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Show ‘A BIG RED ROMP FINANCIAL ADVICE Utah crushes San Jose State C-1 | Tribuneis looking for pros E-1 | { L BALLOT PROPOSALS Crucial Election Day info J-1 Ori http://www.sltrib.com Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871 Volume 257 Number 18 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER1, 1998 © 1998, The Salt Lake Tribune 143 South Main Street(801/237-2800 Salt LakeCity, Utah 84111 ; How Do Wasatch Front POEs Navigate the Regulatory Maze? They Hire the Regulators developmentdirectors BY PAUL FOY ©1998, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE “This is a recent trend,’ says Ted Wilson, former Salt Lake City mayor and now director of the Hinck- ley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah Developers‘arewilling to put money onthe barrel When major developers need an expert to help push through big commercial and housing projects on the Wasatch Front, they often go shoppingat city halls. Last summer, for instance, Sandy-based develop- head” to hire insiders who can navigate the regula whenhe unveiled his 74-acre project of apartments, “In Utah, noneof these things are against the law — but in many other states you'd end up in jail,” tory maze. Influence peddling hashit the suburbs er Gerald Anderson raninto trouble with Bluffdale says Cassie Dippo, vice chairwoman of Utah Com- offices and retail stores. “T hired Ken Leetham,” says Anderson, referring CY to Riverton’s former city administrator, ‘thinking the city administrator of an adjoining city would carry some weight with the [Bluffdale} City Council.” So far, it hasn't. But Anderson also has hired as consultants Gary Crane, the former city attorney for Bluffdale, and Dave Millheim, former city manager of South Jordan. Anderson's team, which also includes Richard Young, the mayor of Mapleton in Utah County, reads like a Who’s Whoof iocal government. “Gerald’s not stupid,” says Millheim, who fought a grass-roots group over a 120-acre business park Ryan Galbraith’The Salt Lake Tribune Developer Geraid Andersenis leaving his mark on South Jordan:the Sterling Village apartments, left, and, in the background, a business park thatwill spring up along the Jordan River. that Anderson plans to build in the city Millheim once managed. ‘‘He’s not afraid to get people who are qualified.” In Utah, it’s not against the law for government officials to work one side of the regulatory fence one day and jumpto the other side the next. And developersare taking advantageof it byhiring planners, city attorneys, city managers and economic- mon Cause, a government-watchdoggroup. Adds Claire Geddes, state director of United We Stand: “It’s cronyism, and it happens all the time. Conflict of interest is the No. 1 problem in this state I mean, politicians think it's part of the job.” “Revolving-door” statutes require federal employees who leave government service to wait a year or morebefore joining a private company that does business with their old offices. Some state govern- ments have similar laws Salt Lake City is debating newethics restrictions, but none applies to city employees after leaving See OFFICIALS, Page A-6 Saddam Takes A Stand, Again Iraq endsall cooperation with U.N.inspectors UNITED NATIONS — In its boldest pears that the inspectors essentially will be confined to their quarters in mament efforts, Iraq announced Saturdaythat it was ending all cooperation with U.N. weapons inspectors. The action by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein came a day after the U.N Security Council agreed on the shape of Baghdad. Iraq’s decision brought quick reaction at the United Nations, in Washing- moveyet to evade international disar- a new review ofIraq's pro- gress in eliminating prohibited weapons. However, the council declined to Courtesy Salt LakeCity International Airport Architects envision the new Salt LakeCity International Airport filled with light and views of wide-open spaces. Airport Rebuild Without Airlines Aboard? Directorhasbillion-dollar plan for Salt Lake City International, butit will raise costs for carriers BY JOHN KEAHEY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Russ Widmar wants to spend $1.03 billion to rebuild Salt Lake City International Airport. And that keeps him up at night Widmaris pegging his career as the airport's executive director on the belief that the new facility, to be built in the next seven years, will captivate jaded travelers accustomed to cookie-cutter airports. He wants the new facility to leave an indelible impression of the metropolitan areait serves. Atthe sametime, he must makefiscal- ly conservative Utahns proud of their flagship point-of-entry that serves 21 million passengers a year. And hehas to do it knowingairlines will fight him whenhetries to pay for the structure by doubling their rents in Since comparatively few taxpayerdollars figure into airport projects, it will take airline-rent increases to pay for the state-of-the-art airport that, when com- pletedin 2005, will replace a 40-year-old facility that has leaking roofs. “Moreairport directorslose their jobs during the course of these things than don’t,” says Widmar. “I know, without any doubt, that if I push too hard, I'm a dead man.” Headds: “I don’t sleep well.” The circles underhis eyes are not too pronounced — yet. He says