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Show V iffajtiii'0i,riirijilir"ur' .pnir ) rr im ryr-- ' pn nr11 p "i ,p Jllrtfltl"r"1l',i1 The Times-lndepende- Platform Page nt Times-lndepende- Thursday, November 3, nt, 1994-- B1 . . . Grand candidates present their positions for voters A tradition at The Times-lndepende- years has been providing space at no cost to candidates for local office to present their individual cases to the voting public. The annual feature has become one of our most popular features. On the few times we have neglected to offer this opinion page, readers have been quick to let us know that we were letting them down. This year we are pleased to again offer this candidates page, and are proud that all but one or two candidates seeking office on this years ballot have not taken advantage of our offer of space. This is your guide to the candidates. Read it carefully. The candidates are sincere, and they want you to know their views. Candidate statements are presented in the same order in which they appear on the Grand County ballot, a facsimile of which appears on Page 2 of this section. Phyllis Frankel-Youn- g State Representative STATE INCOME TAX - We need to have our state income tax adjusted to reflect inflation. It has not bee adjust for over 20 years. 90 of us pay at the top tax rate. This needs to be adjusted so that families of moderate income pay less than the rich. I will work hard to make this change. TOURIST IMPACT - Residents should not have to pay the costs from tourist impact. We shouldnt have to raise property taxes to cover our infrastructure needs.I will fight for the changes necessary to turn this around so that residents are not liable for these expenses. EDUCATION - Rural schools cost more per student to run than urban schools. We spend more on travel and Special Education than other districts and we need more funding to cover these costs. The state needs to make some changes in the manner in which they deal with our unique situation. LOW & MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING - Since the recent discovery of the beautiful place Moab is, real estate has gone out of sight. We now have an urgent need for low and middle income housing so that people who work here can live here too. ATLAS TAILINGS - We dont want the tailings left as is until the next century. I will aggressively deal with this problem, urging the federal government to speedily and correctly resolve it I have enjoyed the opportunity to get acquainted with many of you and ask for your vote in the November 8 election. If elected, I will do my best to represent and serve the residents of Southeastern Utah in the State Legislature. Keele Johnson State Representative I have really appreciated the opportunity to represent you the last two years, and have enjoyed the chance to meet so many great people who make up our diverse district. Together, we have been able to accomplish much: 1) Passage of the mineral lease bill which will make available mil- lions of dollars each year into Emery, Grand and San Juan Counties. 2) The visit of the House leadership to Southeastern Utah at their own expense is unprecedented and has already helped decision makers understand our needs better. 3) The Green River Gold course is now becoming a reality. 4) We have dedicated 18 of the current sales tax for desperately needed water and highway development 5) We have developed more for higher education extension courses through Utah State andC.E.U. 6) Passage of legislation that will help keep more doctors in our rural communities and stabilize our hospitals. 7) A great number of state and elected officials as well as private businessmen representing: banking, public and higher education, housing, highway and transportation, and social services have visited our district and are committed to help meet our needs. While weve had a active, progressive two years, much still remains to be accomplished: --House leadership has promised to bring the entire Legislature to our district next summer if we retain this Republican seat --We are in desperate need of highway improvement in our district, especially passing lanes. I plan to aggressively pursue this goal -- While some areas of our economy are looking better, we still have the greatest poverty of any district in the State. We need to support our local businesses, attract light indus- try and diversify our economy. Helping Governor Leavitt with theeconomic resettlement of rural Utah is my number one priority. -- The federal government has mandated bilingual education programs in our schools. San Juan District has been hit hard, and Grand county has just received notice of their Office of Civil Rights review. Neither the federal government nor the state fund these mandated programs. Our local districts are struggling to meet these requirements. I am sponsoring a bill that has the support of the education committee, that will offset the cost to our local districts. -- Rural school districts have substantially more expensive transportation and program needs per student than urban districts. Insisting the state adjust these funding formulas to be more fair to rural districts is absolutely critical to our providing quality programs. -- While weve made a good start in bringing higher education to Southeastern Utah, we still are not close to the potential of our communities. The College of Eastern Utah - San Juan Campus employees approximately 100 people in Blanding, and has over 600 students attending school there this fall. This has become a very important and stabilizing part of Blandings economy. -- Eastern urban interests and the Wasatch front continue to encroach on our lifestyles, politics, and I pledge to support and pass legislation that fights unfunded fedpock-etbook- s. eral mandates. Several reasons to support my candidacy are: a member of the majority The party. majority party chooses the committee leadership, and that leadership sets the agenda. The majority party decides which bills will progress and they also set the budget for the state. On the other hand, as a past governor has said, There arent 1) I am many legislators allocated to rural Utah. Rural Utah simply cant afford a weak voice. Rural Utah cant afford a Every voice from Rural Utah must be strong and clear and persistent. Sending a new member of the minority party to represent your interests would be sending a weak voice, and we simply cant afford a weak voice. 