OCR Text |
Show 8A Emery County Progress Castle Dale, Utah Tuesday February 24, 2004 Commentary Utah farmers and ranchers seek water funding and renewable energy production at Utah Legislature BANDY - Two issues have Utahs Tanners and ranchers combing the lhalls of the Legislature-renewabl- e production and water funding. Alen-jet- though the two issues may not seem to Have much in common, dont tell that to a rancher or farmer. We are concerned about keeping 1. things green, through development of .adequate water for agriculture, and investing in renewable energy resources on farms and ranches, said Utah Farm g bureau President Leland Hogan a press conference at the Capitol recently. As far as Utah agriculture operators are concerned, development of water and renewable energy needs ,tobe dramatically increased. We need to ensure Utah has adequate water developed to continue to .service the needs of agriculture in spite of a tremendous growth in the water needs of urban areas, Hogan said. We also need programs to tap into the potential resources available on agricultural lands to help meet our future energy needs. ; . r Representingthe states farmers and ranchers, Farm Bureau officials said agriculturists are wary of Gov. dur-;in- Walkers proposals to cut much of the 116 percent sales tax earmarked for water funding. The governor has proposed cutting all funding to revolving loan funds for water development. These revolving, low interest rate loan accounts are vital to many irrigation and dam projects throughout Utah. Utah has over $5.3 billion worth of water projects to complete before 2025 and typically the state has assisted with loans on 20 percent of the total cost of water projects. That would mean the state must come up with ovfer $1 billion. With only $14 million a year coming in from state sales tax funds and approximately $17 million in repayments from state loans each year, the state will only have the capacity to grant loans to 63 percent of the critical needs. There is also an increased focus to cut back agricultures use of aquifers to irrigate crops. Farmers have invested, in many instances, for over 40 or 50 years in improving fields, irrigation technology, and other buildings and equipment, Hogan said. Many who have even taken out loans based on the value of their water rights, now have the potential of losing their basis of collateral. These issues are too important to be undertaken quickly. We highly recommend the go slow approach to dealing with this problem, specifically through a legislative task force, Hogan said. Whatever the determination of limits for aquifers, farmers and ranchers hope decision makers will manage ground water supplies to ensure the greatest benefit to agriculture both in and in the long-terthe short-terThey also believe the state should accept the responsibility for aquifer potential and look into remedies that dont unduly hurt agriculture and rural communities. On behalf of Utah agriculturists, Farm Bureau is also urging the passage of SB 19, a sales tax exemption for renewable energy equipment. The savings in expenses from the sales tax exemption could veiy well mean the difference between building a facility to convert animal waste materials to enin ergy, or storing the waste long-tera lagoon, Hogan said. Several alternatives exist for converting the animal waste into metha m ng m By Tim Huber POLITICALLY CORRECT f ( ok ay. Here are MY SERVICE Vw IN THE RECORDS. all the documents from NATIONAL GUARD. PAY KoU NAME IT. STUBS SATISFIED? I No SATELLITE SURVELLlANCE PHOTOS OF YOU ? V Ensuring ers have the opportunity to grow crops the exemption applies to all forms of that will produce much needed domescan energy production will guarantee the tic energy, like biodiesel, but they harness wind, biomass, and solar to wisest investment is made. The potential for wind power in Utah offset operation costs, said Hogan. Utah agriculture has tremendous pois at least 700 MW of cost effective energy and could represent between tential to produce energy. The Utah Farm Bureau is the larg$1,400,000 and $2,800,000 in annual est It to also landowners. general farm and ranch organizarepreroyalties sents about $70 million in property and tion in the state with more than 21,500 sales tax revenues over the life of the member families. nol, ethanol, and electricity. project. Pacificorp has recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for over 600 MW of renewable energy to be developed in Idaho, Wyoming and Utah over the next six years. Bids are due March 9. For Utah projects to be competitive, we must ensure we offer similar incentives and tax exemptions as other states, Hogan said. Hogan also emphasizes that Utah should require a given level of renewable energy production in Utah if it is cost-effectiv- e. need to ensure the increase in jobs and economic growth this industry represents is not lost to competing states. Not only will farmers and ranch We r !' ' non-partisa- n, utfb. Bridgewater Visits County By COREY BLUEMEL Staff Writer On Feb. 18, Second Congressional Candidate Tim Bridgewater met with county republican leaders at Critter Fixins. Bridgewater was meet- with ing potential state conference del- to egates introduce himself and ask for their support. Bridgewater began with a little back-ground information. He was originally from Salt Lake and now lives in Draper, He owns and runs his own company, Interlink Management Corporation, which is in South Jordan. His company helps smaller companies with manage- ment issues. I know what issues are important rural people. I have family in Kamas and Wayne County. Jim Matheson is a decent guy, but has been ineffective for the concerns of rural Utahns. Control of local issues should be with the local , i Its mission is to improve the net income of the states farmers and ranchers and the overall quality of life in the state and nation through political action, educational and informational means. The Farm Bureau is a voluntary organization, and its efforts are based on grassroots policies developed by members at the local, county, state and national levels. It is affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation, the worlds largest general farm organization, with more than five million family members in 50 states and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to the Utah Farm Bureau website at www.fb.org' he has been involved in political issues from the time of his graduation from Brigham Young University. He worked the Ronald Reagan campaign and he works closely with people in all els of the present administration. I can bring a practical business approach to the job of congressman. I have a good campaign team and we will run a posi- tive, issues oriented campaign. Sitterud asked Bridgewater where he stood on the 7 issue. I feel that this is a local issue and that those decisions concemingthe roads need to he left to local people. All issues, ineluding roads, education and heath care decisions, hould be made on the local level. I thiijk its great when gov-t-o erament can trust local people to make their own decisions. I will absolutely support the county commissioners, said Bridgewater, Rural Utah needs recreation and fr RS-247- Harriets World By