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Show 2 THE GREEN SHEET Thursday, February 25, 1988 Will Come To Standstill Traffic Problems Not Addressed Progress If One of the most critical events to occur in the Salt Lake Valley happened quietly here Monday. While there were no brass bands or fireworks, the ultimate outcome of that event may determine the future growth or lack of it this area may ultimately experience. The U.S. House of Representatives Government Activities and Transportation Subcommittee field hearing on what to do about the growing traffic problems on took place Monday on the campus of Salt Lake Community College. The Subcommittee took testimony at that time from federal, state and local officials as well as from representatives of the private sector. Rep. Cardiss Collins one of the most respected members of the House of Representatives, chaired the hearing, with the assistance of Rep. Howard Nielson Given the demographics of this area, Utah as a whole, and the Salt Lake Valley in particular, face staggering traffic problems in the future. Utah has the largest percentage of citizens under the age of 17 in the nation. As that wave of potential new drivers .enters the road system here, what we now consider rush-hou- r traffic may become the norm during most of the day. While there was total agreement among those testifying at the hearing that traffic is growing beyond all congestion along expectations, just what to do to solve the problem remains to be decided. The Wasatch Front Regional Council 16 elected officials from Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Morgan and Tooele counties - has proposed five alternatives for dealing with the problem, and has recommended a multimodal approach. It has been projected that the Salt Lake Valley project, which would include the con- - - - (D-lll.- ), (R-Uta- - -- Editorial struction of a light rail system, expanding 5 by at least two lanes (and in some places four), the designation of certain lanes for one-wa- y traffic for buses and carpools durrush ing hours, expanding and upgrading some existing streets to expressway standards, and an increase in the number and UTA feeder buses, frequency of east-wewould cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $900 million, with Utahs share estimated at about $350 million Just where the money would be found is still anybodys guess, but in order to avoid total gridlock on the current highway system, find it we must. The Council wisely saw the problem from many angles, and just as wisely recommended many ways of meeting the challenge. The Councils d proposal is a good one, as far as it goes. While the hearing Monday addressed only a portion of the problem corridor traffic along the throughout the entire valley will only continue to increase. As more and more people set up residence in the communities on the south and west ends of the valley, the problems of getting from here to there will only grow more intense. Federal assistance may be available to fund at least part of the expansionlight rail solutions on the valleys east side, but implementation of the Councils road improvements on the south and west ends of the valley must also be given top priority if we are to keep pace with the growth of this -1 st multi-facete- - - area. There seems to have been something strained about the Winter Olympics coverage. I cant put my finger on it, but some of the magic isnt there. It all started for me when I was the watching hockey game. The Americans started out like a house afire and scored two very early goals both of them while ABC had cut away to commercial. Somehow the event lost its fire just as the team soon would. Now I know that commercials are a necessity and theres no logical time for them in such events. Certainly one can know just when a team is going to score. It was just lousy luck for ABC - and for the viewer. The network can, however, control its cutting away just as figure skating scores are about to be posted, which they do more often than not. It seems to me that there have been an inordinate amount of commercials. But thats logical too, since ABC ended up laying an unprecedented $309 million for the rights to televise the Games. Thats about $35 million more Objects To Decision mine. I like the words of Joyce Powell of New Jersey -To the editor: "Give me the students, give me the materials and a to work in, and I will teach." But folks Whats happened to ur local government? Dont we decent place I can no longer do more for less. costs that money. councmen to speak on our ,?u5, k sn that why we vote certain individuals into office; because they will put forth or decline the Allen B. Rasmussen issues that we the people have a strong interest in? ? . ,sen?s hke the Riverton City council has lost sight of the real reason they were voted into office. Un Feb. 16, at the Riverton City council meeting, strong opposition was expressed against the Dear Editor: proposed building site. A petition was signed by 80 and a residents, large number turned out to The joys of home owning a home are not so joyuful their concerns bout the proposed areaexpress The now. There is a fire hydrant in front of my right percentage was certainly not close. It was home next to the driveway. During the summer the 95 approximately percent against and five for. The four councilmen that voted