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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2000 Opinion 4 Letters to the Editor What is your opinion? This newspaper welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject. Anything of a libelous nature or defamation of character will not be considered for publication. Please limit your letters to 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for clarity or length. Letters must be signed and include yourfull name, address and telephone number. Limited to one letter per person per month. letter of concern to my friends and neighbors.... A Dear Editor: On November 7th you will have the opportunity to vote for the candidates of your choice and support or oppose a number of initiatives on the ballot. Initiative B, if passed, will effectively destroy one of the most tools law effective crime-fightin-g cient controls are in place to prevent law enforcement agencies from abusing their authority to seize assets. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors in Utah oppose Initiative B, because if it passes they will lose one of the most effective tools they have to comcrime. Just bat think about it from a common sense prospective. What enterprise can survive if the profit is taken out of it? Please join me and help Utahs law enforcement officers stop the proliferation of illegal drugs within our state by drug-relate- d forfeienforcement enforceture. As a career law ment officer, I have seen how effective asset forfeiture can be Voting NO on Initiative B. in the fight against crime. Thanks for your time. Please ilThe production and sale of to vote on November remember legal drugs is all about one thing, 7th. making money. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to Lt. Colonel Gary E. Gunrud Special Projects Director combat this crime is to take away Utah Department of the property and profits acquired Public Safety through this illegal enterprise. B Proponents of Initiative want Thanks voters to believe that law enforcement officers are out of conDear Editor: trol and seize the property of Lt. Keith Squires of the Utah innocent people who are not Patrol would like to with illegal activity. Such Highway all those who contributed thank is not the case and facts prove it. to the recent Four States Officer In November 1999, the office Convention held in Kanab. of the Legislate Auditor Gento Ray and thanks Special eral released a detailed perfor- Linda Clark at the Shilo Inn, mance audit of asset forfeiture Tony, George and crew at procedures in Utah. That report Dennys Wigwam, Houstons states, Contrary to what is said Trails End and the Pizza Hut. by critics of Utahs asset forfeThis convention was a great iture laws, the law enforcement success primarily because of the community is not abusing its generosity and willingness to go authority to seize and forfeit the extra mile of these fine local assets. Law enforcement is not businesses. Again thanks, were taking the property of individu- looking forward to holding smals without due process...We did other one soon in your great not find a single innocent by- town. stander who lost their property Lt. Keith Squires to asset forfeiture. Utah Highway Patrol What some people dont understand is that there are nuEducation merous safeguards already in place within the justice system Dear Editor: It is time to rise up and fight designed to protect people and their rights. back at those who would destroy The United States and Utah Americas Educational System Constitutions require law en- for their own special purposes. forcement officers to have prob- Those advocates who would able cause to conduct searches abandon our childrens educaand seizures. The police must tion to the forces of the market independently validate informa- place with its ruthless compettion provided by confidential itiveness and profit driven ininformants. County attorneys centives would be destroying the must review and approve of ac- very fabric of the structure that tions taken by police or the case made America a great, does not move forward in the I trust that your readers are more discriminating than those system. Finally, the courts provide elitist spokespersons. Vouchers additional oversight to ensure and charters are not the panalaw enforcement has played by cea for the problems of educatthe rules and there is a clear ing a diverse group of children connection between criminal with varying talents and ethnic activity and the property being backgrounds. considered for forfeiture. The There are statistics available for who want facts, not rhetoric. thoee 1999 Legislative Auditor Generals report states. Suffi The October 19th edition of the has-ass- et dhist, New Age, etc. A clear legal decision must be reached about this use of public monies Schools. These authors wereeither or well become as divided as ardent advocates or impartial re- Ireland and Jerusalem. New York Review of Books analyzed five recently published studies of both Charter and Voucher SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS For those who appreciate facts, searchers. The results were eye 1989 New Zealand abolished exin are there opening. Although ofsatisfied national department of there their customers, amples One and authorized a full education are problems. big problem is that the statistics are skewed. fledged choice program. This AAA Deadlines AAA The choice schools skim the gave schools managerial aucream off the public schools, tonomy and parents were given FRIDAY 1 PM those children who are moti- choices as to which school sys- vated and whose parents are See LETTERS, Page 5 knowledgeable. This leaves neighborhood schools with less apt or special problem children. Additionally, of those children who are eligible for vouchers, fully 20 cannot afford the costs of these private, voucher schools. Surprisingly, like any business, management must cope with the problems of theft, mismanagement of funds and even The Southern Utah News (ISSN No. 0049-165is published every bankruptcy, for they all have N. at Main 26 Utah 84741 . SUNews serves The St., Kanab, Wednesday autonomous control of their Kane Arizona and the County, Utah, Strip. Address communications to 26 funds. They use public monies, N. Main St., Kanab, Utah 84741 , or telephone Fax but must run the school like a rates available Class Second Advertising upon request. business, for profit. at Utah 84741 . Newsstand price is 500 per copy. Kanab, paid postage Constitutionalists beware! The Yearly subscription rates to Kane County addresses and Fredonia and U.S. Constitution has been byMoccasin, Arizona, $22; others $30 (out of U.S. $50). The SUNews passed in selecting which schools reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement or submitted items. were chosen by either vouchers or charters. The separation of church Dennis Brunner Carol Sullivan and state has been ignored as pubDixie Brunner lic funds were used for sectarian, Richard Negus Publishers and Editor parochial schools. Reporters If this is allowed to continue Shariotte Brewer Myma Cox without challenge, the evidence Production Staff News Valley is clear that any sect, once it Michael Evangelista Barbara Pyles meets a minimum basic requireFeature Writer ProductionLayout ment, may use vouchers and continue to promote divisive secPostmaster. Send ofaddress cards 9) 435-644-29- 435-644-290- 0, tarian views with impunity, whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hebrew, Bud change Main to-2S- St, Kanab, UT 84741 N. |