| Show - - - cw- - ! 1 I 1 1 1 I I i I 1 A24 a Sunday June 161991 r 1 Redevelopment Agencies Helpful in Fighting Urban Blight 4 ' Ey Alice Larkin Steiner Redevelopment agencies are a useful tool that allows cities and counties to combat urban blight and cause private investment to occur in deteriorating areas In 1965 the Legislature authorized the creation of redevelopment agencies Since then more than 50 redevelopment agencies have been created in Utah Of these 48 were created by cities and towns and two were created by counties Utah is one of more than 24 states that authorizes the creation of redevelopment agencies Clearly this is a very popular tool that allows cities and counties to wield some level of control over their future The Legislature has placed several important restrictions on redevelopment agencies First the governing board of each redevelopment agency is the publicly elected council or commission of the town city or county that creates the agency This gives taxpayers the usual power to show their concern or satisfaction at the voting booth Second prior to exercising any of the powers granted in the Neighborhood Redevelopment Act each agency must designate survey areas to determine the nature and impact at slum and blight that may be occurring A project area of not more than 100 acres in size can then be established and a redevelopment plan adopted (In some cities several project areas may need to be established) The redevelopment plan identifies the specific problems to be resolved by using the powers of the redevelopment act in this geographic area Prior to the plan being adopted a public hearing must be held to bear and consider the views of the owners the taxing entifirs and neighbors to the project a ' I 14 'Tfl t The Salt Lake Tribune i 3 1 t ' I Common Carrier I ease-by-ca- 't ' ' - : ' 0':iiT 4 :i 4 ' A A '''41t1'' !'isF'!r" ""rolko44000 (4114 : :!: - 1i'-- V't ) t '''''''''' ' Alice :sIN I ' ' '' ' 1 ! 1 !'"4:41 '' s l ' ' ' :' - Larkin Steiner suiting from the project is used for a period of time to pay the project costs Fourth the Legislature requires that over time redevelopment agencies take a declining share of the increase in taxes generated in the project area This requirement ensures that all taxing entities receive some benefit from redevelopment agencies Fifth no redevelopment agency may place more than 15 percent of the 1Jca11y assessed property of the community in redevelopment project areas This limits the impact of redevelopment on other tPlcing entities to only a small portion of each entity's total tax base The most controversial power that the Legislature has granted to redevelopment agencies is the power of eminent domain This is the power to require a property owner to sell hisher property for its fair market value to a public entity so that specific public goals may be achieved In all cases the redevelopment agency is required to pay market value The public goal sought in the case of redevelopment agencies is area :Third redevelopment agencies are funded by the taxes generated by the increase hi the tax base in a project area Consequently there is little or no reduction in revenue experienced by any taxing entity Other taxing entities continue to receive their share of the taxes but a portion of the increase of taxes re the powers of redevelopment have been used to lure the tax base of a neiaboring community In some cases the property to be "redeveloped" had never been developed at all Needlos to say this has created another major area of controversy The Legislature did not foresee that the powers of the neighborhood Development Act would be used aggressively for economic development even when unsafe conditions and deteriorating property values do not exist It is planning to address this issue at its next session There are no easy answers and several difficult questions Clearly in the process of redeveloping a blighted area a community is pursuing economic development But should communities have to berm to deteriorate before actively working to attract new families and businesses? If not how should economic development be funded — at the state level or from local tax sources? Is the exercise of eMinPat domain appropriate in the context community so that private reinvestment may occur Since private development will often follow a path of least resistance the ability to assemble property so redevelopment may occur is important The type and amount of incentives neurttbay to cause private investment to occur must be deterbasis The mined on a se law appropriately allows the board of each redevelopment agency to determine its own criteria and review process for each project undertaken In some cases the area is perceived to be so risky by the private investors that the agency must sell the property at a reduced price to attract a private investor larly M some cases the redevelopment agency imposes costly deve- lopment restrictions on the property which may require a sale to a private investor at a reduced price Also owners who sell their property under the threat of eminent domain qualify for significant tax advantages granted by Congress To avoid any tax consequences the landowner can reinvest the proceeds in a similar property within three years Consequently investor owners are rarely harmed by the exercise of eminent domain Throughout the 26 years that the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City has been in existence it has assisted with several important projects which have had a dramatic Impact on the city and surrounding communities These include the new Jan arena the Crossroads Mall the American Plaza Condominiums Symphony Hall Triad Center and renovation of several historic structures including the Capitol Theater the Chit Building and the Plandome Hotel Several Utah communities have broadly interpreted the redevelopment powers granted in the Neighborhood Development Act and used these powers to support their economic development efforts rather than solving the problems of redevelopment Economic development is a fancy way of saying promoting community growth In some cases At a recent Utah high school graduation there was not supposed