for percent county street sweepers have been taking water from it were certainly not voting the way the majority of the this hydrant and leaving it on (not shutting it off completely). It has been leaking for heaven knows residents wanted it. It surely makes one wonder if how long. Now my driveway is six inches there was something in it for them. higher ' than the gutter because it has been dropping Did they forget they were slowly put into office to speak for years and there is always a green mossy water up for our concerns? Who will trust them again? is crumbling and Certainly, not Land not the 80 residents who signed hole in the summer. The blacktop hole where that petition. We regret we voted them into office, buckling in front and there is a four-inc- h we will definitely vote them out! my tires go. The water department says it is not their hydrant, they just maintain them. The county Claudia Hansen says its my problem. So I have the mess and a Riverton repair bill if anything is to be done about it. I just live here. I have built a wooden bridge just to get into my house. Do you think I should have to pay for repair of the gutter just because I happen to be the Is homeowner? The county simply does not care. They admit its county property but the homeowner is to Dear Editor: Some people seem to think that there is a lot of fat keep up the maintenance. Its not fair. Its just going in education and that by reducing the fat youll have to get worse. What can I do? more accountability and a better system. Let me Christi state, "the fat is long gone." I am concerned about 4879 W.Clark, 5121 South preserving the quality of education in Utah. Any consumer expert will tell you that generally a cheap Kearns product is one which will not be serviceable. On the other hand if you purchase a better product, at a Editors Note: We dont very often see this kind of higher price, it is usually better made, using a in incorporated communities. We thing higher grade of materials, and will usually last would happening the Kearns Town Council suggest contacting longer giving you better service. Education is no to see it has some influence over county if different. You get what you pay for. To preserve the quality of education you cant cut departments. If not, contact a commissioners office. programs - you expand them. You dont increase The Green Sheet welcomes contributions to both class size as a productivity measure, you lower class Letters to the Editor and As I See It." Letters" size. You give the young children the best beginning should be confined to a length of 250 words or less and possible so they learn to read and do their sums not contain libelous comments. They must be signed, You give older students more feedback on their but the writer's name will be withheld for adequate and writing speaking opportunities and that equates cause. Me welcome lengthier to fewer students per teacher. correspondence for possible A quality program instructional use as As I See It commentaries. Primary conprovides materials in order that a biology lab has a frog sideration will be given to those submitted by people specimen to disect for every students, not one for with expertise in the topic about which they write. A brief description of that expertise should accompany every five or ten. Adequate paper and supplies are the submission. provided at all levels. All submissions are subject to editing for space and Who benefits from the smaller class sizes, clarity. They may be addressed to: The Green Sheet, and expanded programs, adequate supplies? The P.O. Box 7187, Murray, Utah 81107. children. Your children, your grandchildren and i mr Not So Joyful Fat Long Gone -- this is not done, progress in this valley may come to a virtual standstill, not just on the freeway but on nearly every road, street and alley. If ABC Hasnt Made Many Friends With Its Coverage Of Olympics Do you feel like ABC has been playing you like a drum? OUR READERS WRITE than it was supposed tqbe, and ironically, the same', amount of profit the Games are supposed to generate for the sponsors. i i And despite the commercials, ABC will lose at least that much money. obtaining of the rights. Or maybe the network "stars" are bitter over the fact that the executives didnt even try for the Summer games. NBC will telecast those. Id be willing to accept part of the blame for my own blah feelings. But if they have lost the ratings war, theyll lose even more money Maybe we Americans Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down cant be expected to be satisfied no matter what the network does. THUMBS DOWN - To the Taylorsville high student body for staying home enmasse Friday afternoon and schools missing first-eve- r state tournament win. It was exciting for thoseyour few of you who cared to attend students were actually outnumbered by faculty, administrators and adult patrons. For shame. Bet there would have been tons more if the game had been held during school - -- - hours. THUMBS UP - To Cottonwood highs Brad Sorensen for on a tradition of swimming for his dads team (and carrying family winning a gold medal) while leading the basketball team to a fine season. His 29 points at state coupled with his swim win and signing a letter of intent to play college football made it a big week for a fine man. young -- season are based on what happens during this