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Show Sen. Hatch Task Force coming Jan. 9 to discuss local concerns Sen. Orrin Hatch, h, fulfilling a promise to work directly with Utahs local government officials, will hear their concerns through his senate staff during a five-da- y tour of the state next month. The three days of meetings with my 14 Task Forces last August were helpful because I could see first hand how in we pass legislation Washington impacts positively and negataively on the people of Utah, Hatch said. The Task Forces were established as a network whereby local leaders could share their concerns with the Senator and for him to disseminate information to his constituents on important legislation. Senator Hatchs top staf SERVING MOAB AND SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SINCE 1896 Volume 92 Economic revitalization . . . A Report to the Community Editors Note: During the last week in January, a public meeting will be held in Moab to discuss the findings of reasearcher, Craig Bigler, on the current economic condition in Moab and Grand County, and potential for the future. Mr. Bigler, As discussed in last week's U. S. on the from Department of Agriculture, working assignment has spent several months studying the community, and has come to a number of conclusions about what the future might hold; what the current condition amounts to; what problems the community has to overcome to achieve certain goals, etc. The complete report makes for interesting reading. For that reason, and in an attempt to give those interested in the community an opportunity to study the entire Bigler report, we will publish it in . fers, administrative assistant and state director will meet with the GrandSan Juan Task Force in the Grand County Courthouse on January 9 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Concerns addressed dining the Senators August visit in AAoab, Beginning this year, the method of taxing personal property will be completely The people get Moab fever after the first year. It is so easy to make a bare living and so hard to get rich here. The symptom of Moab fever is chronic laziness. -- Dr. J. W. Williams, Moab, 1905 Eighty years after Dr. Williams comment, Im not sure that many think it is easy to make a bare living in Moab. But I am sure that a lot of people are willing to take their chances with what they can find. . . A-2- past three years, and actually represents no change, she said. There will be no increase in residential taxes unless be and your confusing may changed, you have added a garage or to taxpayers, Grand County Assessor Norma Stocks said other taxable improvements to your property, she said. this week. The change, however, Blue Book Value does not necessarily mean that Under the new law, all perbe will taxes increased, property sonal property will also be she said. assessed at fair market value In 1985, the state legislature and the tax rate will be a percent passed a bill called Truth in which makes it of this value, the same tax rate Taxation, as real estate. The taxable value mandatory to assess property at on cars and light trucks will be 100 percent of the appraised fair value calculated on trade-imarket value. What has been NAD A Official in listed the known historically as the mill levy hasTbeen replaced with a"" Used Car Guide" By multiplying the blue book value of your new tax rate which represents vehicle by the tax rate, you can market to value of a percent determine what your tax will be, calculate the tax paid by each the assessor said. Depreciation, taxpayer, she said. This will of course, will still be allowed. not be a raise in taxes. It is simDistricts levying taxes will of a different way ply considerable change under note and calculating property taxes, Mrs. the new law. If those districts is not a reappraisal, need more money to operate on, Stocks emphasized. that decision will have to be adNew Tax Forms vertised in local newspapers, On your tax notice, all 100 will show constituting official notification, percent property and taxpayers have a righjt to of the appraised fair market the increases at public means which protest value, really The All cost. budget hearings. property replacement felt the that residential legislature taxpayer except primary property will have a taxable needed this truth in taxation, so that taxpayers would have a value of 80 percent of this ap better fair market understanding of the value, praised multiplied by the tax rate to on Page ) n FROM Craig Bigler This progress report outlines the conclusions I have made about the current situation in MoabGrand County, and resulting recommendations. These are the result of extensive, formal interviews and informal conversations with many people: community leaders political, economic, social with citizens at large, and with informed specialists in federal and state governments and academia. The purpose of the many interviews and discussions is to become knowledgable of and immersed in the community, its needs, aspirations, assets, drawbacks, and potentials. When a small, isolated community loses its basic industry, it loses not only the jobs in that industry, but a much larger number of jobs in support and service industries. According to economic theory, when this happens, rational economic persons follow two courses: (1) they cut their losses (by selling out for whatever they can get); and (2) they maximize their long range incomes by moving to where the job and business opportunities are. But economic theory does a poor job of predicting what real people, who love their community, will do. Thats because economic theory must deal with numbers, not with emotions and personal value systems. Commitment to a community and to a way of life cannot be quantified. It cannot be analyzed