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Show A2 The Times-lndependen- Thursday, Jan. 29, 1987 t, Readers write to share their opinions . . . Community Comments By Sam Taylor Grand County Commissioners this week wrote a strong letter to .Gov. Norman Bangerter. urging him to hold the line on taxes o during this session of the Utah Legislature. While the intentions may be alright, they're a little late. The gv,' Governor has already asked the to raise Legislature for a tax nr an additional $208 million this year to balance thepackage he has budget proposed, which granted some increased spending in a number of areas, particularly education. The Governor has already put it on the line, and he's felt a lot of heat for doing so. The fat is in the fire, and he's not about to back off at this point. Whether or not the Legislature gives him all he's asking for is an unknown question at this point. But it's pretty obvious a that they will at least give him some of the increases he's seeking, and fir many can be well justified. I can understand the frustration of the local officials. Things are ; tough, not only in Grand County, but all over the state. Tough as things , are, I'm not sure, for instance, that I wold like to trade places with the Llintah Basin who are suffering a recession even more Jor;,olks n q,Kserious than ours, with the failure of the oil and gas business there and f.r questions over land jurisdiction with the Ute Indian Tribe. Commissioners are serious, and I'm sure they are, they'd better be looking in their own back yard too. wasn't long ago that commissioners had to try to justify to tax- payers here why they had to RAISE taxes locally. Sure, it wasn't all their but the raise was real. Just ask any 8 ifau property owners. And just holding the line of taxes here isn't fc! ; enough. To give local c property owners the relief they really need, Grand County and Moab sc City actually should be looking at some pretty massive budget cuts so 8 that taxes might actually be lowered for a change. A combined half-- f million-dolla- r cut between the two governmental entities might be a an think it's particularly unrealistic. The most striking dont ej,ar9et' thing about the report prepared by Sheriff Jim Nyland on law enfor-memerger plans, in my mind at least, was the page that showed the number of people currently employed here in law enforcement, and their salary levels. Surely there should be some way to save some money there. A merger might have' worked, and still might work. But unless there is some way to save some real bucks in the process, it would be a waste of time to continue negotiating. Grand County School District is going to have to trim big bucks in its budget, which will take effect on July 1. The District has already r a deficit of over $400,000. An emergency act of inew last legislature, passed in special session, will let the District pretty much eliminate that deficit in maintenance and operation, by transferring capital outlay funds to that account. But that is a e shot, Future budgets will not include that option, unless the current legis-- " i lature makes it possible, and that isn't likely. We're not just talking a few bucks, either, for the School District. Some way is going to have to be found to cut several thousand dollars from current spending levels. That means drastic action, and the School Board is working on it now, in almost weekly meetings with the superintendent and staff. When the final decisions are made, it's not going to please many people. There will have to be reductions in staff. Other cuts to programs that please school patrons will also have be made. The bottom line, though, is that the District is going to have To operate anrmuch leanet- level than It has in the past! The revenues anfsimply h!5f there to continue as usual. I don't agree with the County Commission letter, in principle. I'd like to see everyone hold the line on taxes, both on a state and national, and on a local level. And Id like to see some tax relief. Most surviving busineses in Moab are a whole lot tighter operations than they were five years ago. That's why they've survived. Local and state government are going to have to go though a leaning process, just like businesses and families in Utah have gone through the past few years. The problem is just beginning to catch up with government. They're a few years behind the rest of us in discovering the economic facts of life. You've got to cut the cloth to fit the pattern. -- i: . 