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Show - pirnLiiii r" jr yjy p pr yi V1 jn p m'1 rp"lir)mw" Wp ti' ny 'VWyr-- - jur'jri 1 INSIDE this weeks Express WEDNESDAY, October 16, 1985 Men plead guilty to charges National Guard open house Reduce your electric bill Tithing office recognized nationally Utes beat Duchesne Hunting tips Vernal, Utah 84078 93rd Year No. 83 42 Pages Editorial Obituaries Public Notices Single Copy 25 fir mm Officials from the Uintah Water Conservancy District (UWCD) are earnestly negotiating with three levels of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for a reduction in the repayment schedule on the first block of water from the Jensen Unit of the Central Utah pro- ject. A position paper prepared by the d to Uintah District was offices of the Bureau of Reclamation at Provo, Salt Lake City and on the federal level in Washington, D.C. District officials have analyzed the potential financial impacts of the proposed first Block Notice covering of municipal the first 6,000 acre-feand industrial (M&I) water under the current repayment contract and have concluded that serere financial hardship will result to the UWCD, its subscribers and to their, inhabitants unless the basis of the first Block Notice is modified..., says the position paper. The Uintah Water District is requesting the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation to reduce the quantity of M&I water covered in the first block from 6,000 acre feet to 3,000 acre feet annually. The second request from the district is to prorate the repayment costs of the Tyzack Aqueducts among all block notices or, in the alterrepayment native, equalize the-Mcosts per acre foot amount all block notices. The Jensen Unit of the Central Utah Project include the Red Fleet Reservoir and associate projects to facilitate the delivery of water on Brush Creek. In 1974 Vernal City petitioned for 12,000 acres feet of project water, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District subscribed to 2,000 acres feet, leaving 4,000 acre feet unsubscribed. It was agreed that separate block of 6,000 acre feet would be made available for yse by about 1980, 1985 and 1990. Since the original subscription, the Vernal City water system which then encompassed large portions outside of the Vernal City limits, was has divided and the 12,000 acre-fealso been divided. hand-carrie- et The revised petition of Vernal City approved January 1977 reallocates the 12,000 acre feet of water: Vernal City, 6,500; Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District, 4,000; Jensen Water Improvement District, 1,000; and Chevron USA Inc. 500 acre feet. The first block, which is anticipated to be delivered in 1987 will be approximately half the new allocations. At a joint meeting May 30, 1985 subscribers to Jensen Unit M&I water said their needs in 1987 would be 1,250 acre feet in Vernal City, 250 acre feet for Ashley Valley, 250 acre feet for Jensen and 200 acre feet for Chevron. 7 8 9 Classified Ads Expressions Sports 21 TV Guide 10-1- . 20 5-- 13-1- 20 26 UP The reduction is being requested based on a decline in the development of the areas served by the Jensen Unit. The number of water connections to Vernal City has decreased by 112 from 1984 to 1985 with only a net increase of six connections between 1983 and 1985. Other subscribers have suffered the same. Jensens active connections decreased by 33 from 1984 to 1985 with no net increase from 1982 to 1985. The population of Uintah County declined 900 from 1983 to 1984 equivalent to 3.6 percent outThese figures migration. demonstrate that the anticipated population growth and demand for additional M&I water simply have not materialized, says the position paper. The major basis for the position paper is that construction of the M&I component of the Jensen Unit was Inon Energy predicated dependence to aid the United States in becoming independent of foreign nations in the production of oil and gas. The project facilities were sized Continued on page 2 Jt! fj HISTORICAL register plaque is unveiled by Irvin Haws and and Joseph Winder, Uintah Historical Preservation Committee. Marilyn Hunting, 1st vice president DUP, Janis Bigelow, DUP - Vernal property taxes t second lowest in state 'Die overall property tax rate in Vernal this year totaled 54.85 mills ($54.85 per $1,000 assessed valuation), the second lowest in the state, compared with an average of 75.21 mills in 71 major cities surveyed by Utah Founda- tion, the private tax research organization. The largest portion of the property tax goes for support of local schools. Following is a tabulation showing a breakdown of the 1985 property tax in Vernal compared with the average in the 71 cities included in the survey: AVE. 41.87 13.72 16.04 4.58 75.21 Other Uintah Basin cities listed in the tax report were Roosevelt with a 68.63 mill levy and Duchesne with a 71.37 mill levy. The only levy in the state lower than Vernal is Brigham City that has a 54.12 mill levy. According to the Foundation study, many Utah taxpayers experienced sharply higher property taxes this year, This higher tax burden was the result of ( 1 ) higher assessments placed on properties because of the Tax Commission factoring order issued earlier, and (2) higher mill rates imposed in many taxing jurisdictions. Of the 71 cities surveyed, the total tax rate rose in 48 cities and declined in 23 cities. Despite the levy increases recorded in most Utah cities this year, overall property tax rates in 1985 still were well below what they were during 1970. The average overall levy in the 71 cities had declined about 15 percent period. In most induring this stances, however, the lower tax rates were more than offset by assessment increases resulting from property revaluations and assessment adjustments. These assessment increases were a partial recognition of the inflation that has occurred in real estate values during this period. Foundation analysts point out that the major reason for the unusually large property tax increase in Utah this year was the valuation boosts imposed this year. A Tax Commission factoring order required that valuations be raised by amounts ranging up to 20.5 percent in 17 of the counties. Four of the counties were allowed to reduce valuations