of U and then transferred to George in Washington University Washington, D.C., the same school his father had attended. While in law school, Vem also got his first taste of politics, interning in the office of Senator Watkins. Although he had thought about joining the FBI, Vem Romney passed the bar exam in Utah and began private practice in Salt Lake City. He eventually worked as an assistant for Attorney General Dick Callister. "We had a small office," he said, "about 15 people, including secretaries." Now the Attorney General's office is much bigger. for Dick Callister Working inspired Vern to run for public office. Vem ran for Attorney General as a Republican in 1968 when the sit- ting Attorney General, Democrat Phil Hansen, decided not to run for He remembers how different that campaign was from today's campaigns. "In those days it didn't really amount to anything," he recalled. "We financed the whole thing for about $40,000." He said, "It isn't just inflationary. There were lots of other factors. When I ran the first time, we had about 25 to 30 thirty-secon- d spots on television." He recalled that candidates also had a different relationship with the media. There was 0 the reporting on people's private lives and affairs," he explained. "It wasnt that heavy an expense and it wasn't that bitter." Vem defeated Pratt Kessler in the Republican primary and John Creer in the final election. "It was a very dose race," he said. "I only beat him by 5 percent He was elected and held the office for eight years. He remembered, "John and I stayed on good personal terms. We never had any personal animosity." Vem also maintained a good relationship with Phil Hansen. As Attorney General, Vern Romney handled all the legal affairs for all state entities, including universities. He said, "Government was a lot smaller then, but we still had a lot to do." He handled a number of significant cases, many of them having to do with state resources. In the Great Salt Lake case, the federal government claimed the rights to the minerals in the lake. Vem Romney won the case for the State of Utah, arguing that the State was entitled to the revenue from the minerals. This case set an important precedent for protecting resources in other states. In another case, Vem Romney helped to open the Salt Lake airport to competition from many airlines. "We were pretty much a captive of United airlines," he explained. The Federal government had permission to establish routes." Prices were high, and passengers had few options. Vem opened the door for other airlines to establish routes into the Salt Lake airport. "We began to get some competition which we hadn't had before," he said. "It was the beginning of the competitive situation we have now." As Attorney General, Vem worked at all levels of the state judicial system. His office handled all appeals to the State Supreme Court. He was also able to argue cases in front of the 10th Circuit Court in Denver and the US. Supreme Court. He also testified before Congress on some of his many trips to Washington, D.C. After suffering defeat in his bid for as Attorney General, Vem Romney returned to private practice and worked as city attorney for Highland. At first, the job only required a few hours a month, but his responsibility grew along with the not auto vandalism Police rash of tool thefts and damcars from what appears to to age be BB guns kept police officers busy during the last week. There are no suspects in any of the cases. In one case, a woman reported the theft of money from a vehicle parked in her driveway; later, the woman's husband reported that several items totaling nearly $1,200 had been taken from the garage. Nearly $400 in tools was taken from another vehicle and garage; another $400 in tools and toolboxes was taken from the bed of a truck, and in another case, more than $2,260 in industrial tools was taken from the bed of yet another truck. Meanwhile, audio equipment valued at $350 was taken from a vehicle, which sustained about $500 in extensive damages. A pair of gloves found at the scene was taken as evidence in the case, which remains under investigation. Ocular equipment valued at $250 was taken from an unlocked vehicle, and in another theft case, a $950 cellular phone was taken from its location in a vehicle. There are no suspects in either case, but the phone owner said he saw two individuals in the area around the time he noticed the missing phone; unfortunately, he could provide no description. In one of the vehicles that was damaged by a BB gun, repair estimates were listed at about $150; three other vehicles were hit in similar circumstances. In another criminal mischief case, a vehicle A f .s"-.,- - i ' ... J : Y i " ": ; in.mMiiX'1 T "f r 1 Vern Romney city. He recalled, "It was a growing experience to see the city rise from the cornfields. City Hall was a trailer out in someone's yard. Now there is a functioning and productive city gov- ernment." Even after all his experience with the State, Vem found his work for Highland City challenging. He explains, "I wrote opinions on a variety of subjects. I was writing con- tracts, interpreting statutes that might apply to the city. I was involved in all kinds of city matters such as relationships to other cities, such as Draper and American Fork. I was writing ordinances. They were very broad assignments." Vem Romney developed a great love