OCR Text |
Show BeaHioa-AHfflexafcida- i w,nn rrc ciDtj 467 E. 300 AbSOC. SO. SALT LAKE, UT a j-- A wn ?w iiura At : I by Ralph H. Gaff Green Sheet Staff Wrtter GRANITE PARK. "We're not going to lie down and let Murray City walk all over the Granite Patriot in this annexation process theres too nt stake," board president Gary Swensen xtold fellow members of the Granite Board of Education here Tuesday. "We need to position ourselves in the event that this annexation takes place, and look toward consolidating the Murray School District into the Granite School District to protect our tax base," he added. Swensen s comments concerned the districts reaction to two separate annexation questions which have come before the Murray City Council asking Murray to absorb portions of Bennion (currently in the unincorporated county). "The Murray City Council might not fully understand the possible implications of this annexation," Swensen observed. "Should it take place, the negative effect on Granite School District would be a loss of current revenue, a loss of potential revenue and loss of students, creating the possibility of having to close another school." The first petition, known as the "Estes annexation" received the Murray City Planning Commissions stamp of approval June 18, 1987. Property west of the North Jordan Canal (the ' - current Murray city limit), south of 5400 South, east of Redwood Road and north of Interstate 215 was proposed annexation, part of which was earmarked for commercial development. The second petition, which deadlocked the on Aug. 18 of this year, Planning Commission lies south of east of Redwood Road and north of the West Jordan city limits and is comprised primarily of single family homes. A decision on the two petitions by the Murray City Council was postponed last week when Councilwoman Mary Jane Ashton was absent from a public hearing at Hillcrest junior high. "A matter of this import ought to have all of the City Council members present and voting," Council chairman Greg Brown said at the time. "Murray City is plucking the plum and taking tax revenues with no consideration for the position of the Granite School District," board member Lynn Davidson charged Tuesday. "The taxes we would lose from the commercial property alone is not inconsequential." Davidson pointed out that the Family Center, just across Redwood Road from the proposed "Estes", parcel, generated $301,005 in sales tax revenues last year without counting either the recently completed Shopko department store or the Harmons. Granite Districts share of those sales taxes would be in excess of $140,000. "That shopping center is about the same size as 3-- 3 the proposed center on the Estes property south of Taylorsville high school," he pointed out "The anticipated possible revenue loss through annexation of the Estes property alone to Murray City is significant." Swensen explained that following the boards last meeting Oct. 4, he, Davidson and Superintendent Loren Burton visited with members of the Murray Board of Education and administrators to express Granites concerns about the possible annexation. "It was a very congenial meeting," he said. "They assured us that the Murray Board of Education was in no way leading the charge toward annexing the Bennion community." Granites representatives, he said, "expressed our concern that the Murray City Council might not fully understand the possible implications of what might happen if this annexation takes Murray place." Representatives of the two districts also discussed concerns about reports in the news media that k reported agreement between the two districts to continue housing students in their current school facilities. "I made it plain that in spite of some of the things they may have read in the papers, Superintendent Burton did not reach a gentlemens agreement with the superintendent of the Murray District and that nothing has been J v Tor - Initiates New Bridge MAGNA. A ribbon cutting was held last Friday to open a bridge across the canal from Bonneville Acres subdivision to Copper Hills elementary. Members of the Magna Area Council and county commissioners met for the observance which, according to Steve Harris of the council, will save children from having to go around by 8000 South, a distance of several blocks to get tojthe school. The project began when the council took county representatives on a community walkthrough said Harris. "Without making a big deal of it, they told us they would see it was done, and it was, without any or lengthy budget process anything. To me this is an example of the kind of cooperation we get from the county when residents need a little extra ! RIBBON RITE ... Steve Harris and Marlene Norcross of the