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Show PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES The Federal Government and the Military own about 90 of the land in Tooele County. In the past, they have not paid property tax. George, through his membership and chairmanship of the National Association of Counties, Public Lands Steering Committee, was appointed to lead a study committee to see if this inequity could be changed. The final report of the Public Land Law Review Committee suggested payments should be made to local governments. George, as chairman of the Public Lands Steering Committee and other members from the 13 western states drafted a bill to create payment by the Federal Government in lieu of taxes. The bill passed but President Ford would not sign it; it nearly died for lack of signature. After a final effort by George and members of the committee. President Ford reluctantly signed it It has meant about $1,700,000 to Tooele County in the last three years, and nearly $9,000,000 to the State of Utah annually. Every year it is a battle to get it funded ' and George is in there swinging. v Next year's funding is already approved. Commissioner Elgin Gardner presents the Utah Association of Counties "Outstanding County Official Award" to George for his efforts. WILDERNESS BILL In about 1977, the "Wilderness Bill" hit home in Tooele County. Some 650,000 acres were eliminated for wilderness designation. A wilderness designation limits the use and access to the land and takes away county revenue received from mineral and mining operations. Working in his position on the Public Lands Steering Committee and Governor Matheson's Wilderness Committee, George has been instrumental in getting the area designated as wilderness reduced to about 65,000 acres one tenth of the original proposal. LAKE POINT -T- OOELE CITY HIGHWAY When the Legislature raised the state gas tax by 2C per gallon in 1978 for upgrading highways in the state, George asked the Utah Highway Commission to consider the Lake Point Tooele City Highway. The Highway Commission denied the request. But through George's determined efforts and close relationship with the Governor, the road is in fact nearing completion. George with Frank Greg Director of B.L.M. and Jack of the Western Interstate Region Association of Counties. Petteti-Preside- INDUSTRIAL nt GROWTH NL Industries had had a problem: Fhe ground they purchased to build their a lake thirty feet underwas There too soft plant on was the Bureau of Land that acres 3500 needed ground. They checked the sell. not would but had George Management law and found that Tooele County could buy it at a fair market value and then sell it for industrial growth. Still the BLM would not sell. George went to Washington and worked with several senators and the BLM was ordered to sell the property to the County. On the same day that Tooele acquired the property, they sold it to NL Industries. NL built their $125,000,000 plant that now employs 750 people and is Tooele County's largest single taxpayer. 1977, George, as chairman of the County Commission, with a committee of senior citizens, spearheaded the development of a new Senior Citizens Center that will provide a full program of senior citizen activities. George's great concern for the over 1,800 senior citizens in Tooele County has resulted in the current construction of the new center. Completion will be in the spring of 1981 and is being built without any bonded debt when it opens. In fact, the center will be SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER paid-in-fu- d In |