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Show urati Volume 30, Number 47 Thursday, December Single Copy 25 The Green Sheet 6, 1984 'Population Goes Pop, Pop, Pop,' Sandstrom Notes - Three New Schools Okayed By Board GRANITE PARK. I dont see us waiting another four years to begin J. Dale another elementary, Christensen told fellow members of the Granite School Board Tuesday night, Id hate to see the delay." Christensens remarks came during a discussion of a bond sale to finance district school construction. In November, 1982, the board authorized administrators to prepare for a bond election seeking authorization to sell $59.6 million in school building bonds. Since that time, the district has aggressively pursued a school building program to provide facilities in the rapidly expanding western half of the district. Of that $25.6 million has authorization, already been spent on five elementary schools and Hunter junior high school. Plans for construction of a junior high, approved by the board Nov. 20, along with two more elementaries and a senior high, are still in the works. Tuesdays meeting was intended to formalize a district timetable for constructing those four remaining schools, utilizing the remaining $34 million authorization. Because of the districts present bond indebtedness, immediate construction of all four schools would exhaust the entire $34 million. Two financing scenarios were therefore presented to the board by Briant Badger, the districts business administrator and treasurer for the board. Sample work sheets prepared Until Dec. 14 by the budget development office were presented to the board outlining debt service and capital outlay and expenses under two different approaches. The first postulated selling the entire $34 million remaining in the authorization in early, 1985, along with the expenses, interest and payback scheduled involved in such a sale. Under this proposal, all four schools could conceivably begin construction at once. The bottom line, though, would have been deficit spending, beginning with more than $2 million in the 1985-8- 6 school year, and rising geometrically to well over $8 million a year in the 1990s. SALT LAKE. The worst tax since the British tax on tea, is how the Utah Taxpayers Assn, has described Salt Lake Countys proposed six percent utility users tax. Its a bad idea any way you look at it, says UTA executive vice president Jack Olson. The tax will be counterproductive to county industrial development efforts. The tax hits hardest the poor, the elderly Proposals Invited On County CD Program LAKE. Written proposals are being accepted here until Dec. 14 for funding requests in the countys Community Development program. Those wishing to obtain proposal forms of further information may contact Virginia Reno, communiry liaison and program planner, at 488-527- 8. The written proposal will be accepted in the Community Develop- -' ment office, 175 E. 2100 South, on the third floor of Building 5 until Dec. 14. A board has been seated to make recommendations involving the program during its 11th year. Eleven of the members are appointed by community councils in the unincorporated area, while the other three are members appointed by the County Commission. Chairman of the committee is James North of the Cottonwood at-lar- Heights Community Council. Kathrine Brimley of Magna, appointed by the commission, is vice chairman. Others members include Norman cppfwiH csilo While the fund balance for the would be drastically reduced from more than $2.5 million in 1984-8even to less than $50,000 in 1989-9under this proposal, the bottom line would still remain in the black. We cannot sell $34 million and stay financially sound, Superintendent John Reed Call explained to the The way I see it, $12 is board. district within the ballgame, but $34 million isnt even close. The board, however, reacted strongly to the proposal to postpone construction on the second elementary school. The population is going pop, pop, pop in front of us, board vice president Patricia G. Sandstrom noted, and we need to take care of the needs of these people. While explaining that relocatable buildings could help take some of the pressure off of , existing schools, none of this is fixed in concrete, Dr. Call reminded them, if you have any other suggestions, let us hear them. Bantering both scenarios back and forth, the board came to a consensus that while the high school could con ceivably be delayed, the need for construction of both elementary schools was imminent. Through questioning Badger and other district representatives, estimates for constructing the junior high were projected at at least $8 million, while the each elementary school was conservatively estimated Continued on page 7 5 0 Utility Tax Called Bad Idea' By UTA - SALT The second proposal postulated the selling $12 million in 1984-8- 5 and 1988-8remaining $22 million in Under this proposal, the junior high school and one elementary could be constructed now, but the high school and the second elementary would be put on the back burner until after the and many of those on fixed incomes, and it is a tax that goes up automatically every time the Public Service Commission grants a utility rate increase. Olson is calling for public opposition to the tax at