Magna Area Council are joined by Salt Lake County's director of highways and flood control Tosh Kano, County Public Works area foreman Doyle Grant and Acting County Commissioner doing," he said. John Hlskey Friday in ceremonies Inaugurating the Valley Forge Bridge. The bridge, which has been proposed since 1983, will provide easy access for residents of the Bonneville Acres subdivision to Copper Hills elementary school. r Initiative B Gained Impetus From 87 No More Taxes Protest March Fourteenth in a series - in the of iceberg" mismanagement and waste in state and local government. tip by Ralph H. Goff Green Sheet Staff Writer that all agree Opponents "fat" be should possible eliminated, but that it would take about 100 situations of the magnitude of the Timpanogos affair to absorb the revenue cuts three under the proposed SALT LAKE. Early in 1987 thousands of protesters marched on the Utah State . Capitol shouting "No more taxes!" Seemingly in spite of these protests, Utahs 1987 legislature initiatives. The combination of the three enacted the largest tax tax measures would create such a increase in the states history $150 million in additional tax serious drain on state revenues revenues from a number of that merely cutting "fat could not souices. possibly be enough to absorb the of amount While there were apparently loss revenue several reasons legislators chose anticipated if all three initiatives to turn a deaf ear to the pass, most observers feel. Based on the best information and these protesters pass available at this time with increases, their seeming disregard for "the will of the people" various figures touted by both spawned the formation of the Tax sides - total state and local tax Limitation Coalition which revenues in Utah are being circulated petitions to place three estimated to face reductions of tax initiatives on the November $329.7 million if all three tax ballot. initiatives are approved in November. One of those three initiatives This estimated seeks to overturn that 1987 statewide decision by state lawmakers and impact includes a reduction of reduce some taxes to previous $141.9 million in state tax revenues under Initiative "B", an levels. Initiative "B", the "Peoples Tax one-tim- e - -- Reduction Act," would return various rates on state individual income tax, reduce state sales taxes by 12 of one percent, knock five cents per gallon off motor fuels taxes (both gasoline and diesel fuel) and eliminate 11 cents per pack from cigarette taxes to achieve the levels in force prior to the changes enacted by the 1987 legislature. Supporters of the measure say their only aim is to eliminate "fat" - over-staffin- inefficiency, g, duplication of efforts, and other forms of waste - from government operations. They point to recent charges was million that $3.5 misappropriated at the Timpano-go- s Mental Health Center in Utah County and claim this is "only the initiative." Board member J. Dale Christensen made a motion that district administrators "continue open dialogue and communication" with both the Murray School District and the Murray City Council "to resolve this problem in an upbeat, appropriate way." The board .unanimously agreed with his suggestion. In a related matter, the board heard a report on the findings of the Wasatch Institute for Research and Evaluation (WIRE), a private research corporation which has been studying the issue of combining school districts here to save tax dollars. The institutes report was released earlier this month, and following its presentation to the boards of education of the five districts involved in Continued on page 3 Single Copy TT" 'Cmx t 25 c ' lirrfirir AGrr: Clean Cars Creating Curious Conditions Ribbon Rite ! desire," he said. However, he noted, "we need to do all we can as a board. We owe it to the children and patrons of the Granite District to urge defeat of this IBM! v 1 agreed upon," Swensen said. Swensen also pointed out that it was not the intent of the Granite representatives to initiate consolidation between the Granite and Murray districts. "Were not enthusiastic about pursuing that," he said. "We do not want to add Murray District to the Granite District - that is not our intent or v l oo I 84111 -- The Tussle Over Taxes: Disaster Or Salvation? amount slightly less than the $150 million which the legislature intended to add to state coffers a year and a half ago. These particular statistics come from the Utah Foundation, a private tax research organization which has taken no official for or against the position initiatives. The Utah Foundation report says state general fund revenues which are used to finance higher education, social services, corrections, health, general operations, the judiciary, natural