for Highland. "I don't know a more beautiful place," he says. "It is a great place to raise your family. I don't know where else you would find a place where people are more public spirited, where the mayor and council receive no compensation." Vem Romney has seen a lot of changes in politics and the law over the past 50 years. Politics then focused more on issues than on people, and law was more of a profession than a business. He said, "Now there isn't the sharp difference between the parties there used to be. There is less sincere political idealism than there used to be. Now it is more a matter of polls and saying anything to get a vote." Vern used to know all the lawyers in Salt Lake and was friends with most of them, even his opponents. "People were decent he said. "A handshake or agreement on the telephone was usually adequate. We felt like we did some good. In those days we were proud to be lawyers. Lots of lawyers today are not well regarded." He concluded, "Not all things we call progress are really improvements, in law, government, or politics. Just like Bob Dole, I look back ter times." to bet- Beat sustained $150 in damages, bj the investigating officer found rJ evidence of what had broken th window. Two juveniles were charge! with burglary and theft after off! cers responded to the call about suspicious circumstance behind Lehi business. The pair admittei to entering the back door of th business and taking nearly $300 iif merchandise. A Lehi man reported the theft of a case of liquor from the six thai were in the back of his truck. Th unknown suspect apparently pried! the truck's locked shell open tJ gain entrance to steal the $120 inj alcohol. Two men were jailed on intoxi cation and disorderly conduct charges when officers found the men causing a scene in the parking lot of a local business after hours One man left on foot when the offhe was not icers determined impaired. A second man was booked into the Utah County Jail Officers called for a ride for thd third man, but when the ride failed to appear and the man relieved himself in his own vehicle, the offi cer knew he could not be left alone: he was then transported to the jail to join the second man. Lehi Junior High ISSN No. ParentLink Help your student! MkMM come in and request zoning and annexation requests in the future," said the planner. The Transportation Element, designed to preserve corridors for roads as" areas are developed, also includes traffic studies and impacts on the city from the different proposals. Some of the roads planned for future expansion include 10400 North, which is proposed to be a minor arterial of three to five lanes, with plans to expand eastward into Highland; 1200 East and 6800 West, both of which have been designated as major collectors of three or four lanes; and 700 South and 8800 West, both of which may become major arterials and the latter of which would eventually connected with SR-9- such as water and sewer connections, roads, excavation, landscaping requirements and all general construction requirements. "I believe we have many areas that allow flexibility to the developers, but at the same time I think it can give the city benefits," said Webb. According to Webb, now that the work has been completely revamped, modifications should be able to be done at a staff level. "Overall, the General Plan should take us ten to twenty years into the future," said Webb. Other new documents officially approved by the Lehi City Council will give the Planning Department clearer guidelines for developers who want to make requests to the city. The latest of these guides is a new fee schedule for submitting plans and applications to the city for inclusion on the agendas at the various Turning Hearts Short Stories on Family Life Edited by Orson Scott Card and David Oollahfte meetings. (See box for more detail.) Applications for preliminary site plan approval or preliminary subdivision plats will be $200 plus $45 per lot or unit, whichever is greater; find approval or subdivision plats will be $100 plus $20 per lot or unit. Annexation requests will be $200 plus $5 per acre for annexations of more than five acres; applications to the Board of Adjustment will be $100 and applications for home occupations will be $50. A complete list of application fees is available at the Public Works Office, 99 W. Main, Suite 100. The new Development Code spells out submittal requirements and requirements for each particular zone. The document explains which local government body must be addressed for the application. Other items in the document include lot sizes and densities, water requirements and permitted uses. The Design Standards and Public Specifications Improvements explains the technical requirements 8750-466- 9 U.S.P.S. No. . 309-50- 0 Published weekly by Newtah News Group 59 West Main . 84003 Telephone Numbers & Circulation . . Brett Bezzant Publisher Managing Editor City Editor Marc Haddock Second class postage paid at Lehi, Utah i Postmaster send address change to Rank tV Fork, Utah 84003 At last, here is a collection of short fiction that realistically addresses wh at it means to be part of a Latter-da- y Saint family. Eighteen LDS writers, both new and established, have created insightful, touching stories that show how the hearts of family members can be turned to one another. 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