Wednesdays public hearing on the county budget. He says about 93 percent of the UTA members responding to a survey taken this month were opposed to the levy. The UTA executive called it a hidden tax. The county, by imposing this levy on utility users, is using someone else as its tax collector, Olson stated. The new tax would be added to the utility bills of all residential and commercial utility users in the unincorporated area of Salt Lake County beginning early next year. Residents of most cities in Salt Lake ComTarbox, Taylorsville-Bennioare paying a utility franchise munity CouncJ; Chester Wright, County Magna Community Council; Helen tax. UTA is accusing the County ComJames, Kearns Town Council; mission of trying to sell the new tax David Dittman, Millcreek Comthat it would munity Council; T. Quentin Cannon, by telling people for the 9.38 dollar dollar, replace, Holladay-Cottonwoo- d Community now imposed by tax mill property Dee East Walter Council; Ewell, the County Municipal Service Midvale-Unio- n Community Council. But according to District. Also, Marie McClintock, South Salt Lake' Community Council; estimates based on the countys own data, the new tax would fatten counRulon Burton, South County Comty coffers by about $3.6 million more Gordon Bodily, munity Council; than the property tax it replaces, Copperton Community Council; W. Olson stated. Herriman Community Lynn Egbert, He also claimed that the tax would Council; Francisco Sanchez, hit renters hard, suggesting that Raffini, Mary apartment owners would not be likeThe Community Development ly to reduce rents to pass ont he savblock grant program is a federally ings in the property tax. Olson also the under funded activity Department of Housing and Urban charged that the property taxes would climb back to the current rate Development. The primary objecin a short time and charged that it tive of the program is the developwould be a roadblock to attracting ment of viable urban communities, new business to Salt Lake County. by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for persons of lower income. n OPPOSITION . . . Board president Four Commercial Projects Await Action By Council WEST VALLEY. Public hearings on two industrial revenue bond proposals and action on issuance involving two others is on the agenda of the City Council here tonight (Thursday.) The feature 6 p.m. session, which will 13 public hearings in all, will be held in the council chambers at City Hall, 2470 So. Redwood Road. The amount requested on the four industrial revenue bond matters totals more than $9 million. The two IRB matters on the public hearing agenda include one for $2.7 million, which would go toward construction of an Albertson store on the east side of Redwood Road, just north of 4100 South An Albertson store is currently in operation just 2 JHS Proposals Turned Down GRANITE PARK. Traditional evening promotional activities are still in the offing for ninth grade students in the Granite School District and eighth graders may still try out for cheerleaders in schools which already allow it. So said members of the Granite Board of Education Tuesday night when they began to tackle the massive junior high school study steering committee recommendations submitted to the board Nov. 20. Of the 21 proposals in the final report, two were turned down, fur-13 adopted and six postponed until ther administrative input and budgetary considerations could be analyzed. Id rather make graduation from high school the thing, board president Bruce Anderson said as he proposed adopting the recommendation eliminating traditional evening acjunior high school promotional was tivities. Anderson, however, alone in this position. Promotional exercises make excited about going to students high school, board vice president Patricia G. Sandstrom said. This has enhanced their excitement. Its a social, traditional and meaningful experience for minimal add-eexpense," J. Dale Christensen . Junior high promotion is a benboard member Gary chmark, Green Sheet Photo by Brian Pedersen Sports Fans Now Inside Gyms SEASON STARTS . . . When high school baskotball foams played season Friday night, it also brought their first games of the 19M-S5 out the cheerleaders, performing such antics as this nimble duo at Kearns high. Cagers will compete In annual Green Sheet Classic next week. See Green Sheet Sports In this section. Swensen said. I believe ritual is a very important way to make these kinds of life changes, added Joyce Higashi. her I saw my wife sticking I made the tongue out at me when so I guess said, Anderson motion, I ve got to vote. Id better change my vote for it, honey. I proposed it. in favor of Anyway, how many are defeating my proposal? was Predictably, the proposal defeated unanimously, Jen Dr. Anderson voting against it, inus school promoallowing junior high tional activities to remain an option throughout the district. Another proposal which brought heated response concerned junior The study high school athletics. eliminating traditional promotional exercises in junior highs. Bruce Ander- son faced the ire of other members of the Granite School Board Tuesdoy night when he proposed recommended in part the athletic in junior high should be basketball and volleyball. All other programs will be intramural