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Show Mj 2 y YtrT,,Vr,t ''ll 1 ' The Magna Times, Thursday, J. ly " ' 'M' 0 g .yyy...y 19, 1990 wrmmmnTT' lx U 1i fcW J V g- Life in the Utah.S.S.R. KIM FOLSOM Magna Times Assistant Editor The war of the Roses has begun and the political dirt has begun to fly. In a letter to political action groups soliciting donations, Wayne Rose ac- cused Representative Janet Rose of supHe condoms for kids. porting received the information from Steve Taggart of the governors office at a i P' i ft ?: i- - t if J i THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION .. ... I Opmiom .JLJ-.IS- public service. Do you have an opinion that youd like to share? Write a letter to the Editor! 8980 West 2700 South Magna, Utah 84044 MAGNA TIMES USPS 325-58- 0 8980 West 2700 $outh MAGNA, UTAH 84044 J. HOWARD STAHLE Publisher-Managin- Editor g BONNIE STAHLE Advertising-Offic- Manager e KIM FOLSOM Assistant Editor-Write- r KENT GOBLE s Writer Features-Sport- DEANNA JONES e Help Typesetter-Offic- Published each Thursday Subscription $12 per year $14 per year out of state Second class postage paid at Magna, Utah 84044 i ar . Editorial Straight Talk Senator Hatch attacked by art critics? KIM FOLSOM Magna Times Assistant Editor Senator Hatch sent out a news release condemning the use of federal funds for obscene or art, but because he would not support an irresponsible proposal, to cut funding to the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Family Association sent out letters to selected Utahns depicting the senator as a supporter of pornography and art. The controversy arose over the funding of the works of Robert Mapplethorpe and Jose Serrano by the NEA. The works are not only considered obscene and irreligious, but from the brief look on national television news it is very questionable whether they are even art. The American Family Association and radical Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina prefer cutting off an arm to get rid of a pimple. Although Senator Hatch is offended by the work, he would rather see the artworks obscenity be settled in the court system where those matters are normally taken care of. He cannot see risking the loss of groups like Ballet West, the Utah Symphony, and other excellent programs that have received over $7,000,000 since 1984 to keep those non-religio- us anti-Christi- an programs in existence. The Magna Arts Council, the West Valley Arts Council, Magna Copper Days, ,the Pleasant Green Community Theatre; all receive grants through the Utah Arts Council from the NEA. The most obscene thing that could happen to Utah and Magna would be to lose this resource because of the radical action7 that the American Family Association proposes.. Senator Orrin Hatch should be applauded by intelligent Utahns for his stand on this matter as well as for his help in a combined effort with Congressman Wayne Owens on getting the EPA to reconsider moving the Portland Cement toxic dust to a site near Magna without a proper hearing. And just who is the American Family Association? And why do they think they can tell our senator to support something that will hurt Utah art? After all, Senator Hatch is working for the people of Utah and not them. Less is better with new lawn watering guide a - dation report, nearly all of the projected shortfall would have to come from exAdjustments in Utahs income tax would do little to meet a pending revenue shortfall that would result if the food tax initiative is approved by the voters in penditure reductions or tax increases in the general fund. The sales tax presently November. This fact was pointed out in a study completed by Utah Foundation, accounts for about 83 of all general fund revenue. The study notes that existing surpluses and fund balances could cushion the initial shock of these adthe private tax research organization. that the Fiscal general justments somewhat, but this would be only temporary'. Analyst projected Recently, the Office of the Legislative In the past, receipts from the income tax and other revenues earmarked to the of shortfall $196 piillion fund and uniform school fund would have a revenue school fund have not been sufficient to meet all of the expenditures of uniform it would over the next five years. If Utah voters eliminate the sales tax on food, five-yefond. that would shortfall Consequently, a transfer always has been made from the general fond add another $489 million to the revenue shortage, and the to help balance the uniform school fond. The two funds, therefore, usually have swell to $685 million. Foundation analysts note that 95 of this shortfall would be in the state general been considered together for budgetary purposes, even though there is a special fund and only 5 in the uniform school fund. The Utah State Constitution ear- constitutional distinction regarding the uniform school fond and its revenues. During recent years, state income tax revenues have been increasing at a faster marks all income tax revenue to the uniform school fund for support of the public rate than most other state revenues, and the uniform school fond is becoming to the fund the made from be schools. As a result, appropriations can general more fund school uniform the be made from uniform school fund, but transfers cannot nearly self supporting. The foundation expects that the need for transfers from the amended. is Constitution general fond to the uniform school fond will be completely eliminated revenue to support general fund activities unless the State within the fiscal next five years. Unlike the federal government, Utah state government cannot conclude a If the voters approve the food tax initiative, it would reduce general fond year with an operating deficit. Thus, all of the pending shortfall would have to be met by expenditure cuts andor new or higher taxes. According to the foun revenues but would have no direct effect on uniform school fond revenues MEMORIAL PROGRAM This space provided as 'LLLL ... --: Tax hikes wont help general fund shortfall a look at life in Utah, presenting some heavy subjects with light humor and a touch of satire This column is Republican training session. The erroneous information was based on the contention that Rep. Rose sponsored a bill supporting supplying condoms to teenagers as means of birth control. Representative Rose rejected any language in the bill suggesting such a thing. The rough draft was supposedly thrown away, but later when the bill was to go to the state archives the rough draft was attached and apparently the bill had been tampered with. I know Janet Rose and Dr. Wayne Rose; they are both intellegent and caring people. I am afraid that party zealots from both sides are at work at making a campaign that could be upbeat and on issues not fit for tissues. This is just the first of the dirt we will see in Utah politics this year. The public will again see many reasons not to vote for someone and few reasons why to vote for someone. It would be nice if the political parties in Utah would put some integrity in their training sessions and show candidates how to be worthy of election instead of just how to get elected. When you have good people running for office, why spoil die race and darken the images of two good people? ..'