1 nt two-yea- one-tim- - M (USPS 6309-2000- ) Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Moab, Utah under the Act of March 3, 1897. Second Class Postage Paid at Moab, Utah 84532 the telephone industry. The surcharge has been placed on all Utah Mountain Bell customers. Beehive telephone customers and all e users of long distance as well as the Utah Contel Customers. Several other states, including Cali- Dear Editor, I wish to respond to Virginia Talbots marvelous letter in the Jan. 15 issue. It was immeasurably inspiring to see such enlightened thought on the wilderness issue. Talbot touches upon many points in her letter and all of these point towards some general philosophical considerations I would like to reflect upon. It was through the use of and in many cases the wholesale exploitation of wilderness that this glorious nation became the unprecedented superpower it now is. If this is what made us great why not continue this proud tradition? Let us face the fact that wilderness was made for us to use in whatever manner we see fit. We as vastly superior entities in the world are blessed with the inalienable right to make as much money as we can from the wilderness. Let us not loose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of the wilderness issue is short term economic gain. Second in importance is our right to be entertained by the wilderness in the manner to which we have become E GRATIFICATION. Our wonderous economy is based in large part on the manufacture and servicing of vehicles. Any recreational activity which promotes the consumption of these things benefits the economy and the nation. This makes America AMERICA! If you are a true accustomed-IMMEDIAT- WILDERNESSIS NOT American, FOR YOU. I hope that those unamerican radicals who are for wilderness will listen to those of us who have the good fortune to have the right point of view on this matter and benefit from our wisdom. Sincerely, Zeke Bickerstaff Green River ' Dear Sam, This is in response to the surcharge for Life Line Service that has been placed on Contel customers. To make a long story short this surcharge was placed on our telephone bills by the Utah Public Official City and County Newspaper your hometown in the The Times-lndepende- nt Only $12.50 in Area and $18 out of Area for 52 news filled issues your mail once a week local news TV guide special features lots of advertising in Subscribe Now! Times-lndepende- nt "1 P.O. Box 129 Moab, UT 84532 Name I Address. I I I I I I I L. Since November five young people in one Utah high school area have committed suicide. Last year nine young people from another Utah high school committed suicide within a period. In the past 30 years suicide among and young people under has jumped from the fifth to the third leading cause of death. Only accidents and homicides claimed more young lives in the 1980s. Nationally, there are now 6,000 documented suicides a year among our young people, but many more "accidents go unreported as probable suicides because of insurance claims or family stigma. What is more, the number of children and teenagers who make unsuccessful attempts on their own lives is staggering. Some mental health professionals place the number at 400,000 a year. Parents and educators around the country are expressing rising concern over these terrifying statistics. Eight years ago Susan six-we- White-Bowde- I I I I son Jody shot himself. His death shocked the community where he was a good student and popular athlete. Why did he take his life? As his mother says in her g b(X)k, her son had Everything best-sellin- Phone To Live For. said she saw, but not heed, signs of growing depression in her teenager. Dont think your love is she tells parents. Often enough, it is not." With working and single White-Bowde- n enclose $12.50 or $18 for one year cash or $24 and $35 for two years check 259-515- Dear Sam, I congratulate Moab City fathers who are at long last going to make an attempt to clean up the town to rid the lawns of derelict autos that have been sitting on jacks, or blocks for upwards of 10 years in the same spot. In support of some of the individuals that do fall in the category of being offenders, it is a spin-of- f, Im sure, of earlier days when it was hard to get or purchase items needed to repair old cars, or whatever. We always felt that sometime we might need a part, or might even fix the old flivver up. So lets not be too harsh on people guilty of cluttering up the town. But the time has come that it must be removed. John Fogg and Dee Tranter were both very gentle in explaining this situation on Dees evening report recently. To start with, those of us that do have unsightly items lying about, can have the town remove the offensive things. The bottom line is; if we dont use that avenue, we will then have to pay for its removal. Moab, frankly, is not much dif- ferent than any other desert town we have no way to really hide our junk on the premises. My wife and I went to Hawaii in 1977 and I thought, boy what a clean area, no junk or junk cars lying about -- Aha, I was wrong, if you peer behind the lush growth out in