and resources, community economic development, business, labor and agriculture, capital outlay, debt service, and other areas would be reduced by $70.1 million under Initiative B. This equals 9.5 of the 1988-8general fund appropriation. Revenue from the individual income tax, which is estimated to be reduced by $33.5 million if Initiative "B takes effect, goes directly into the Uniform School Fund, greatly increasing the impact on public schools which could occur if added to the $89.8 million in losses anticipated if local school tax property reductions under Initiative "A" are also put into effect. The total impact would equal about 13 percent of the total operating expenditures of local school districts in Utah. Utahs highway programs would be most adversely affected by the proposed initiatives, according to the Foundation report. If the tax on motor fuel and diesel fuel is reduced by five cents per gallon, revenues to the transportation fund would be slashed by $41,295 million, or 21.3 percent of total highway user revenues. In addition to funding the state highway program and providing aid for local roads, state revenues are used highway-use- r Continued on page 3 - - 9 I WEST VALLEY. Car washes We will look for a commonality are keeping the cars clean but the of direction," said City Manager water dripping off the cars builds John Newman. Scheduled tonight (Thursday) is up and flows onto surrounding sidewalks, creating a slippery a public hearing on property at for and the northwest comer of 4100 So. path pedestrians conditions are becoming worse, 4000 West owned by the Soloman explained Councilwoman Janice Family Partnership. They want to from Fisher at the West Valley City change the zoning council study meeting Tuesday residential to commercial to build a Rainbo station on one of the night. Apparently the problem isnt seven acres at this corner. The limited to one car wash but to Rainbo station across the street several throughout the city. would be tom down and the new Grooves were cut in the pavement station would be erected. to catch the overflow water but Vicki Greenwoods property at the excess water flows out of the 4567 W. 3500 South is residential property but she would like to grooves. The Planning Commission along change the zoning to allow her to with the City Council will work operate a card shop or boutique out of her home. with car wash owners to alleviate Also the owners of the Helm the problem. Fisher said now that the weather is cooler the water on Park Subdivision are requesting the sidewalks is not evaporating an ordinance allowing them to as quickly as it did during the vacate eight lots on their property the Jordan River summer. As the weather cools the because water on the sidewalk will freeze Aqueduct runs across the back of and people walking may slip or be the lots. The city council will approve the forced to walk around the icy Continued on page 3 area Curtain Rises At 7 p.m. Friday As THS Presents South Pacific n TAYLORSVILLE. Jason Hughes and Natalie Martinez will perform as Emile de Beque and Ensign Nellie Forbush in the Taylorsville high production of South Pacific, opening tomorrow (Friday) and continuing on and Monday Saturday, Tuesday with curtain at 7 oclock each night. Jennifer Brown will play Bloody Mary; Andy Graft, Luther Billis; Steve Schmid, Lt. Joseph Cable and Vanessa Rodeback, Liat. The cast of 90 is under the direction of Russell Johnson with choreography by Robin Norman vocal, . Jones; Wendel; orchestra, Gary Jensen. Set design is by David Rawson, Joyce McOmie will handle lighting, Steve Schmid is in charge of costuming. The musical, including such unforgettable songs as "Some Enchanted "Im "Dames," Evening," Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair" and "Happy combines Talk," music, comedy, drama and romance in the story of an American nurse and a French planter, played out on a South Pacific island during World War 11. Patrons are being reminded that family night tickets are good only tomorrow (Friday.) Seats reserved in advance are priced at $4, adults; $3, students with any Granite District activity card and children age 12 and under. The family night ticket is available at $15 for up to six Tickets family members. purchased at the door are $5. Mr. Johnson also asked patrons to pay particular attention to the 7 p.m. curtain each night. ever-popul- LOVE IN BLOOM ... Ensign Nellie Forbush (Natalie Martinez) finds a few moments In her busy schedule to talk with handsome Emile prodeBecque (Jason Hughes) during this scene from Taylorsville high's addiduction of "South Pacific." The play opens tomorrow (Friday), with tional performances scheduled Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. i, |