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Show 4 BOX 2 I NEWS, Brigham Cfty, Utah Sunday, June 2, 1974 ELDER Thke Editorially Speaking stock mAmenca. . The downtown plan: Action or not? nwppr stabllthad la published avary Sunday by ttia 55 South Eldar First Wait, Brigham City, Utah, 84301. at Class tha Sacond postaga paid post offica, IB South First Wast, WMkly A 8. Box Brigham We attended another public meeting on Brigham Citys downtown plan this past week. Thats not news. It was merely the latest in a long series of meetings which never seem to produce the intended result a direction and action on central business revitalization. e This is not to the newest effort which is spearheaded by the Greater Brigham City Area Chamber of Commerce. It could be the spark that sets the fire. short-chang- SUFFICE it to say that weve become a bit skeptical over the years. Its been like trying to start a car which has bad spark plugs, coughing, spurtering and seeming to get going at times, only to stall. This is not to criticize any individual, group, segment of the community or city officials. Much spade work has been done. The city has purchased property (not to mention the original plan and ensuing updating and engineering data) as an aid and incentive to the central business district. BUT THE FACT, is, although weve got our running shoes on, were still standing at the starting line. Our conclusion is this: Until the business community, specifically the property owners and merchants in the downtown area, six-blo- ck businessmens organization, is heading the newest try for collective action. But it must be done in league with the city administration which has an obvious stake in the health and wellbeing of the downtown district as a producer of utility revenue and taxes. THE ADVANTAGE thats supposed to compensate for the second-clas- s citizenship in which the sheriffs deputy finds himself, is that his job is supposedly protected by d the merit system. That is, a sheriff may not fire him arbitrarily and fill the position with a political supporter. YET, THE MERIT system would force him to take leave. Isnt it an extreme price to pay for entering the uncertain field of politics? And dont you suppose it tends to discourage the very men who are among the best trained to become sheriff? Its certainly something for Utahs state legislators to think about. cut or not to cut mill levy is question To Should the Box Elder Board of Education leave the school districts property tax levy for capital outlay at 17 mills or reduce it to compensate for this years increase in the countys assessed valuation? Thats the question board members must answer bv June 26 when the 1974-7- 5 school budget is finally adopted. The tentative budget included the full levy which will return approximately $477,000 more in the coming year tnan in this current budget period. 17-m- ill ITS that the school district cant put the extra money to good use. There has been pressure for construction of swimming pools at Box Elder and Bear River High NOT B4302. schools, an auditorium at Box Elder Junior High school, upgraded media center facilities at Bear River Junior High school, and establishment of a middle school. The latter might involve construction of an addition to an existing school or a totally new building. ARE THESE projects whose time has come? Or is it more important in this period of tight money and inflation to cut the tax, thus giving property owners some relief? We believe that board members want to hear from their constituents. If you have an opinion, express it. And remember, a public hearing on the new budget is scheduled June 26 at 8 p.m. Emeritus Publisher Charlas "Tuff" Claybaugh Genral Editor. Sarah Yates, Society Editor Advertising Goss, Manager Nancy Shirley Richardson, Classitiads Betty Claybaugh, Circulation Arlend Tingey, Newspaper Supr. Van Claybaugh, Photo-Pres- s Supr. H. E. Anderson, Commercial Printina Supr. rate Subscription $8.00 par year pay. in advance in connection with Box Elder Journal tha (published Thursdays) $4.00 for 6 months in Box Elder County. rate $10.00 par year pay. Subscription able in advance in connection with Journal Box Elder (published .the Thursdays) $5.00 for 6 months: outside Box Elder County. able Member Audit Bureau of Circulations, Utah State Press Association, National and Unitad Association Newspaper Press International. Advertising ReprePress AssociaSfate Utah sentative: tion, Salt Lake City, Utah. Boys and baseball I The youngsters have fun while parents squirm in agony over defeat or delight in the joyous ecstacy of Victory. Here, Shane Whitehead scores for the Red Sox after late tag by Dodger Carf Larsen in Brigham City American WBBA league action. NEWSPAPER NATIONAL tree Press HNA S SUSTAINING MEMBER -1- To which Mr. Mitchell might an expletive deleted? Ills' feeoBeB iHOCIRTION tH FOR THAT matter, as was pointed out during the meeting, we all have an interest in it, every resident of the city and extending also to neighboring communities whose people shop in Brigham City and depend on it for other services. It will be interesting to see in the weeks ahad if we can get away from that starting line. At the same time, the sheriff and two other aspirants for the job, both members of the Brigham City police department, may continue in their present employment, pending the outcome of next falls elections. They are not on the merit system. newly-electe- Utah, Publisher THE STUMBLING block seems to be lack of resolve on the part of property owners and merchants to act in concert for a unified purpose. Appropriately, the chamber of commerce is which the This is fine. However, doesnt it make more sense to provide the same protection without costing a man his job? It may be argued in return that once a deputy decides to seek the office of sheriff, and opposes the incumbent sheriff, he can no longer serve effectively in that department. So, in effect, he forfeits his job. But what of the deputy who aspires to another county office? Or what of the deputy who decides to run after the sheriff announces plans to retire or simply not to seek reelection? He could be a candidate without compromising his ability to function in the department. And his experience and ability might qualify him as the best man for the office. -- City, Charlas W. Claybaugh decide and agree to revitalize their district and act in unity to do so, it just wont be done. Furthermore, another valid point was raised at last weeks meeting, that no amount of gold plating will generate a substantial degree of new business unless its accompanied by an expansion of goods and services and at competitive prices. Again, this begs attention of the total downtown business community. 