the countryside, youll find derelict autos there too. So people of Moab lets make a real effort to shape up. Of course Dee made a comparison of Moab to Havasu City in Arizona. That is a model city. If Moab had not had the uranium boom when the bringing in of trailers was the only answer to meet a need, then it is quite possible we too, could have a model city. By the way, no offense either to mobile home dwellers, we started our life in Moab in one. Sincerely, Fred Radcliffe did Talking to Rep. David Adams on the phone this morning about his upcoming Town Meeting Feb. 5 was almost enough to bring on a deep state of depression. The issues he is going to have to decide about, on our behalf, are likely the most serious this state has ever faced. It is almost incomprehensible to me that over $200 million will be needed to merely hold the line on funding for education and other programs provided by state government. And as deeply as Sam and I are involved in state government, we are all too painfully aware of the needs of people programs and infrastructure to propose major program cuts. If deep program cuts are not made, there is no alternative to raising taxes. If "to the bone" cuts are made, every one of us suffers some more than others. If taxes are raised, the same is true. So, as Rep. Adams says, "It's a dilemma." He is looking for input at his Town Meeting Feb. 5. Let's be there. aft And so at this point, I need to move away from this gloomy problem. Its a gloomy enough day out there already. I'd like to talk some about the Chamber of Commerces latest brainstorm. It's the Inversion Festival, scheduled here Feb. Having spent quite enough days in the Salt Lake Valley inversions over the years, we are well aware of what this type of weather can do to a person's mental health in even a relatively short period of time. Actually, we have all spent enough days under a Moab Valley inversion to appreciate this fact, without bothering to visit Salt Lake in the winter. I will be dear and join the Chamber in being hopeful that Feb. in the down and get come as to we invite our cousins area, sunny city involved in the variety of activities to be offered. Clear your calendar and get on the phone. Surely each of us can think of someone to invite. aft There's another event on the upcoming calendar that is always a favorite of mine, and that's the visit of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 8. Further details on all three subjects I have touched on this week are presented in news stories in this issue, so I think I'll leave it at that. 14-1- 6. 14-1- 6 1 poster child named for March of Dimes 3-year--old, A Provo boy who three-year-o- ld cope was that Alans parents flew out from California immediately. Alans mom was with us for three or four weeks and helped us cope, Mrs. Daines said. . has battled spina bifida and other illnesses during most of his life has been named Poster Child for the Southern Utah Division of the March of Dimes. Adam Daines, son of Alan and Carol Daines of Provo, was bom with spina bifida-- or open spinein 1983. We were shocked, said Carol Daines. We had no idea he had spina bifida. We thought he was going to be a healthy baby. - Ive been a Mothers Marcher for the past few years and have done a lot of volunteer work for the March of Dimes, she said. Spina bifida is a birth defect that affects about 1,500 children a year. A cyst or lump containing part of the spinal cord pokes through the open part of the spine, causing severe damage to nerve endings. Paralysis is often the result of spina bifida. We felt grief and pain and guilt. It took us one or two days to realize we could cope with it, said. The Mothers March, which takes is an integral place January part of the March of Dimes mission to prevent birth defects. 12-1- 9, Mrs. Daines Adam went into surgery four hours after birth. Because of the seriousness of spina bifida and because of other illnesses, doctors thought there was little hope he would live more than several weeks. But today Adam is a happy, loving who hasnt had surgery since May of 1984. Since the Daines experience with spina bifida, Carol has become more and more involved with the March of Dimes. She initiated the start-u- p of a local chapter of Parent Care, a national support group sponsored by the March of Dimes for parents of spina bifida victims. ' People dont always realize that said Mrs. every little bit helps, I hope residents of Daines. Southern Utah will give generously this year to the mothers who march through the neighborhoods asking for donations. As Poster Child, Adam represents the Southern Utah Division of the March of Dimes at special events and other activities. three-year-o- ld One of the things that helped us by Betty Condie President, Utah Education Association Read All AQporaft I fornia, New