critical period of February each year. Thats why there have been blockbuster segments of such hits as Golden Girls and good movies. In exchange for the s ABC paid for the Olympics, they were able to get certain events, including USA hockey, programmed for prime lime. The glamour events such as figure skating are shown live - well actually, theyre live for East Coast people. Our coverage is delayed an hour. We dont want to miss out on Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Be glad were in the Mountain Time Zone. On the West Coast, at least in Oregon, they begin at 8 p.m. (their time), just as they are ending in the East. two-wee- k mini-serie- s, existed that The Star Spangled Banner would not be played during a medal presentation, since it is performed only for a gold medal. -- Tc Mo.ther Nature. She must have known we needed this big breath spring. Even if winter hits us again well look back cn this as one glorious week. In reality, the beauty of the one-ho- Olympics is simply competing, doing the best you can. mega-buck- ART Im putting you on a very strict diet. Soup and nuts. Even if the network doesnt the ratings war, there are more people grumbling than usuaL lose meaE want to buy Sir, Could you spare ten dollars? 1 a It does indeed seem at times as if ABC is not as organized as usual. Even the up close and personal glimpses of the athletes dont have the zip I seem to remember from past efforts. Jim McKay has seemed defensive and almost tired from the onset. A1 Michaels is his usual wonderful self with the hockey call, but here again, the Americans arent performing well. Perhaps ABC feels the pressure of all that has gone on in relation to the i But we Americans like to win. We want Cinderella endings for courageous youngsters like Dan Jansen, not falls. Not broken legs in freak accidents before a promising skier can even try. Brian Boitano and Bonnie Blair averted the gold medal shutout and certainly Debi Thomas has a chance. As our favorites performed, I could hardly enjoy it, waiting with baited breath for the fall that would take them out of These are typical of questions asked by taxpayers and are presented as a public service of this publication and the IRS. it. Obviously the lack of triumph and the tragedies cannot be blamed on ABCs sportscasters, but since theyre the ones telling us about it, maybe its human nature to become irritated at them. Certainly anyone who hears or sees a newscast prior to the broadcast already knows in most instances what the outcome has been. I do know one thing. Since weve finally found a breath of spring, Ive been a whole lot more impressed with the beautiful winter scenes we keep seeing. In fact, Im much happier over all; arent you wasnt it ABC News that Now told us were going to get hit with another of those arctic blasts? Just kidding. Q. What are the most important tax changes this year? A. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 made sweeping changes to the tax system. The provisions of the Act will affect you when you file your 1987 return. Basically, the Act reduced most tax rates and simplified the tax rate structure. It increased the amount of the personal exemption and provided a new higher standard deduction. Q. How does this years Form 1040 compare with that of previous years? A. Every effort was made by the IRS to keep the forms this year similar to previous years forms. However, all, forms had to be revised to incorporate the major changes of the Act. Q. What are the tax rates this year? A. This year there will be five tax rates compared to the 15 tax rates of last year. The five rates are 11, 15, I The particular 28, 35, andwill38.5. tax rate use you depends upon your income. Q. Do I have to include my childrens social security numbers on my Form 1040? A. The new law says you must include each dependents social security number on your tax return if (he dependent is at least 5 years of age" If you do not include your dependents social security number, the IRS may assess a penalty. If you havent done so already, contact your local Social Security office for information on how to apply for a number. Q. I claim my son as a dependent on my tax return. Can he still claim himself on his own return? A. No. Beginning in 1987, anyone who qualifies to be claimed as a dependent on another persons tax return is no longer allowed to take a personal exemption on his or her own return. Q. My husband and I both work. Are there any changes in the law which could affect us? A. Yes. In the past there was a spec deduction for married couples w both work. This adjustment to incoi was claimed on Schedule W (Fo 1040). The special deduction is longer allowed. Q. My wife and I have dividend come. Every year, we were able to elude $200 of our dividend incoi when we filed. Is this still allowed? A. No. Beginning in 1987, the di dend exclusion of $100 ($200 for m; tied individuals who file jointly) h been repealed. Q- - Where can I get more informatii about how the new tax law will affe me? A. The tax forms package that me people receive in the mail has more i formation. Also the IRS offers mai free publications. Publication 920, planation of the Tax Reform Act 1986 for Individuals , or Publicatic 921, Explanation of the Tax Refor Act of 1986 for Business, are availab by using the order blank in your t forms package or calling toll-f- r |