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Show PSC Tells Legislature: Help Poor Pay Utility Bills By Con Psarras Tribune Staff Writer The Utah Public Service Commission issued a challenge to the Utah Legislature: Find some way to help poor people pay for steadily increasing electricity bills, or we will. The PSCs recent ruling that granted Utah Power & light Co a $49 million interim rate increase warns that more rate hikes are on the way, and that more and more people on low and fixed incomes are consequently going to be hard pressed to afford utility service. And, the commission hinted, the failure of the Legislature to provide adequate assistance to the poor will force the PSC to adopt the role of social services agency and look for its own solution. The order implies that a possible answer may be adoption of a lifeline electricity rate, a concept that has consistently stirred controversy when mentioned in the context of utility rate design. A Major Concern I dont know that were neces- sarily saying that a lifeline rate is a cautions Commispossibility, sioner David Irvine, but certainly some relief seems to be a major concern. The commissions order granting the UP&L rale hike contains a "1 failure of Congress and the Legislature to adequately address the plight of low and customers through some form of direct assistance will result in the commission functioning as a court of last resort, the PSC order reads. fixed-incom- e paragraph warning that future increases will exacerbate the finan- will continue to require substantial rate increases. Significant evidence was presented (during hearings on the rate hike request) that the impact of continued and (UP&L) cial problems of the fixed and low income UP&Lcustomers. It is likely that the company substantial rate increases is working great hardship on an increasing number of people in Utah, the commission ruled Funds Diminishing "The commission is particularly concerned that federal funding of energy assistance program grants appears to be diminishing While we do not deem the commissions function to be that of determining means for a redistributing (utility) income to effect social welfare purposes, we note for the record that a failure of Congress and the State Legislature to adequately address the plight of low e and fixed-incom- customers e through some form of direct assis tance will inevitably result in the commission functioning as a cyurt of last resort to solve, through the ratemaking process, the very difficult and tragic problems of people who cannot afford utility service," the PSC order reads UP&L has asked for an overall rate increase of $104 million, of which the $49 million was granted as interim relief to allow' the utility to return to its investors a yield m the amount that PSC has previously authorized. Hearings are scheduled in March to determine whether UP&L shall receive the remainder of its rate increase request, or what portion of it. During recent rate increase hear-Se- e Column Page B-- 1 Sandy City Center 2 Suits Challenge V alidity of Blighted Ruling Tribune Staff Photo by Doug Clark Walter M. Katzenberger stands ready to tangle with the city over a disputed parcel of land adjacent to his home. Mr. Katzenberger parked three viehicles in the way of bulldozers to prevent construction crews from digging trench. Conduit Construction Citizen Wins Land Battle, But War Still Rages By Doug Clark and Jon Ure Tribune Staff Writers Walter M. Katzenbergers tenaciwar is far ty saved the day but the from over. Mr. Katzenberger, 3389 E. Edward Way (4190 South), fended off shovel blades and angry Salt Lake City officials who were trying to dig a trench through what he claims is his property. Salt Lake City Water officials and the construction workers from Westcon Construction Co. were repared Friday to tow away three of Mr. Katzenbergers vehicles blocking the construction route of the $2 million Big Cottonwood Conduit Replacement Project. Mr. Katzenberger parked the two cars and his mobile home on the property at the side of his home Friday when he realized his attempts through official channels to keep the trench from his property were failing. Ill do every damned thing in my power; use everything in my house to protect my property," Mr. Katzenberger told construction worker Greg Olson when Mr. Olson informed him a tow truck had been ordered. Approaching Crisis The dispute appeared to be rapidly approaching crisis proportions when Lt. Bernard Bailey of the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office arrived. Lt. Bailey ordered construction rrr Liquor Panel Denies Store In Mall License for Wine L compliance officer, said that at a recent public hearing of the 100 people attending opposed licensure of the store. Opponents were led by State Sen. Kay S. Cornaby, a nearby resident, who suggested that two nearby state outlets (3255 E. 3300 South and 2408 Kentucky Ave.) are close enough to Olympus Hills area residents. The Utah Liquor Control Commission Friday denied an application for a state liquor package agency for the Wine and Cheese Cellar, 3939 Wasatch Blvd., in the Olympus Hills Shopping Center. Operators of the store, who have taken over the same location where a previous owner had a cheese store with a state license, had asked for a small package agency to be able to sell wines premium (higher-priced- ) as a convenience to customers. A delegation of about 15 neighboring residents told commissioners the shopping center features a theater and is a popular gathering spot for young people, and they suggested the comer of the store where the wine would be stored would not be secure enough to prevent youths access to the wine. Joe Coccimiglio, commission two-thir- He said there is overwhelming" area opposiof a tion to package agency, even if just for d wines, in the shopping center. high-price- Richard Poulson, the operator who runs a licensed cheese-and-win- e store at 2350 E. 7000 South in the Hillside Shopping Center, said carrying wine was a losing for the store but proposition was desired because of the convenience to customers. workers off the job until city officials could produce a court order determining that the property belongs to the city. Prior to Lt. Baileys peacemaking efforts, Mr. Katzenberger warned the contractor he would place his body between the tow truck and his property. The contractor says hes in the right, Mr. Katzenberger said. I say if theres a mistake, dont ride show me the herd on me documents. This is intimidation. Mr. Olson retorted, Well, well do what we have to do. Mr, Olson then called Bill Hurley of the Utah Department of Transportation to see who owned the disputed land. I Dont Know Through Salt Lake City civil engineer Jack Bollwinkel came the response, I dont know. But Mr. Bollwinkel maintained throughout that, The documents as recorded by the state are correct. Mr. Katzenbergers problems began in August when he sent a letter to project engineers inform- ing them there was some problem with the deeds to the disputed land, which is adjacent to his home and also to Interstate 215. d The parcel, he claimed, was purchased by him from the state 12 years ago but the state erred when it filed the property deed with the county