HARRIET BISHOP t- -; Since Feb. 14th is Valentines Day and It; always creeps up on me and I never Kave enough time to get all my love jjhoughts sent or addressed in just that jjne day, I have often thought what it plight be like to just make the whole month of February, love month. That Jyay, I would have enough time to get Everything said and done. !; Now I know that some of you are joing to say that every day should be considered love day, that we should not need a special day to tell those we love jiow we feel. I agree. However, just for Jbe sake of argument, play along with Jhe. 5 In our house Valentines Day was Always a very special day because my Snom and dad were married on Valentines Day so we celebrated their anniversary too. Its a great time to have an anniversary. I loved it. ;i The day always started with Mom jdoing something special for us like Hearts made out of toast or pancakes jdr something. In those days we didnt !bave special tools to make pancakes iwith. We had to make the pancake and then cut out the shape, j; The night before was spent making and decorating our valentine boxes for school. The boxes were usually about the size of a shoe box and on the top of jthe lid we put a slot. The slot was so we Could easily drop in the valentines. ;Then the next day we took them to school along with our valentines that .we had for everyone in our class. We Always had a valentine party at school .with homemade sugar cookies frosted Sand decorated alongwith some kind of ed punch to drink, ji When it was time to hand out our jYalentines, the whole class had to put jdown their heads on the desks and not peek. The teacher would pick two people at a time. Those two people would take their turn and go around and put their valentines in the boxes of people they wanted to give valentines to. We each got a turn. Some peoples boxes would be fuller than others. used to worry that I wouldnt get any valentines and be embarrassed, but that never happened. My box always I seemed to be full as did all the oth- ers. Then while we were eating our treat, we would look at our valentines. The fun didnt stop there. After I got home, we would then take our special cards and candy treats to our family and neighbors. In our area we had a special way of giving them out. We would put our valentine surprise down in front of the door and knock on the door or ring the doorbell and then run away so the person opening the door couldnt see who was the deliverer. It was a lot of fun. Especially when my dad or mom would let me deliver their special presents to each other. At the end of the day when it was time for dinner, most of my friends had finished with their celebration. However, in our family we were still going strong because that was the one night of the year when my dad took my mother out to dinner.He only took her out to dinner that one night a year. He always said it was because he liked my mothers cooking so well and he just didnt enjoy eating out. However, my mother loved it. Who wouldnt. Of course in those days one cafe in town was all there usually was. In our little town of Reseda we had a Chinese restaurant and my mother loved Chinese food. My dad didnt like it but he took her there to eat and he would eat off of the American food sic of the menu, if there was one. While mom and dad where havii their special night out, the kids were home baking a special anniversai cake for them to come home to. I wi the baby sitter and chief cook and bott washer on this occasion. As I thir back over some of those cakes that made. My poor parents. As I grew older and more expei enced, the cakes were better and lookt better. I was always so excited to st their faces when I surprised them wil my special treat. I remember one tin in particular when I ate so much of th powdered sugar frosting that I was n ally sick and missed school the ne: day. It was indeed one of the best hoi days for me. I loved going to the stoi and picking out the special anniversai cards that they had for mom and dad. would read all the sentiments until found just the right one. I have tried to carry on the traditio but found it getting harder and harde to keep it going. It is awfully hard t knock on someones door that lives far away from you. Now I use the tel phone and call and wish my family an friends a happy day. Sometimes I sen homemade Valentines to my grandchi dren or sentiments to my friends. Ii just not consistent. That is why having a month woul be better. I always seem to be a da late and a dollar short. Now that I thin about it, if I had one month I would prot ably want another. I guess it is just bes to leave things like they are. Evei though I am late sometimes I still say Love You whenever I have a mind. Tha makes every month February. Well, that is my world. Until nex time, according to my City Sanitatioi calendar, remember, Be generous wit! your love. Its never wasted. people, said Bridgewater. Emery County Commissioner Drew Sitterud asked Bridgewater about his feelings on the Downwinders issue. Sitterud explained a line has been drawn to exclude Emery County residents from the compensation for those effected by the testing. Someone, somewhere decided that no one was effected north of Wayne County, said Sitterud. That is an issue that needs to be fought and Ill fight that fight, Bridgewater said. Bridgewater went on to explain that environmentalists are trying to tie things up. Local people can govern this area better than outsiders. We need to begin with a dialogue on the issues. Then Ill get in there and roll up my shirt sleeves and help out and we should win the battles, stated Bridgewater. I joined this political race because I think one person can make a difference and effect change. Ill make change, a positive change for Utah. I will represent you with Republican idealogy and values in Washington, DC. Legislative Update By SENATOR MIKE DMITRICH This week a Senate committee heard Senate Bill 175 which refines drugfor-feitur- e policies. The last major revision to drug forfeiture laws was enacted through a citizens Initiative B, which passed with overwhelming support. The driving force behind Initiative B was its promise to protect property rights of innocent individuals. Senate Bill 175 maintains and strengthens property rights for innocent individuals. The bill will also allow for the state to receive federal forfeiture funds that came from asset seizures in Utah. I support Senate Bill 175 because it gives law enforcement a vital tool in combating drug trafficking, while maintainingprivate property rights for innocent citizens. I support a bill that would stimulate tourism in Utah by raising new funds for the Utah Travel Division. The travel division promotes Utah through brand advertising and marketing. The division has been unable to compete with other western states as the divisions budget has declined by 27 percent since 1990. Other western states that have substantially increased funding for their tourism offices have seen an av- erage of 125 percent increase in tour- ism market share. Tourism is an important component of Utahs economy. Revenue for the tourism department would come from a lA percent tax on prepared food, and a 12 percent crease on transit room taxes. in- |