2) I have a proven record of public service. I have been an effective representative; I have sat on a city council; I have been the chairman of a public power company; I have been the chairman of a public water company; I have been on the board of an irrigation company; and I have been active in many volunteer community activities. 3) I have rural values, a rural background, a rural understanding, but above all rural commitment. I didnt just move here from Salt Lake City less than two years ago. Ive attended countless community meetings in Southeastern Utah, worked to support local businesses for years, taught in rural schools, hiked all over Southeastern Utah, raised a family here, but most of all, I love the people and the country. We might be a diverse group, but we share some pretty important values that are unique to rural Utahns. 4) The job of a representative is complex, challenging and rewarding. Like any other job, it takes time and work to learn to do the job well. While Ive worked hard and accomplished much the first two years, I can be even more effective working for you this next term. I have prepared the foundation and gained major support for Southeastern Utah. I would appreciate the chance to finish the job Ive started. have to do is look for the one in this issue of The So instead of telling people something they already know. Id like to use this space to let people know a little about my background. Since I wasnt bom and raised in Grand County, Ive found that a lot of people are naturally curious about where I came from and what I do in my work here, and theres even a rumor or two that need to be put to bed. Starting from the beginning, I grew up in a small town in northern Ray Pene for many nt t.) County Council, Im a native of Grand County, At-Lar- ge bom in the old hospital that was located where the Canyonlands Inn now stands. My father and grandfather both worked in the coal mines in Sego, here in Grand County. My dad graduated from Grand High School in 1941. 1 did in 1964. My kids, Michelle graduated in 1986, Stacie in 1987 and Todd in 1991. Now Ryan is a senior, scheduled for graduation in 1995. I have a college degree in business administration, with 6 years of government service with the City of Ohio called Perrysburg. While in High School, my family moved to Littleton, Colorado, where I attended Heritage High School. My family often vacationed in Grand County when I was young. Its been my favorite place for as long as I can remember. Like a lot of small town kids, I always wanted to go to the big city, so after high school I went to college in Rhode Island and moved to New York. In New York, I sup- Moab. Im a past president of the Utah Municipal Clerks Assn., and served one year on the board of directors of the Utah League of Cities and Towns. I favor economic growth and development and feel the community must maintain growth and the economy must progress. If we try to just maintain the status quo, we will fall back. With all the beautiful natural resourcees we have, how can we consciously withhold it from the world? We are the caretakers, not the dictators. We have to be responsible enough to allow growth but not let it get out of control. The movie industry has been left in the Geronimo dust, I guess. We cant afford to lose that industry. I would like to see a user fee commensurate to the magnitude of the box office draw. We have several new businesses reportedly going to locate here including Wendys, Dairy Queen, Dennys, etc. Where are we going to find all the help? As a county we need to make sure we can draw the work force suitable for new business as well as old business. Atlas Mill tailings: An eyesore at best. The mining industry maintained this county and San Juan county for a long time and still is main industry in Carbon the county. However, it leaves its mark. I do not feel we should be left with that scar. The removal will be one of my most gratifying projects. Mineral lease money: Community Impact Board money has its origin with oil, gas and mining. It takes a long road to get it back to the counties that generated it. That money will be used and I want to make sure we have our needs met The CIB is no Sugar Daddy. That money was our money to start with. The Dump: This issue has been tossed back and forth from city to county, to joint responsibility for a long time. Even though we have a Special Improvement District for it, that cant get out of control either. My garbage cost rose at my business from $45 a month to $118. At my home it went from $10 to $16. There is authority thee, and there must be responsibility. Higher Education: For a long time Ive wanted a higher education facility here in Moab. A junior college would allow higher education for local people as well as a work force base for our community. I would appreciate your support on Tuesday, Nov. 8th. Ray Pene ported myself by programming computers for small businesses and baking cheesecakes for restaurants. After living in New York for three years, I got the opportunity to move to Japan and work as a technical writer. I lived in Tokyo for four years, working for a Japanese company. After living in Japan, I wanted to get back to my small town roots, so I moved to Moab in 1990, with just enough money to make the down-payme- nt Dale E. Mosher Grand County Council District 1 Resident of Grand County, 1 over 40 years. Chairperson, Grand County District 1 Council on Aging, second term with this board. Served on District Council Aging, twice attended Seniors