York, Wisconsin, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Arkansas now have life line services. I regret that there are ill feelings towards Contel because of this. We are trying extra hard to hold down costs and yet provide a high grade of service, but has taken its toll in spite of our efforts. If anyone wants to discuss this further they may call Mr. Joe Dunlop with the PSC in Salt Lake or they may call City at 5 me at here in Moab. Sincerely, M.L. Terry Superintendent Tele. Services Helping your child succeed t, Samuel J. and Adrien F. Taylor Publishers and Editors Mail to: The intra-stat- Teacher to Parent Published Each Thursday at 35 East Center Street, Moab, Grand County, Utah 84532 POSTMASTER: Send Change of Address to : The P.O. Box 129, Moab. Utah 84532 following guidelines: They should be submitted to the office at 35 East Center or received in the mail (P.O. Box 129) no later than 5 p.m. on Monday. They must be signed and include the name, address and telephone number of the author to allow verification of authorship. They must not contain libelous material. No letter will be published under an assumed name. No letter longer than 500 words will be published. We reserve the right to edit letters if they are too long for the space available or if they contain statements we consider unnecessarily offensive or obscene. -- Tims-Indspends- Service Commission and is a direct result of the recent of Times-lndepende- Times-lndepende- ? The welcomes The letters to the editor on any subject. We ask that the letters adhere to the Printing of All Types Friendly Service The Times-lndepende- parents like herself she is blunt: "Your lifestyle may be damaging your relationship with your child. Leaving her teenager home alone until 7:30 or 8:00 every night is one of the things she would do differently. She points out that teenagers can physically care for themselves, but may need a parent's emotional support. How can parents lower the risk of suicide in teenagers? Should we try to smooth over the rough spots and prevent our children from taking academic or social risks? We could not shelter them completely from loss and failure, even if we wanted to. What we can do from the early years is teach them to survive the inevitable sorrows and failures they will face. These are some lessons that parents can teach at home: 1. Bad times do not last forever. Because teenagers live in the present, they may believe that current disappointments or feelings of unhappiness will last forever. Give positive examples from your own experience or name people who overcame rejection or adversity. History is full of such examples. Urge your child to keep trying. 2. Showing your hurt helps you heal. Teach this by example. Openly express your own grief, sorrow and disappointment. Exhibiting and permitting open expression of your feelings in your household increases the chances that your teenager will share problems with you, not well-kno- Here are a few safety guidelines for joggers and walkers: If possible, jog walk with a companion or with a dog. Jog walk relaxed, but always be aware of your surroundings. Create a safety area around 3. You are an important member of this family. Suicidal teenagers often have a feeling of worthlessness. Susan son shot himself at age 17. Among the things she regrets, in hindsight, is that she tried to be Supermom and run her household without asking her children to help. In retrospect she feels that by attempting to make teenage years carefree, parents like her may be sending the message that their son or daughter is not a needed and valued member of the family. 4. I'll love you, no matter what. Despondent children often confuse parental approval with love. Make a clear distinction between what your child does and who she is. Don't make your love conditional on your child's performance. Love and support your child even as you discipline her for misbehavior or dis- yourself within which no one should enter. If someone comes too close, move away. Know the area in which you jogwalk. Have several emergency escape routes. Note where public telephones and police call boxes are located. Jogwalk in well-l- it areas. Wear its dark. reflective clothing when White-Bowde- approve a lack of effort Avoid joggingwalking near dense foliage or places from which you can be-supon without et warning. Dont wear expensive jewelry or carry money (except for phone change). Wearing a stereo headset, is a hazard in itself because' It doesnt allow you to hear approaching traffic or people. Dress modestly. Carry or wear some ID. IN ST. MARYS HOSPITAL Mrs. Bemiece Perkins Beard, who had been a medical patient at Allen Memorial Hospital, was trans- ferred to St. Marys Hospital in Grand Junction for futher medical treatment. Her friends wish her a speedy recovery. ' |