by a computer to tell us what is going to happen to Grand Countys economy. In fact, no one can tell us what is going to happen because what happens is up to us. It is true that many people have moved out of the county. But these people represent a transient population that readily moves from boom town to boom town rational economic persons who care little about the community they happen to be in. It is unfortunate that a few committed Moabites were caught in the trap of high wages and big debts too. But, theyll be back if they are like most of the other Moabites I know. The objective of the work to date is to determine an appropriate course for an economic development program to follow. You, the reader will soon see that we are talking about a new, unique course to follow. The recommendations do not include the traditional approaches for attracting industry. The good old days when cities relied on heavy industry and small towns on small stuff like sewing factories are gone. On December 13, David Adams, Executive Director of the State Department of Community and Economic Development, brought us copies of Governor Bangerters new policy paper on economic development: Developing Utahs Economy: Guidelines, Policies and (Cont. on Page ) Additional meetings will be held in 1986 with Senator Hatch and members of his staff. t New property tax law confusing, font increases are not expected The Moab Grand County Economic Revitalization Program: A REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY help. The local officials response to the goals of the Task Forces has been great and the concluded. Thursday, Jan . 2, 1986 Number 1 four installments. The first installment, published below, sets the stage for certain conclusions and recommendations that will be dealt with in following portions of the report What Dr. Williams referred to as chronic laziness I would call chronic hustle. I dont see a lot of people lying around, lazily doing nothing. I see a lot of people on the move endlessly checking in with people and places where they might find some work even if it is only for a few hours. I see people who have not abandoned their businesses in Moab, even though they, too, could surely make more money if they moved on to greener pastures. Instead they must spend endless hours in their places of business because their sales dont justify hiring extra open discussions of concerns may enable me to make significant changes in our laws in the coming months, Hatch Grand County, Utah 84532 Times-Independe- : cluded the declining uranium mining industry which has been a major cause of economic depression. ac-(Co- descends from Castle Rock after a climb Sunday. Trout and his partner, John McMullen, 29, arrived in Castle Valley Saturday evening after ice climbing in Colorado, and spent a cold night camping under the stars. On the Sunday ascent, Ken and John found that according to the climbers register at the top, they were the 629th team to successfully reach the top. Below, McKen Trout, 28, Mullen and Trout have satisfied, though cold looks on their faces. Veteran climber Trout, incidentally, was a member of the 29th team to climb Castle Rock in May of 1976. (Photos by Keven Harward) A-2- calculate the actual tax. Primary residential property will have a taxable value of 60 percent of this appraised fair market value multiplied by the tax rate to calculate the tax, Mrs. Stocks said. This 60 percent is the equivalent to the 15 percent you, as homeowners, got' of the assessed value as calculated the Youth ski program will begin on Jan. 11th; set Monday registration under of first The day skiing the Moab City Recreation ski Powderhorn popular program will be Saturday, Jan. 11, it was announced this week by Glen Richeson, program director. Snow depths above average in the LaSal Mountains Snow is piling up in Mountains in a amounts, the LaSal above-averag- e Dec. measurement by Soil Conservation Service representatives indicated. The lower LaSal Mountain measuring station in Geyser Pass showed 23 inches of snow with a water content of 6.6 inches, some 143 percent above normal. The upper LaSal measuring 18-1- 9 station showed 33 inches of snow with 9.2 inches of water, 133 percent above average. On the Abajo Mountains south of Moab near Monticello, snow measured 28.5 inches at Buckboard Flat, with 8 inches of water, for a 113 percent above normal reading. At Camp Jackson, snow depth was 29.6 inches with 8.6 inches of water, for a 129 percent above average reading. Registration for the first ski day, which gives Grand County youngsters age 10 through high school seniors an opportunity to ski, learn to ski, and enjoy Saturdays at Powderhorn Ski Resort in Colorado, will be Monday, Jan. 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Grand County High School. be must school in to parregistered ticipate in the program. Season Participants tickets are available for those interested, but there will be a weekly registration night each Monday for those who are interested in selecting which Saturdays they wish to ski. For those who want to participate but dont have equipment, rental ski boots, skiis and poles will be $6.50 per day. Also, for those who want to learn to ski, lessons will be available for $6.50 each. Buses will leave the City Market parking lot each Saturday at 6 a.m., and students should be there 15 minutes early. The buses will leave Powderhorn at around 4 to 4:30 p.m., and should be back in Moab between 7 and 8 p.m., Mr. Richeson said. Students are responsible for their own lunches, and can either take their own or purchase lunch at Powderhorn. Prices this year are $12 per day for students age 10 through 12; $17 for those 13 through senior class. Season passes can be purchased for $66 by the junior group, and $94 for the older participants. |