Day at the Legislature. Delegate to State White House Conference on Aging. , - Filed as delegate to the Washington, D.C. White House Conference on Aging, May 1995. I am not against a new landfill, if it is determined we need one. I will work to cut county spending. before, LETS MAKE I will work to expand our tax base. I will work to protect county roads. I will work for Grand County and all of the people. I will listen to all sides. I will protect private property rights. I want to work for YOU. Vote for a balanced County Council. Dale E. Mosher Will Petty County Council, Disk SURE GRAND COUNTY WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. Will Petty Tom Arnold County Council Write-i- n 1 In walking around my district and talking to people, Ive found that most people already know what my campaign is about because theyve seen my big ads in the paper. (And if they havent seen the ads, all they on a small house. Working Macintosh at a computer in my back I to build an educastarted bedroom, tion business writing English language textbooks for students in Japan. Since then, that business has grown to occupy two buildings in Moabs downtown, and it now emour ploys over 40 local people. In offices on Center Street we are now writing the second level of a translation course, and we grade student papers that get express mailed to us twice a week from Japan. It seems to me that this is a very good example of the type of clean industry weve been looking for all along in Grand County. Ive heard a rumor that my business is somehow bringing Japanese speculators into Moab, and I want people to know that its FALSE. As far as I know, there is zero investment in Grand County by Japanese. My business is 100 locally owned, and so are the land and buildings on which it sits. I dont know how that rumor got started, but I have an idea. I have recently been looking at some options to help us get some affordable housing here thats within the reach of our working people. Its an idea I feel strongly about and am continuing to work on. If I need some outside funding to do that project, I wont feel bad about going after it. I currently serve on the Moab Planning Commission and the Moab Shade Tree Commission. I believe in the value of local agriculture, and am the founder of Shojin Farm and the Moab Farmers Market. I also serve on the boards of the Moab Irrigation Company and the Moab Music Festival. Im grateful for the time I spent in Japan because it taught me some important things about my own country. I learned that most people in the world dont have much say over how they live their olives and dont have a meaningful way to par- -' ticipate in their governments. But in small towns in America, we can still make our own choices, and our governments still belong to us. I believe that in the long run, Grand County residents will be happiest as a part of a prosperous working community. We dont want to become the kind of resort that has high taxes, high prices, empty second homes everywhere, and no decent jobs or opportunities. Our big challenge today is to make sure that Grand County residents have a future here in Grand County. As Ive said , - District 3 I am living in Grand County for two reasons: I wont leave, and my wife, Sue, wont leave! Grand County has been very good to me and I am running for this position on the County Council in an attempt to pay the county back. I feel that by using my maturity, education and experience, I can help the other members of the Council to: 1. obtain all of the facts before making decisions; 2. determine the advantages and disadvantages of short and long tom loans to fully assess costs for residents and die actual effects on County infrastructure; 3. take a long hard look at all grants and low cost loans, and base decisions on real money spent by taxpayers, rather than jut grabbing st loans that look good but in taxes to repay; raise a require 4. assume an attitude of those who benefit by the service are the ones who pay for it; 5. not to allow economic growth to increase property taxes; 6. ensure that all who work or reside in Grand County pay their fair share of taxes and assessments; and 7. recruit the best qualified people for boards and committees. These goals can be accomplished through common sense management assisted by good coordination, cooperation and communication - skills I have acquired as a Navy pilot in World War II and 24 years in the reserve as an active pilot, and during 20 years as a management consultant, 4 years in university administration and instruction, and 20 years of building my own small business. I am running as a completely independent candidate, beholden to none and working for all. We came to Moab in 1969 to open the Southeastern Utah Center for Continuing Education for Utah State University, and enjoyed watching that effort become a success. While with SUCCE, I started TomToms Volkswagen Museum and have seen it grow tc become one of low-intere- vision ordinance that will not limit our growth, but allow us to enjoy the benefits of growth rather than fear growth. We need leadership that will not throw money at solid waste hoping to cure the problem. We need leadership that will listen to both sides of the issues before making a decision, and if necessary change their minds when they are wrong. Most of all we need leadership that will listen to the views of the people and make the decisions that will benefit Grand Countys citizens, not themselves. I will, as a member of the Grand County Council, listen to and support you and the needs of the county. I ask for your support as members of council district 3, by writing in my name BART LEAVITT for COUNTY COUNCIL. Bart Leavitt -- the collections greatest of Volkswagens in the United States. Consequently, I consider myself independently wealthy as I am retired in one of the greatest places on earth and am doing what I enjoy. I would appreciate your write-i- n vote for District 3 3 County Council on November 8. Tom Arnold (Better