recorder, thus officially leaving him with only half of what he allegedly purchased. His proof, he said, is his description of the land in question as he purchased it from the state. The state agreed to sell the land he described in his purchase offer, which he showed as the entire parcel. Encroachment Agreement But the states documents dont agree. They show a line splitting the parcel into two smaller sections. Subsequently, Salt Lake City was granted an encroachment agreement from UDOT for the pipeline project. pie-shape- Salt Lake County and the Sandy Suburban Improvement District Friday filed separate suits challenging blighted conditions in Sandys new redevelopment area and asking the 3rd District Court to void the program. But J. Steven Newton, chairman of the Sandy Redevelopment Agency and the Sandy City Council, said he was not surprised by the filing. I think its perfectly appropriate for them to file because personally I feel there are inequities in the redevelopment law that do not adequately protect the tax base of the local jurisdiction, such as the school district, county, sewer district, etc., he said. The City Center Community area covering 1,450 acres in Sandys southwest comer was set Oct. 12 to help develop an economic base and not to reduce blight as required by Utahs Neighborhood Development Act, the county charged. Area Not Blighted Salt Lake County asserts that Sandy City, having annexed large areas of unincorporated residential territory over the last 10 years and having failed in developing a sufficient commercial tax base to support the residential territory is now attempting to solve its economic a rede. creating problems by velopment plan to develop a commercial tax base in a rural area that is not blighted, the county charged. Most of the area is farmland changing to homes and businesses, explains Weston Bayles, attorney for the sewer district. The area is not blighted to the extent claimed by the city and . . . required for development . . . within the city limits . Calling the program sketchy and unfair the districts complaint contends that parcels were left out in the redevelopment area merely because (City) Council members or their relatives own such lands. Financially Unprepared Bayles said his client is financially unprepared for the city to embark on an expensive cial development that would siphon off taxes needed to finance its normal growth for years. Kent S. Lewis, deputy county attorney, said the citys redevelopment ordinance specifically incor- Mr. industrial-commer- oi-h- c guilt iakr tribune Local News Business TV Fare Page D-- 2 Saturday Morning, November 13, 1982 Pago One Section II porates provisions of tax increment financing to give the agency normal property tax increases at the expense of county government and other taxing bodies. The estimated loss of revenue to Salt Lake County is not presently ascertainable, but the plaintiff is informed and believes the amount . . will be substantial, according to pleadings that picture the area as primarily rural with the potential for commercial-industria- l development. Several older developed areas in the city have blight problems, Mr. Lewis said. But thats not the case with City Center Community. Its a typical rural area with a population of less than one person to the acre. "The variables used in determina lack of ing blight inadequate access to sites, weeds, lack of utilities and so on are conditions present in all rural areas and have no relationship to blight in rural areas, he said. Mr. Newton said the redevelopment agency would like to work out the problems with the several taxing bodies through contracts or agreements. . Yesterday's Chuckle Its no wonder that women live longer than men . . . just look how long they were girls! New Governors Hear the Bad News By Dave Jonsson Tribune Staff Writer PARK CITY Every one of them facing the tightest budgets that states have seen in years, 17 new governors and incumbent governors gathered at Park City Friday to talk shop and spend a weekend together in shared desperation. The National Governors Association sponsored the Seminar for New Governors that is aimed at giving the governors a chance to exchange ideas and to plan strategy to show a united front in dealings with Washington. Gov. Scott M. Matheson, NGA executive committee chairman, conducted a Friday business meeting which governors considered, then tabled for further study a resultuion of support for the proposed 5 cents a gallon increase in the federal gasoline tax. The program would address the chronic underfunding of the highway programs, governors agreed. Whether the governors should support the tax and what they should recommend that the federal government spend it on will be studied by a committee headed by Indiana Gov. Robert D. Orr, it was decided. The executive committee also adopted a resolution that supports a slowed downed real growth (thats with inflationary figures removed) in defense expenditures, unless a strong case can be made for an annual growth rate that is reasonable, around 5 percent. The governors decided the fact that though they desperately need funding decisions from Congress during the next two months the lame duck session is not likely to produce many useful decisions before state legislative sessions begin early next year. Training Center Possibility Report Stepped on Some Toes By Diane Cole Tribune Education Editor . Apparently, a state school official stepped on some toes last week when he publicly announced a private firms possible partnership with a Utah college to train power plant operators. Kent L. Worthington, new associate superintendent of vocational education, Utah Office of Education, told his school board Nov. 5 that General Physics, a Maryland-baseengineering consulting firm hopes to establish a training center at I'tah Technical College at Salt Lake. Even though his office does not control college-leve- l programming. d G Leland Burningham, state school superintendent, felt the proposal ranked among the most important issues of the school boards bimonthly meeting. Seeking Relationship The governor and others have been pushing for just such a relationship between the public schools and private industry, he pointed out. In addition, he said, the proposal indicates his new administration is on top of the challenges facing Utahs vocational education system. Subsequent news reports caught General Physics and college officials off guard. General Physics spokesmen were surprised they were not consulted about the news release. They said the reports premature created misunderstandings and fostered competition among Utah schools. The meetings with General Physics were so recent and preliminary that technical college governing boards and state higher education officials knew little or nothing about them this week. UTech Gearing Up Although Utah Technical College at Provo already is gearing up for a power plant training program. Dr. Worthington approached the Salt Lake technical college about the Column See Page B-- 1 JSk. Jk Gov. Dick Snelling, Vermont, right, discusses proposal with Robert Matteson, Vermont jltiUef'uty OvkdVtltUd11 ' state planning director, during National Governors Association seminar at Park City. i i |