972 have responded: Yes, Mr. President, it is a serious threat to the creditibility of your administration. And dont forget, a rolling stone gathers no moss. So he went to the dikshunery. And heres what he found: The word expletive is defined as Filling up: hence, added merely to fill up. The word deleted means to destroy or eradicate; to obliterate or blot out. Which was a bit confusing. Why would you take something out that was put there to fill it up in the first Merit system law not really fair If theres fairness in a law which requires a man to give up his job to run for public office, we fail to perceive it. This is exactly what happened recently when a Box Elder county sheriffs deputy, Newell Tim Francis, filed as a candidate for sheriff. In doing so, as a merit system employe, he was forced to take a leave-o- f absence without pay for the period of his candidacy. NEWS ELDER BOX No, I thought to myself, still dont understand meaning of expletive So I read further dikshunery and found pletive meant also an exclamation." place? Did it mean when John Dean came to visit, he and the President filled up on franks and saurkraut and then took some Alka Seltzer? No, that couldnt be it. I searched for a further definition of expletive. This is what it said: a word, phrase or syllable not necessary to the sense, but inserted to fill a vacancy. Did that mean when John Mitchell Its been pretty tough on President have his tapes and tranother tapes bandied about, quoted from, jeered at concerning, laughed over and alluded to... in most uncomplimentary ways. The butt of many jokes, of course, are the numerous expletives deleted from those accounts handed over to the House Judiciary committee. The first question this scribe asked was: What in the sam hill is Nixon to scripts of you the deleted. in the that exoath or Now things were coming clear. It meant that at the beginning of meeting with his aides, the President would require each to take an oath, such as, I swear never to reveal that we are having Polish sausage for lunch today (the reason being, of course, that a merger of Polish jokes and Watergate would obviously lead to his immediate impeachment.) So that was the whole thing. The President doesnt want tht entire world to know the White House called, the conversation went something like this : John, Im glad to see you, this Watergate matter has me concerned... and besides, the cows are in the corn. menu. See how educated you can get by reading this kaulim? Ouch! Right in the pocketbook Property valuation up? Here's why The following was submitted to the Rnx Elder News by Alan L. Ostler, staff appraiser with the Utah State Tax commission. It is intended as a message to citizens of Box Elder county from the state agency which recently completed a reevaluation of all property in the county for taxing purposes. The Utah State Tax commission wishes to offer our most sincere thanks to residents of Box Elder county for the thoughtfulness and cooperation extended to our appraisal staff during the recent reappraisal of Box Elder county. Thanks to your receptive attitude, this revaluation, pursuant to Utah State law, Utah Code Annotated, 1953) has proven to be highly successful and will 9, contribute immensely toward the equalization of county and statewide property tax assessments. Many favorable comments on this project have been received. However, it has come to our attention that some concern has been expressed that the revaluation will cause an unfair shifting of the tax burden within Box Elder county. For this reason, we feel that is would be appropriate to review the state reappraisal program and its effect on your county as well as to promulgate the remedies if anyone has indeed been unfairly assessed. AT THIS point, we would like to em- phasize that the reappraisal was accomplished by personnel of the local valuation division of the State Tax commission consistant with Utah State statue Utah Code Annotated 1953). 9, The reappraisal was done for the benefit the taxpayers of Box Elder county, and your assessor was required to place the new values on the tax rolls in accordance with the contractual agreement between the Box Elder County commissioners and this commission. This is the first time Box Elder county has been reappraised in the past decade. Never has such a comprehensive program been undertaken in your county. This program also provides for periodic review which will maintain assessments at current and equitable values consistant with statewide standards. Under this revaluation program, you can be reasonably sure that you are paying only your fair share of property taxes. of OUR STUDIES indicate that most countiesof Utah are under assessed prior to the tax commission reappraisal. Therefore, it is inevitable that many properties will receive an increase in assessed value. However, you may be assured that county coffers will not overflow at the Utah Code taxpayers expense Annotated, 1953) limiting funds raised by the county or any taxing district to 106 percent of the revenue generated in the previous year. There are only two exceptions named in this statue:. (1) the minimum school finance act, and (2) budgetary emergency conditions which require a resolution to provide ..for the holding of an election on the question of raising the limitation prescribed by this section. This limitation may be increased only if the proposed increase is approved by the majority of Utah Code Anthose voting. notated). cant please all time. of the people all of the Realizing that some residents will feel that they have been inequitably assessed, we encourage you to discuss your situation with assessment officials. You may choose to talk to your county assessor, Mr. Clifton G.M. Kerr, and-o- r you may have your case reviewed by the county commission sitting as a board of equalization on June 5, June 12 and June 13. Tax commssion representatives will also be present on these dates to personally answer any questions that you might have. It is important that you discuss any question or problem with proper officials so that any errors might be properly rectified. Letters to the Editor... J (59-5-11- 1) THE STATEWIDE revaluation program has proven extremely effective in other counties. But, as the old saying goes, "You Helped keep in touch Editor: During these past two years I have enjoyed immensely receiving the Box Elder News and Journal. It has served many purposes, but the most important for me was keeping me abreast of local happenings. We gave some of the copies to a few English teachers, who were thrilled to get them to help bring American culture, etc. alive for their students. I will be returning home shortly, so I ask you to stop sending the papers. Thanks again. Sincerely, Elder Joseph C. Stoddard, France Mission |