pro- program outside city limits, south of 4100 South in Meadow Brook Plaza. The other IRB hearing deals with a request by GFI, Ltd. for $3.5 store million to construct a as part of a shopping comple; at the northwest corner of 5600 West and 3500 South. Two resolutions to issue industrial revenue bonds will be considered by the council. One for $2 million is to remodel an existing structure at 2396 So. 2570 West. It would house a firm which Hayden-Utex- , assembles and manufactures heat exchange equipment. The other, for $1.18 million, is fora new Stokes Brothers store on the west side of Redwood Road, just south of 3500 South. The council will also hold a public hearing on an appeal by Eugene Smith of a Planning Commission decision to deny a master plan amendment. Hearings are also set for four proposed ordinances. One would reduce the number of Planning Commission members from nine to seven. A related propopsal that specifies the number of Planning Commission members required to take action. Another ordinance would require the conveyance by property owners along the Jordan River Parkway of easement. a rt Still another proposed ordinance sets a fee for the parking of mobile homes. The fee will not exceed two percent of the assessed market value of one acre of undeveloped land in all residential districts oi the city. The average fee for parking a mobile home would be about $408. Other hearings will deal with requests for zoning changes. They include requests for changes from residential zoning to commercial at 1790 W. 3500 South, at 7179 W. 3500 South and also at 3450 So. 3690 West. Two of the zoning change requests would change agricultural property to residential. One is at 5051 Pavant Ave.; the other at 5600 W. 4300 South Another request would change from low density use to medium high density use property at 3500 W. 3100 South. Following the public hearings, the council will take action to approve or deny the resolutions and ordinances. Under new business, the council w'ill also consider approval of the Day Park Estates subdivision at Pavant A ve. Tuesday's work 5051 W. ( 3735 South ) session also brought out some wish lists for next years capital improvement program. Senior planner John M. Janson told the council it should be on page 7 submit-Continue- d grams. Why not make the whole thing in junior high intramural?, board member Miriam Farnsworth sug- gested. She noted competitive athletics between schools singled out only gifted and talented athletes and tended to disallow participation by ordinary students. To focus the entire junior high school athletic program on intramural sports, she explained, would allow for broader participation by a larger percentage of students. We are stepping aside for a few she said, and weve youngsters, broken with tradition before. Her remarks brought heated opposition from both Superintendent John Reed Call and board member Gary Swensen. Competitive athletics brings about cohesiveness in the student body, Swensen asserted. There are many lessons that can be learned in comis petitive athletics one of them. Continued on page 7 - self-estee- m Leaders Eye Legislation SOUTH SALT LAKE. The County Council of Governments will meet at 3:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at the South Salt Lake City Hall to discuss a proposed agenda for a legislative breakfast meeting set for Dec. 13. Also on the agenda is discussion on the implications associated with the divestiture of the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. (AT&T). A report about recent activities of the Wasatch Front Regional Council will be given and COG members will also hear proposals regarding mosquito abatement districts. Budget Hearing - County Utility Tax Action Is Slated SALT LAKE. The manner in which unincorporated area residents pay for their municipal services will be among focal points of a public hearing here next week when the County Commission invites taxpayers to express themselves on the proposed 1985 county budget. The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday in room 303 of y the Building. Commissioners have proposed a six percent utility franchise tax to replace a property tax of 9.38 mills -applying to only owners of property outside the countys 12 cities. While the owner of a $70,000 home in the unincorporated area would save about $60 in property taxes, the actual difference - possibly more; possibly less - would depend on the extent of the individual property owners use of three utilities: telephone, natural gas, electricity. On Dec. 14, two days after the public hearing, final action on adoption of the budget will be taken, but the actual mill levies will not be set until next June, as provided by state the countys, cities except for Murray and Salt Lake, would also be $213, representing an increase of $19 from the previous year. City-Count- -- statute. Under present proposals, the total property tax bill on all county services for those in the unincorporated area would be about $213 on a $70,000 home, based on a levy of 25.36 mills, down about $60 because of the proposed switch to the utility franchise tax. The bill for county services in all BUDGET . . . County Commissioner Tom Shlmixu will bo among officials listening to public Input during budget hearing. |