Known as Tom-To- Bart Leavitt County Council Write-I- n - District 3 With the providing the space for this opportunity for candidates to express their views on the current political scene, I want to say THANK YOU!! It is a great service to this community. For those who do not know me, let me start by telling a little about Times-lndepende- nt myself. I was born at Allen Memorial Hospital and raised in Moab. in 1980 I graduated from Grand County High School. I served a mission for the L.D.S. church in the Philippines from Dec. 1980 to Dec. 1982. In Nov. 1983 I married Sharon Raymond, daughter of Cleve and Anita Raymond (residents here for many years). Sharon and I have one child, a beautiful seven year old daughter. It is for her and the future of Grand County, that I have decided to run for the Grand County Council. I feel strongly about having people who will stand up and fight to protect the future of Grand Co. Some of the ;important issues facing Grand Co. are: (1) growth in the county and how to fund and constructively innovate that growth (2) the waste management district and how it is functioning, and see that they continue to be accountable to us, the citizens of Grand County (3) ' of course the budget, and the spending that goes with managing a budget within the means NOW provided (4) listening to what people in my district want to happen within the county and representing them (5) support the tourism, for that is the largest industry in our county at this point in time (6) help any industry that will be compatible to the county find a way to locate here (7) and help see that Allen Memorial Hospital stays a viable operating hospital in our community. Two years ago I was able to get my toes wet by serving for a short 3 months on the old commission, only long enough to find there are problems that need solutions, which are more often than not are very difficult to find. It is time consuming and sometimes controversial job. I feel I can do my part in bringing good decisions to the council for the betterment of the county. For twenty five years my family has been in business in Grand Co. I have seen Grand Co. go through a lot of changes from the uranium boom times to a very seriously de- flated economy, to a come-bac- k economy with the tourism. I feel that Grand County will continue to change, that the needs of the citizens will change. It is important that the leadership of the county listen to these needs and respond in a manner that will benefit us all. Some of those needs at this time facing us as a community are: a need for a subdi- - Tom Stengel Council County District 3 like towns, is evolvmany Moab, transforseveral through ing, going mations from fanning and ranching to mining to paradise. As a result, Moab is a town rich in diversity; not a town of vacation homes and condos but a real place to live. Which brings up property rights. Yes, we should be able to do what we want with our land - within reason. Zoning and junk ordinances exist because in our evolution into a modem town the need has developed to protect the value of our major investment, our home, from being devalued by the lack of maintenance of a neighbors property. Subdivision ordinances are in place to protect the community as a whole from excessive infrastructure demands and the resulting need for increased taxes. We cannot go back to the good old days. One sure thing in life is change and right now the community as a whole needs attention. High priorities need to be assigned to creating a viable health care system in the county, keeping up with infrastructure demands and avoiding reckless growth. We do have to be careful of what we as a community ask for. A community made up of tourist industry jobs and retirees may not be willing or able to pass school bonds or other similar issues. We need to be willing to zone for low cost housing. If tenants are encouraged to be responsible for themselves and their property (by strict enforcement of ordinances already on the books), no one should object to existence of this type of housing in their neighborhood. It might also be necessary for the county or state to be willing to make some sort of tax concessions to make the building of these units economically feasible. In our search for a more diverse economy the same kind of flexibility will be necessary to encourage industry. It is well and good to want new businesses to come to town, but Moab needs more than galleries, souvenir shops and tour companies, for example an industrial park. The scenery in southeastern Utah Write-In- , is one of the many things that makes this such a great place. We have many roads so the average family with limited vacation can get out and enjoy the area I for one am willing to share this space; there is room enough for all of us. I believe in good stewardship and multiple use, but not exclusive use by one group. I have been on the board of directors of the Grand County Solid Waste Management District from the beginning. It has been an education trying to get the opinions of the residents while working within the federal and state time constraints. As with most projects this is a controversial issue. The board was formed to meet mandates and we are continually striving to reduce costs and remain efficient. I have worked for Utah Power & Light for years as a journeyman meterman, traveling all over southeastern Utah and loving every mile of it. I also have a small manufacturing business making bicycle racks. I enjoy living in Moab and feel strongly about civic duty. Being a hiker, biker, 4 wheel drive owner, former hunter and a working man I believe I have the right background to help decide the issues of this community. I am a conservative independent thinker who believes strongly in the need of the individual and the community to take responsibility for their commitments. I also want to keep taxes under control. I promise I will listen, research and keep an open mind. 8-- Tom Stengel Feature Continued on Next Page |