and no change was , required in eight counties. An analysis of the 29 counties reveals that the county levey was raised in 15 counties, reduced in 12 counties and remained unchanged in two counties this year. Although some of the increases were substantial, the average county levy was boosted by about 5 percent in 1985. A total of 225 incorporated cities and towns are located in Utahs 29 counties. Of these municipalities, 101 increased their levies, 94 reduced their levies and 30 made no change. Of the 40 Utah school districts, 19 increased their overall school levies, 20 reduced their levies and one district made no net change. The report points out, however, that the 1985 Utah Legislature reduced the prescribed local levy for participation in the minimum school program by 0 90 mill. In most instances, this reduction in the required local levy was wholly or partially absorbed by other school levy increases made by local boards. If the levy reduction prescribed by the Legislature is excluded, then other school levies were raised in 31 school districts, reduced in only eight districts and remained unchanged in one district. More than one way to $3 trap raccoons There is probably more than one good way to catch a raccoon, but Jim Oldaker, 15 and his dog, Scrappy, seem to have a good tactic, but it remains to be seen if it can be duplicated. Monday evening, Jim was watching his dog chase a raccoon through the corn patch east of their Naples home. Usually the dog will tree a raccoon making an easy capture. But in this case, the raccoon made the mistake of irrigation pipe. running into a tw and his dog, Scrappy, examine raccoon they trapped in an irrigation pipe in a corn patch east of their Naples City home. The rac JIM Oldaker 2,3 3 4 12 13 coon is one of the many that have feasted corn patch. h Jim plugged one end of the pipe and tipped it on end keeping the creature inside. in the Jim carried the pipe to his back yard where the raccoon was dumped into a wire cage. He plans to keep the raccoon until it is bigger and then sell its hide. Meanwhile, Scrappy is having a good time barking at the raccoon and gloating over his capture. Carl Oldaker, Jims father, says that for the past three years numerous raccoons have been in his corn field. I dont think they were originally here, but there are a lot now. 2rd vice president; Enid Hatch, DUP president; Emma R. Olsen, president of the National DUP and Margaret Gasparac, national DUP registrar, witness the unveiling. Tithing building gets recognition After a rough and tumble relocation in 1960, a $200,000 addition and numerous visitors through the years, the old Tithing Office, now die Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum, was officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, Saturday. The building was originally located where the Mountain Bell office is currently located. When the building needed to be moved to make way for the new Mountain Bell Building, the DUP acquired ownership and sought to have it moved. The building was all rock. Bob Jones Trucking moved the building, to its present location at 200 South 500 West. During the move, the building fell three times, said Joseph Winder at brief ceremonies Saturday. When the buiding fell at 100 South the back wall fell away. The moving foreman turned to the ladies and said, Well, we need a back entrance anyway, Winder said. Elizabeth Sowards, former Uintah County Historian, said the preservation of the building was a united effort by many involved in the project. The National Register designation will give the museum consideration in planning federally assisted projects, eligibility for federal tax benefits and qualifies it for federal grants. See page 13, Expressions, for more details on the Tithing Office. Officials respond to 10 tough questions Uintah County Community Council what members got they wanted answers to questions identified by the council as issues pertinent to Uintah County residents, but yet not fully understood by the public. Uintah County officials and state legislators were given copies of the questions before Tuesdays meeting and were prepared to respond. Who has final authority to control the mill levy set by taxing districts created by the county commission? troduced last year in the Utah Legislature a bill that would allow a sales tax option to school districts. McKeachnie said he would probably support similar legislation next year, which could mean a reduction in property taxes. Last year McKeachnies proposal was defeated by the Senate. Sen. Sowards said he supported similar legislation. How do we as citizens reduce government spending equitably? People have got to live with less, Sen. they want less taxes, Sowards said. if Commissioner Thom Wardell explained that although the county commission may create taxing districts, the county has no say as to how they set their mill levies. some sets The legislature parameters, but ultimately the taxing districts set the mill levy, said Rep. Gayle McKeachnie. Commissioner Neal Domgaard said that property assessments which are the basis for property taxes need some adjustment. He said that assessments become inflated by the state to generate more funds for the Uniform School Fund. Sen. Glade Sowards agreed that the education lobby is tough in Utah, and they have a strong voting block. What is going to be the future of the property tax? Rep. McKeachnie said he believed that the ownership of property is no longer a good indication of the wealth of a person. McKeachnie in f taiAwnl establishing a community a burden on the Uintah County taxpayer? Will center put County and state officials emphasized the economic benefits of a community center, now being proposed for the Uintah High School. People who have children in college know how much is spent. We could keep some of that revenue local by providing the same opportunities, McKeachnie said. Sen. Sowards said the programs offered by a community center would give those, who so desired, a leg up in college as they would be offered college courses along with high school curriculum. It is a judgment call as to whether it is worth it, McKeachnie said. Uintah County has the highest teenage pregnancy rate, the highest child abuse and spouse abuse rates in Continued on page 2 |