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Show Page Two - The Pyramid March 4. 2004 - INSIDE by Merrill Ogden SANPETE Consumers must change lifestyle to influence gasoline prices Dear Editor: Theres been an cir- culating regarding the high prices of gasoline and the attempt to boycott two of the nations largest gasoline companies, Exxon and Mobil, for the remainder of this year. The theory behind the attempted boycott, which is good, but misplaced, is to cause the two leading companies to drop their prices, thus causing a chain event with others following suit in order to keep up, causing a price-wa- r. This wont work. Take my word for it, it will not work. This comes down to a matter of economics not tactics. Reasons for high fuel prices are varied and somewhat complex, but the simplest reason and the biggest reason is the following: Everyone complains about the price of gasoline, often they do so while drinking bottled water which costs upwards of $3 plus per gallon! Gasoline is a product that must me pumped from a well, refined by a complex and highly expensive processing plant, packaged in a barrel and shipped across the world, then shipped to distribution plants, processed again into useable fuel, and again distributed to millions of gas stations. This is why gasoline costs so much; however, not why it should be so much. I do agree that its way too expensive. Water, on the other hand, we get virtually for free from our taps! I dont see with schemes to drive the high prices of bottled water down. Now I know this is not a fair parallel and I am not attempting to draw a parallel here, I ant simply demonstrating why we pay so much for fuel. Bottled water, among our other extravagant purchases, is why gasoline is so expensive. Its a little thing that exists within the law of economics termed, the miracle of exchange. They charge what well pay (not the other way boycotting. The two boycotted chains wont drop their prices, because they wont be able to get the fuel cheap enough, why? Because it is still being sold at the other stations for the inflated prices. Folks, this is simple economics and there are laws that govern economics! The only way to drive prices lower is to not buy so much gasoline! ! Sorry but thats it. Sadly, we have done it to ourselves. A friend of mine just traded in his very spacious and fuel for a smaller efficient mini-va- n fuel inefficient SUV (because SUVs are cool and minivans arent). He was getting 26 on his van (I know miles-per-gall- because I own the same model van), now lies getting 18 n in a vehicle that is less roomy. SUVs sell like hotcakes I see them everywhere. This tells OPEC that the Americans are not concerned about money on fuel. We give to the fight, but thats all were willing to give. Give up the SUVs for more economical vehicles, drive way less than we do. make one trip to the grocery store per week instead of five (I know we do around). They charge us these prices for one simple reason, we pay them. Same as medicine, doctors visits, food and more. You simply cannot boycott one grocery store chain because food is too expensive! The food will be purchased elsewhere and those other stores will make a better profit. Same as the gas stations. Singling out two "chains will only drive the consumer to the remaining chains that were not miles-pcr-gallo- all of these things, I am guilty too). Hit the oil companies in the only place that we can. Stop buying so much of their product! Thats it! Its the only way. Heck, this is book one, chapter one, paragraph one of Economics 101! If we, as Americans, really were concerned about fuel prices, these new hybrid vehicles that Toyota and Honda, and perhaps others, have created would be the biggest-sell-in- g cars right now and SUVs would be among the dodo birds; however, SUVs remain among the biggest selling vehicles in America. Everyone wants an SUV or d a pickup truck. Hey, I do too. How does the old saying go? Dont just talk the talk, walk the walk. We cant have it both ways. Were not going to fake out the oil companies by singling out two of them, all the while spending our money at the other comfull-size- panies. In closing, keep in mind that this is economics speaking, not me. I dont create the rules, but, like everyone else, I must abide by them. Bo Landsem, Mt. Pleasant At the February 18th hearing on Spring Citys zoning, Dan Mickel challenged the assertion theres a water shortage in town. He also said we need to allow division of the large lots to make land available so development does not expand into historic farmland. I challenge the assertion theres a vacant land shortage in town that requires lot splitting in order to protect the farmland. Some estimate theres 150 unoccupied lots. With over 700 lots in town around 400 water meters, the total could be 300. A drive down Main Street shows that many vacancies are on prime locations. Many are located in between existing residents and a number are smaller lots some say people want to buy. Irrigation shares that sold for $125 each in the early 90s now sell for $1000 or more. Land parcels that sold then for $5000 now sell for $30,000. In the case of the land at low-in-co- least, this is not due to scarcity. Real estate prices in Spring City are inflated well over their