he hasn't felt too muchofa physical or emotional toll —yet. His secret? “I don't do this job alone.” Widmar hasenlisted many people — master architects, design architects, aie port staff and communityactivists — plan for the massive undertakit “If we get into project trouble, it will be because we didn’t consider something — not because something grew bigger than expected,” he says, referring to ¢he See AIRPORT, Page A-4 ton andin other world capitals. The Security Council quickly convened and unanimously condemned Iraq's decision, terming it a “flagrant violation” of CLICK HERE | FOR DETAILS pledge that the review would lead, as Baghdad desires, to the swift lifting of @FBI after trade sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraq halted most cooperation with weaponsinspections on Aug.5,but Saturday’s action ratchets up the confrontation a step further by ending even the limited investigations it previously per- mitted. U.N. resolutions. It said Saddam's government must resume “immediate, complete and unconditionterrorists A-17 al cooperation” with the arms inspectors, and only then will the council begin reviewing Traq’s compliance. The council and the United States stopped shor?of threatening anyspecifie retaliation. In the past, the United States and Britain have threatened military action to force compliance with Although details of Iraq's intentions were not fully clear Saturday, it ap- ‘Bombshell’ Rattles Utah Politicians But how lobbyist’s allegations will affect speaker is a mystery See BAGHDAD,Page A-17 |ae Las Vegas Reinvents Itself fteryears of courting budgetmindedtourists, “Glitter Gulch” is upping the anteinits most recent incarnation. Bellagio, $16 billion hotel, openedlast month, and several others are underconstruction, in Travel, Page Ht BY JOHN HEILPRIN, DAN HARRIE Apathy May Be the Issue in Midterm Elections U.S.: Low turnout should help GOP, but Demoprospects aren’tall bad ELECTION BY DAVID ESPO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Republicans appearcertain S, Utah: Hair dispute is turning heads, while civility generates indifference BY SHIA KAPOS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Maybethis is why “professional” wrestling is so to increase their majority in the House andlikely in the Senate in Tuesday’s elections as they exploit a multimillion-dollar advantage in campaign funds, a 50-state survey shows. Beapear: While Scott Leckman and Bob Bennett tory in the California governor's race. The Associated Press survey indicated a range Welike a good fight. Sure, we don’t like to admit it, but when it comes to getting people to debate economic developmentin front of nearly empty auditoriums, Lily Eskelsen and Merrill Cook argue over whose hairis better coiffed and rivet the attention of voters. Democrats seem headed for long-sought vic- of likely GOP gains in the House from single dig- trudge to the polls, nothing works better than a its to 20 or so seats, depending on the outcome of a relatively small number of close races. tit-for-tat battle between candidates. Rivalry games always draw better crowds. With just two days before Election Day, strate- In the Senate, the survey showed that Republican dreams of achieving a 60-seat majority have faded. The final margin of the new edge gists for the state Democrat and Republican par- ties hope thatall the campaign rhetoric and me- reson the fate of a small number of incumbents facing strong including Republicans in North Carolina and New York and Democrats in Wisconsin, Nevada, South Carolina and Califor- dia bluster will not keep voters from thepolls. They look at three factors affecting the elec- tion's outcome: voter turnout, the White House sex scandal and comments about balance made by the MormonChurch. Democrats even e: to pick up seats in the state Legislature. And although Republicans feel nia. Both sides hope for victory in Kentucky, Rep.Sot Baera nar and ae are vying for an open sea a mace *bamew See US., Page A-15 4 POOR COPY| confidentthey can hold on to their lock on Utah's ’ See UTAH VOTERS,Page A-5 and JUDY FAHYS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Utah’s Capitol was awash with astonishment and political uncertainty Saturday after news reports that House Speaker Mel Brown discusseda future job with a US WESTlobbyistwhile they talked about keeping Brown's marital problemsquiet. “Wow, what a bombshell,” said Assis- tant Majority Whip John Valentine. “A lot of us are still in shock.”” Valentine was among severallegislators who said it was too early to tell what effect the controversy might have on Brown's quest for an unprecedented third term as speaker, arguably the second-most-powerful elected post in the state. But Valentine said: “It can't help him. It’s got to hurt him.” Republicans said Brown still was planningto run for speakeras of Saturday. But no one wasruling out the possibility that the 60-year-old dairy farmer would dropout of the contest. Brown could not be reached for comment. At least one other Republican is expected to challenge Brown for the speakership during House elections Friday night, three days after the gen- eralelection. See BOMBSHELL, Page A-12 INSIDE SECTIONS. WEATHER 50s Highs in 60s. B-12 UTAH Aussies show Utah how to cash in on pre-Olympics fee PageB+ INDEX Barberi/Bell Book Reviews Classified Ads Crossword Edit Jack Goodman : |