. As drought fears deepen, more and more Utahns are looking for ways to conserve water. Dr. Frank Williams, Brigham Young University horticulturist, thinks Utahs homeowners should take a close look at foe way they water their lawns. Dr. Williams has devised a lawn watering guide for Utah climate and conditions with the help of foe Utah State University Extension Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and Utah Division of Water Resources. The guide stresses less frequent, but deeper, watering to help develop deeper grass roots and healthier, greener turf. Dr. Williams says most homeowners water too often and leave sprinklers on too long, which tends to develop grass with shallow roots. The lawn watering guide helps homeowners match foe water output of their sprinkling systems with a table of watering times. The guide suggests testing sprinkling systems by setting three or more flat bottom cans or mugs at various places on a lawn at least four feet from a sprinkler head. After running foe sprinkler system for 15 minutes, determine foe average water depth in the cans. The table indicates, for example for northern and central regions of foe state, if foe average depth of water in foe cans is xh inch, water every four days for 13 minutes in the spring, 26 minutes every three days in the summer, and 19 minutes every three days in foe fall. Add 10 minutes to watering times in southern areas of the state. Avoid watering on windy days or at midday when evaporation is highest. Try watering during early morning hours. The guide suggests longer grass requires less water and fertilizer, because it shades itself and reduces evaporation, so dont cut grass too short. Virginia Jensen, water education and conservation specialist at foe Utah Division of Water Resources, says almost half of foe water used at home is for lawn watering. She thinks proper lawn watering can save a lot of water, time, and money. The lawn watering guide is one of a series of educational pamphlets and programs designed to help educate citizens about more efficient use of foe states water resources. Free copies of foe guide are available from foe Utah Division, of Water Resources, 538-720- 0. by Albert D. Hattis A friend bought a home for $40,000 in 1976. If he sold that house for $60,000 in 1990, he had to pay a tax on his $20,000 profit. He believed that house was the best investment he had ever made. He looked at me, wondering if I had blown a gasket when I told him that he would really have lost almost $26,000 on the deal. I explained that his 1976 $40,000 in purchasing power had evaporated, with inflation, so that it would take about $85,700 in late 1990 to buy what $40,000 bought just 14 years ago. The dollar looks the same, but it is worth much less. If my friend sold his house, he must subtract from foe $60,000 foe 5 to 6 perin legal fees, and foe state and federal tax on foe procent realtor fee, $400-50-0 fit he never made. In 1973, 1 started on a job paying $25,000 a year, he said, and I am now earning $50,000. Are you telling me that I havent gotten a raise on this job? I didnt want to disappoint him, but that 1973 $25,000 had foe same purchasing power as $68,000 in 1990, so that he has lost ground in foe standard of livj ing battle. Our government has a cost of living index based on a bread basket of annual purchases for an average family. This index is periodically changed as spending on food, clothing, shelter, entertainment, and transportation changes. If our purchasing habits were average, then this index, released monthly, tells us how much purchasing power we have lost. A staff economist at Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company in New York has developed a nuisance cost of living index and that illustrates a problem. While 1986 inflation approached three percent, 'foe everyday items ypu buy j spurted .up much faster, with ground coffee up 80 percent, toothpaste up 40 percent, chewing gum and taxi fares up 30 percent, and haircuts up more than 20 percent. Illustrating inflation in 1950, another friend graduated from a university and became a financial analyst for a large auto company at about $80 per week. That 1950 $80 would buy what 1989s $375 per week would buy. To add insult to injury, paying a tax on your profit from foe sale of a house, when you have actually lost lots of purchasing power, must be confusing and disturbing. My friend, quite shaken when his house sales profit became a loss and his bit 1990 salary was actually less than his starting 1973 wage asked why we have inflation. It should be obvious to foe experts that inflation, foe loss of purchasing power, doesnt make sense. When people let greed, not need, drive prices up, or we dont let business compete, price-wis- e, or our Congress allows more than three decades of deficit spending where too much money is printed and not enough goods and services are available, foe dollar buys less. The biggest culprit is our Congress (and other legislative bodies), elected to represent us but unwilling to balance foe budget andor trim government down to what we can afford. Inflation is not a thing of foe past, as our 1989 and 1990 forecasts of about five percent each year indicate. Inflation has been kept down on paper because excess oil production reduced its per barrel cost from more than $40 down to about $10, and it is now rising and closes to $20. Inflation hurts us all and reduces our living standard. Its confusing. Economics and inflation may be hard to understand but foe cost of inflation can be understood. We need to do something about it. Thats Straight Talk! 1 (This column is updated from a 1987 column, due to requests from readers from coast to coast.) IT NEVER FAILS Hour oh end without squawkin' $heLl ride this mechanical jitterbug- to reduce - TO HER sYEU-- when SHE'S OUT IN TH family BOILER I "0uT LISTEN , ou Run into every little bump on MuST f Th' road? consider MY NERVES 1 YOU KNOW THIS heap rides j s-- |