competitive market value. The only shortage is created artificially through land speculation. The problem is universal. Salt Lake City lost population in the 90s while Salt Lake County lost its best farmland. Speculation is driving development into farmland faster than population can in Sanpete County, also. The property tax is comparatively small but leverages much, say economists. The current property tax system subsidizes land speculation by tors Bill Buckley, Jr., conservative; and Michael Kinsley, liberal; as well as independents and decentralists. Tolstoy and Einstein supported it. Cedar City sought state sanction for it in the 80s. Twenty Pennsylvania communities have used versions of it to improve their economy. Shifting taxes from improvers to speculators puts more prime land on the market at competitive prices, making it affordable for the poor and young. Lower rents and mortgages free up income for local spending, improvements, like building restoration and business enterprise, a local solution more taxing improvements than location values. for Spring City, Private initiative creates improvements, like homes and businesses, communities, with roads and services, create location values. Taxing location value and untaxing improvements encourages vacant owners to improve their properties, use them, or sell them to those who will. The property tax shift has the endorsement of eight Nobel prize economists, commenta- - The Pyramid 49 West Main Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647 Market News an edition of The Daily Herald a Pulitzer, Inc. Newspaper Subscriptions and Delivery Service News 375-510- 3 and Advertising Fax ... pyramidavpro.com USPS No. 365-58- 0 Published Thursdays by Pulitzer Newspapers, Inc., 49 West Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647. Periodical postage paid Mt. Pleasant UT 84647. POSTMASTER: openly and all options and Prices for the Salina Producers Livestock Auction Feb. 24 are as follows: Receipts: 1,603; last week: 1,405; last year: 2,234. Feeder steers: wts 600 lbs 3.00-4.0- 0 lower, instances 10.00 lower; wts over 600 lbs 2.00-3.0- 0 higher, with 950-10- 0 lbs 6.00-7.0- 0 higher; Holstein steers: mixed but mostly lb wst 5.00-6.0- 0 lower; steady. Feeder heifers: 200-30- 0 400-80- 0 lbs steady to 1.00 higher; 900 lb wts 5.00-6.0- 0 higher; slaughter cows: weak to 1 .00 lower; slaughter bulls: yeild grade 1: 3.00-4.0- 0 higher; yield grade 2: steady. . 200-25- 0 Feeder steers: medium and large frame ;. lbs scarce; 250-30- 0 lbs scarce; 300-35- 0 lbs 1 350-40- 0 400-45- 0 lbs 103.50-127.0lbs 106.50-117.2450-50- 0 500-55- 0 lbs 109.50-118.0lbs 93.50-107.0550-60- 0 650-70- 0 lbs 85.00-108.5lbs 90.00-- 1 14.25; 600-65- 0 700-75- 0 750-80- 0 lbs 78.00-94.2lbs 78.50-89.5800-85- 0 850-90- 0 lbs 78.50-85.5lbs 79.25-84.7lbs 900-95- 0 950-100- 0 78.50-84.0lbs 79.25-82.2lbs 1 My kids think so. As for me, I havent seen it. Actually this is the third movie of a trilogy. Ive not seen any of them. The strange thing is that I cant put my finger on why I havent seen them. Its not that Im not inI guess I just didnt around to seeing the first get one and then I didnt want to see the later ones without having seen the first one. I think that part of the problem is that all these movies are sooo lonnnnng. We have the first two movies at home on DVD. Of course, my kids insisted we get the extended versions. It seems like there are more longer and longer movies these days. Speaking of long, I saw Cyrano de Bergerac on the terested. Snow College stage last weekend. It was wonderfully done. The sets and costuming were gorgeous. The acting was admirable. My only criticism: the show was too long. Sanpetes winter seems too long to me this year. I know we need the water so I wont complain about the snow and cold. (Oh my ach- what Im thinking about is the time it takes waiting to cross the main drags of Sanpetes biggest towns. Doesnt it drive you nuts when you have to wait more than 10 or 15 seconds to cross the street? It does me. readers will shake their heads at that one.) (Non-Sanpe- te Its been too long since new places to eat opened up in Sanpete. I havent been to any of them yet, but we have two new Italian fare spots and a New York style deli that have opened recently in Ephraim. Im hoping to try them all out soon. Some of my pants are too long. Im not fond of trying clothes on when I buy them so I normally simply go by the sizes. I guess the tape measures in Taiwan, Mexico and the Philippines are not formly the same. uni- I guess I should get accustomed to using the fitting rooms. Its been too long since Ive seen the ocean. Its important to do that every so often. Maybe next month. The distance between where I am and the nearest rest room is often too long. This is particularly true at sporting events. High school football games are usually the too longest of all. Some of my columns lately have been too long. So Im going to make sure this one is not in that category. Maybe a column should be the same as what someone once said about a womans skirt. This was probably from the 1960s. It should be long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep it interesting. So Long for now... Merrill rights be weighed and considered. Meanwhile lets consider economic cause and