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Show I 2 THE GREEN SHEET Thursday, Dec. 1, 1988 Subscription Tax An Insidious Idea There is no question tax reform is needed, inequities in Utahs taxing structure have been pointed out time and again during the tax initiative debates. . There is also no question lawmakers are currently looking for alternative ways to raise money other than direct taxation. New sources of funding are being sought to meet the increasing financial demands placed on government, and lawmakers of all political stripes deserve praise for their creative, innovative solutions to "the funding problem." One common funding mechanism being employed is a form of "hidden taxation" based on the idea of "use." The idea is that those who use government services ought to pay for receiving those services. The gasoline tax added into the price consumers pay at the pumps is an obvious example of this type of taxation. This tax is used to build and maintain the roads used by gasoline consumers. Most "sin" taxes could also be classified as a "use tax" taxes on cigarettes and liquor fall into this category, even though there is no "government service" received through taxation. User-base- d taxes are "hidden" because the tax is figured into the price of the product or service before it is offered to the consumer a tax routinely "passed along" in the form of higher prices for goods and services. For example, the gas tax is not paid by the service station owner, but is part of the price consumers pay at the pump. Similarly, a bottle of booze at the liquor store already has a 13 percent markup added in before the price tag goes on. One such "use-tax- " idea receiving support from some legislators in recent years is a tax on newspaper and magazine subscriptions. However, since there is no direct "service" received from the government, it is more akin to a "sin" tax than a "use" tax. This tax though it may seem harmless enough at first glance - is an insidious incursion into the fabric of the American way of life and it ought to be strongly resisted by those who treasure freedom ... For publishers, this tax would be only a minor inconvenience. It might mean a small additional cost for bookkeeping, but in the end the financial burden will be passed along to advertisers and subscribers. Higher health insurance costs, increases in newsprint prices and a host of financial factors are routinely added into subscription prices and ad rates, so whats the real harm? How can a subscription tax erode American values? so-call- ed - - - -- What lawmakers ignore is the immense importance of a free flow of information in a free society. Some might argue a tax on subscriptions cannot deter disseminating news and information, but the principle they .fail to see is the importance of a free press to the framers of the Constitution the First Amendment itself is put into question by limiting that protection through taxation. The Supreme Court has ruled the effective flow of information and ideas should have as few barriers as possible, calling some practices "unconstitutional" because they imposed "prior restraint" on publications before the information flow takes place. Taxing subscriptions could be one of those situations - and because a free press is protected by the Constitution, it is the same as taxing church or club affiliation, also protected under the First Amendment. Prior restraint comes into the picture if even only one person decides to cancel a newspaper subscription because the price has become too much to bear when the new tax is added into the equation. If advertisers find rates too high to advertise, this too is a form of prior restraint because it places an additional financial burden on the publisher and brings the survival of that particular publication into question. A subscription tax will then have been detrimental to the free flow of information by putting "restraints" on the publishing industry before the flow of information can begin. The Founding Fathers recognized the important role a free press plays in maintaining freedom. That role, they felt, is so important it was protected in the same breath as the freedom of religion and assembly - one of the prime guarantees we have inherited as a free people. Can we afford to allow the legislature in the name of tax reform - to eat our precious Constitutional rights? at away If the freedom of the press is compromised in this way, what could possibly be next? status Should we abandon the of churches in order to raise more tax dollars? Should the legislature impose a "use tax" for those who choose to join the Lions Club or the Boy Scouts? On first glance subscription tax might seem like a small thing, but it should signal greater concern. We ought to be appalled when a lawmaker of any political philosophy suggests eroding the freedom of the press. If "one little freedom" is lost, no doubt others - 'm -- -- -- tax-exem- pt will soon follow. Tax reform is absolutely necessary ... but not at the price of freedom. Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? Sometimes we taxpayers are our own worst enemy. i t OUR READERS WRITE Take Care Of Nature Support The Governor ! Now that all the hollering and hogwash is over from the 1988 campaign, as a Democratic candidate for Senate District 8, I want to say let us all get behind Norman Bangerter. Who else is better qualified to run this state than Norm? I have been close to Norms administration for the past four years and I must say, he hasnt yielded under pressure. He calls the shots as he sees them. We also must remember that Norm is just one person; he has the House and Senate to help him make the decisions. So please dont blame Norm for all the states problems. Let us all get behind the governor, and I bet we will see a lot of positive changes in the next four years. I also want to thank the 9,186 people who voted for me in District 8. 1 appreciate the trust you had in me. A1 Richardson Midvale Children Our Future I just had the privilege of watching my daughter and her classmates participate in the Creative Pursuits competition at Longview elementary. It was an educational, as well as, an amusing experience. The children have to plan, develop and act out skits representing certain themes with little input from their teachers or parents. I was amused and amazed by their ingenuity. There are people country who say the United .States has lost its edge in creativity in its schools and universities. After viewing this competition and the way the children are learning to put their ideas to work, I believe all this other talk is pure nonsense. The teachers and educators at Longview elementary are to be congratulated for the way the who was held. The students competition participated, my daughter included, make their parents proud of them. I sincerely hope this state and this district never lets these types of programs be cut out of the budget. These types of programs help develop our childrens creative skills and our children are our hope for the future. in.-thi- s Its easy to sit and blame the Legislature and the Governor for wasting money, and no doubt there is some being wasted. But some of the dough that may seem to be needlessly spent is our own dam fault. for Take an example announcement that has come down the pike from the Utah Dept, of Transportation (UDOT). The department has contracted with a Salt Lake advertising agency to develop a three-yea- r statewide anti-littcampaign designed to reduce the amount of litter along the states high-powere- K.tt d er highways. The campaign is scheduled to begin in early 1989. It is designed to compliment UDOTs Adopt-A-Highw- program. Thats a neat program which allows civic groups to pick up litter on specific highway sections. Danny Cannon relations effort. The consciousness about littering services of an ad agency and the in an unconscious, resultant media exposure will not irresistible way. public - come cheap. Those However, UDOT into forced weve that position. Its a public service that could save thousands of Morris says the action stems from a growing litter problem and dollars. departments inability to control litter through continual pickup activities. "We currently spend a lot of time and money on litter pickup. Under present conditions, we just cant keep up, Morris explained. "If we make an effort on education and litter prevention instead of cleaning up after someone has littered, perhaps well have a bigger effect on reduce the problem. helping " In other words, the department must spend money in an effort to the Certainly whoever came up with the idea is to be complimented, as are those groups Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary clubs, etc. who will no doubt take up the - - challenge. But back to the anti-littcampaign. UDOT public relations director Kim Morris says this will be the first organized public information effort UDOT has made against litter in many years. Which means that UDOT is being forced, by us the public, to hopefully save some. spend those extra dollars that the The plan is civic groups will save on the er d, You and Your Child: Success in School t by JIM CAMPBELL Utah Education Association President Five years ago when the school reform movement began, the famous "Nation at Risk" report said students need to do more homework. Children may grumble about those fractions or French verbs in the evenings, but homework can better, help children learn to raise improve grades and make them better readers. Besides that, it can teach and responsibility. But homework isnt just for students. Parents should own some of the responsibility, too. Its wise to find a good place in the home with study materials -pencils, dictionary, paper, proper lighting and a place to store materials. Teachers advise strongly against having the TV going in the home study spot. Music? See what works best. Some students can study while the music is going, others are distracted. When your child in elementary school begins to do homework, the words of & Associates Fotheringham president Bruce Jensen. Fotheringham has been chosen to head the campaign. Jensen explained were that his firm wants to create a campaign "so interesting and fun to watch that the message will be impossible to ignore." I take that to mean the television stations will get the bulk of the bucks. He added that the campaign will include mass media advertising as well as strong public relations and promotional Opera Magic I want to thank you for the space you have given to Utah Opera. I very much enjoy working with Helen Glissmeyer. Her enthusiasm and talent are great to be a part of. We try hard to find stories that will fit with the distribution area of your publication. Thank you again for your interest in Utah Opera. Each season we bring so many newcomers to opera, it appears we are beginning to break the barrier of the perception that opera is only for the "few." What you are doing for us is a great help in that direction. Opera is a wonderful and beautiful art form, and it is our hope that we can continue to share that magic with as many of our community as possible. Judith Frisbie-Goin- s Public RelationsAdvertising Utah Opera Company In 1981, the Utah Legislature mandated development of a green belt through the most concentrated population of the state. The PJRP Foundation under the direction of the Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation encourages development along the Provo and Jordan Rivers. The State Division of Parks and Recreation determines areas suitable for recreational purposes; restores and preserves points of historical interest; develops areas along both rivers to be suitable and desirable for flood control and reclamation; and regulates and controls developments within the flood plain. Much of the land along the Murray Jordan River Parkway has beem acquired for development by way of the Land and Water Conservation matching dollar funds. Murray City has developed the Murray Parkway Golf Course which is a part of the parkway. Some of the JRP land owners want the city to buy their land. They have been told that the city wants to purchase their property for a parkway, however, funding wasnt available. Consequently, Murray City may be running out of time. It is a crime to see such a valuable resource wasted and destroyed. Many years ago, an Indian campsite existed along 4800 South where the Jordan River meets Little Cottonwood Creek. Russian Olive trees lined the banks of the river and was home for many species of birds and a haven for wildlife. Gone are the wetlands and oxbows (natural bends in a river) that once were teeming with wildlife and which provided filtration of water prior to entering the river. San Antonio, Texas; Denver, Colo, and Boise, Idaho; have enhanced their waterways through urban andor rural areas. Murray has set the example for parks and recreation in Utah, and it can do the same for ecological preservation. I think a native environment area blended with formal recreation is best Murray contracted with Utah State University to study development of the JRP. Professor Craig Johnson and several graduate students from the department of environmental planning developed two themes: the first was a formal recreational site, with a few natural reserves; and the other, a solely natural environment. Both plans provide for an area where flooding could take place and this is an important factor in a desert environment. Encouraged use of bike and equestrian paths, nature trails and boating, could only enhance economic development. Sporting goods stores especially could sell fishing goods, bicycles and boating equipment to use along the river. Retreats for children and adults, nature trips for the boys and girls clubs, and high school biology classes, could conduct research at the JRP. WHY, you might ask? We have the canyons so close. At times, the drive and weather prohibit field trips, not to speak of the liability factors. I grew up on a farm in the middle of Phoenix, and I have fun childhood memories of walking in a huge jungle (which was nothing more than a weed field.) When you are only three feet tall, weeds can seem like trees. Life has new meaning when one can explore nature, seeing, feeling and discovering Should we not teach our children the value of their environment? The value of taking care of nature. Monica Bamikoff ( strategies. When you see the campaign begin to unfold, remember, its your tax dollars at work. Isnt it unfortunate that we as a people have, by our lack of consideration, made it necessary? make the sure youngster understands the directions. You may want to do the first few problems together, then watch how the child does from there. You may become less involved when your child reaches the upper grades, but you still should know what the teacher expects. each Meet teacher at r conference night. Teachers often describe their homework expectations. parent-teache- ALL WEATHER COATS i F Double Breasted Trench or Single Breasted Styles With Removable Linings Regular & Longs, Ex. Longs 48-6- 0 i 42-5- 2 5 I 8999-$999- 9 . And this is important: Dont ask whether your child has homework assume theres an assignment every night. Then praise them for getting it 3544 - done. crrh fo0!)s) Acros aBuOJIIWacCH)' t |