effect. Manti by the Sanpete County Brad VanDyke, Spring City rant out of Farr West Justice Court. Bail was set at $420. Feb. 25 of unlawful sexual activity Jeremy James Taylor, Ephraim, was arrested in $5,000. GDGDCIDWG ncPQrctr Pleasant, was arrested in Sheriffs Department on a war- Ephraim by the Ephraim Police Department on the charge with a minor. Bail was set at Ephraim by the Ephraim Police Department on charges of aggravated assault and posses- sion of marijuana. Bail was set at $5,555. Russell Franklin Scott, Paoni, CO, was arrested on State Road 132 Mile Post 46, by the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) on charges of possession Sanpete County, and the West. Until the existing vacant lots are occupied, splitting lots will not save farmland from sprawling development. Most of the residents Ive talked to, native and move-in- , property rights advocates and preservationist. old and young, are concerned about impacts of subdivision. If they are wrong, or if there are other economic urgencies, let it be discussed Sunday night, the movie Lord of the Rings, Return of the King, won a record tying 1 Oscars (together with Titanic and Ben Hur). The movie must be remarkable. ing back; shovel, shovel, scrape, scrape.) Do you want to know something else thats too long? Church meetings, you say? Well thats true, but not what 1 had in mind. Your kids hair? True again, but Reader challenges Spring City land and water shortage issues Dear Editor: Too Long MANT- I- Activities on the Sanpete County Booking Report are as follows: Feb. 21 Joshua A. Monty, Kearns, was arrested in Mt. Pleasant by the Mt. Pleasant Police Department on a Mt. Pleasant City Justice Court Warrant. Bail was set at $1,340. Feb. 22 Richard A. Trujillo, Manti, was arrested in Manti by the Ephraim Police Department on charges of six counts possession of a controlled substance and a Salt Lake District Court Warrant. Bail was set at $42,850. Feb. 23 Melina Lynn Fillmore, Lake Point, was arrested in of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $5,370. Damen Ray Young, Wellington, was arrested in Manti by the Sanpete County Sheriffs Department on the charge of arson. Booked and released for court. Joseph Lance Freeman, Moroni, was arrested in Manti by the Sanpete County Sheriffs Department on charges of forgery and falsification of government records. Bail was set at $5,555. Feb. 26 Michelle E. Patenaude, Mayfield, was arrested in Manti by the Sanpete County Sheriffs Department on charges of reckless endanger-ment and unlawful sale or sup- ply of alcohol to a minor. Booked and released for court. Feb. 27 Juan Maldonado, Mt. Christian W. Bryan, American Fork, was arrested,' in Ephraim by the Ephraim Police Department on charges of possession of stolen property, carrying a weapon under the influence of drugs, two counts posses- sion of controlled substance, no insurance, driving under the influence (DUI) and possession of a weapon by a restricted person. Bail was set at $21,560. Efrain Murillo Salas, Chester, was arrested on Highway 89 Mile Post 241 , by the UHP on the charge of DUI. Bail was set at $1,500. Jennifer Geneile Lukenbach, Salt Lake City, was arrested in Mt. Pleasant by the Mt. Pleasant Police Department on a Sanpete County Justice Court Warrant. Bail was set at $420. Feb. 29 Richard Dell Draper, Sandy, was arrested in Ephraim by the Ephraim Police Department on warrants out of the Sanpete Justice Court. Bail was set at $735. Ruben Castro Reyes, Ephraim, was arrested in Ephraim by the Ephraim Police Department on a no bail warrant out of Spanish Fork. 2: 16.00-125.00- 0; 5; 0; 0; 0; Send address 5; changes to 49 West Main, Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647. 0; 0; 5; 0; 5; 71.00-80.0- 0. Holstein steers: large frame 3: baby bulls: scarce; lbs 5" 0 lbs scarce; 0 0 lbs 00, Member: Audit Bureau of Circulations 700-90- NEWSTAND 1 year lbs 1 14.00-120.0- 0; $36.50 (in county) year - $45.50 (out of county) 750-80- NEWS 462-213- 52.50-70.0- 4 to report a news tip, or if you have a comment or a question. We welcome letters to the editor. All let- 250-30- 350-40- 0 450-50- 0 550-60- 0 650-70- We welcome news tips. Call lbs 0 500-70- 900-11- 0; lbs 00 lbs lbs 0 lbs 0 lbs lbs lbs 73.50-80.2- lbs scarce; 0 54.50-55.5- 0; 90.50-105.2- 5; 0 lbs 83.00-96.5- 0; 5; 500-55- 82.50-101.0- 0; 600-65- 75.50-82.5- 0; 800-85900-95- 0 0 lbs lbs lbs 71.50-79.0- 0; 0 90.50-105.2- 0 0 102.50-118.096.00-108.5- 400-45- 0 700-75- 0; lbs lbs 0; 5; lbs 0 0. 200-25- 2: 0 98.00-109.0- 80.50-91.2- 5; 300-35- 200-30- 55.50-80.0- Feeder heifers: medium and large frame PRICES 50C 1 O0-6- 300-50- 77.75-81.7- 75.50-84.7- 5; 850-90- 5; 950-100- 0; 0 0 Heiferettes: 53.50-69.5medium and large frame 1 : few bred cows Stock cows: 585.00-850.00hfew pairs 775.00-1- , 025. 00pr. breakSlaughter cows: boning utility 1 -- 3 40.00-49.5ing utility 45.00-5- 1 .75; commercial: scarce; cutter and low dressing utility 20.00-37.0lbs scarce; Slaughter bulls: yield grade 1: 1000-150- 0 1500-219- 5 Yield grade 2: 1000-150- 0 lbs 56.25-71.2lbs lbs 42.00-54.0- 0. scarce; 1500-189- 0 5 lbs 54.75-61.0Feeder bulls: lbs 67,50-75.2- 0. 5, d; 0; ters must indude the author's name (printed AND signed) and a phone number. 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