to be an opening prayer but there was The student valedictorian's speech included a typical brand-nam- e recognition Mormon prayer — evidence some say of an "established church" entangled with local government in Utah The graduate said he had freedom of speech that protected his valedictory address And indeed he has The same First Amendment to the US Constitution that as presently interpreted by the courts forbids him to utter a graduation prayer guarantees him the right to say almost anything else in his final speech to his classmates Only praying is subject to censorship The First Amendment is short This is what the amendment says in its entirety: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" If the "Establishment Clause" the first 10 words of the First Amendment operates to forbid the saying of a prayer at a public gathering with voluntary attendance 4 Ia Opinions expressed in Common do not 'necessarily reflect those of The Salt Lake Tribune or the Common Carrier Board of Lay :Carer I 4 4 4 4 i 1 :i 1 Editors Articles in this department are selected by the lay board of editors which operates independently of The Tribune editorial and portorial policies a a 4 1 The Common Carrier board representing a cross section of the community is composed of E rome Battle supervisor of market-lincustomer service and produc g v tion systems for Northwest Pipeline Ted Arnow retired Utah district chief in charge of water Operations for the US Geological Survey Jean Kelly a Bountiful and Utah State League of Women Voters member Ken Zenger Utah coordinator for the American Federation of Teachers AFL-CIand Hanni Hochberg retired head nurse for general surgery at Cottonwood Hospital and a mem- ber of the Red Cross The board seeks articles from all segments of the community nt prior-restrai- ''Here Are Rules for Submitting Articles 4 4 Articles need not be professionally prepared but should be between 950 and 1200 words long and be typed and double spaced They should pertain to the econ0MiC political and social wellbeing of the Intermountain Area Articles should be timely have a basic idea promote dialogue and be challenging "open letters" are not acceptable t ' : 1 I 1 1 I answer The restaurant association seems to feel it is being singled out with this tax First the restaurant does not pay the tax Those who eat out do Many of those people are from out of town The tax is only two or three cents on an average fast food meal Second the hotels and motels have charged a 3 percent tax for a number of years and it has been empty demonstrated that each dollar in room tax by tourists multiple dollars in the local and state economies Third this money can go directly to cultural and recreational facilities which are alnajor component in Utah's quality of life Fourth restaurants including fast food outlets benefit directly from tourism convention and cultural events My experience in Logan where I live may be instructive In the past few years fast food restaurants a acquired additional property adjacent to their facilities and have converted the space into parking for tour buses The restaurant association said that expensive downtown restaurants are the only ones that benefit from conventions It is hard to believe the 27000 square dancers who will be in Salt Lake at the end of June are going to eat all their meals in costly restaurants Most iniportant this funding mechanism can be adopted in each IPE f I I i I t 1 tf t I 4 ne county to build its local cultural tourism and recreational infrastructure rather than having it all in Salt Lake Count3 GARY N ANDERSON Logan on words or less every 14 days Preference will be given to typewritten (double spaced) letters permitting use of the writer's true name All letters are subject to condensation Mail to the Public Forum The Salt Lake Tribune PO Box 867 Salt Lake City Utah 84110 NAN rono Bonneville Please inform Lori Buttars that records are not set at the Bonneville Raceway on 2100 South as she mentioned in the article "A Musical Season in the Sun-(Tland-spee- d he Salt Lake Triune May 31) Although some Of the spectators who leave the raceway appear to think that they can drive 600 miles per hour it is the Bonneville Salt Flats some 120 miles to the west where the land speed records are set TERRY R SMITH Salt Lake City Bum Can Help do not understand the fuss about bugging the US Embassy in Moscow Normally the US ambassador bows and says diplomatic things to the local dictator Then that night in bed the ambassador tells his bedmate that he and his superiors really think of the dictator If the bedroom is not properly bugged how can the dictator get a realistic idea what he can get away with" The late disaster in Iraq may have been due to an overzealous security agent who swept too many bugs in the US Embassy in I W11 CLARK Salt Lake City 't c R 4' Physical fitness experts are in agreement that a person who wishes to maintain maximum physical condition can do so by walking We do not mean sauntering or walking from a golf cart to a golf ball A brisk walk where the person strides out can accomplish all we need The heart rate can be elevated to the maximum needed with very little risk The joints are not damaged by the pounding of jogging Maybe our president does not take advice on health matters He should Being president is an important job He should not subject himself to an early exit from this life togging is not ry intelligent SIDNEY C BIRDSLEY Past Tterident Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness American C1''ropractic Associa- tion Salt Like City 's - :- Edward McDonough IS a laNyer practicing in Salt Lake City Point: of Law Is published for information: purposes only and should not be: used as legal advice You should see your omit lawyer for specific legal: gion? This is the sort of question being posed by at least one of the amicus "friend-of-the-cour- interested-part- t" y briefs filed before the US Supreme Court in Lee vs Weisman the Rhode Island school prayer opinion - tt T' "famous for diamonds" 1 r ricc I :'''' 1 !I 1 I 1 fle77 4 1 ii tt 1 il sot 1 ! t 1 I'' f t 5 It : ''' ' I t : - 1 S 'aye : Y :"t t' - 1 Ojuu sPta If lel -P- mi" e- 10- 1 L Ca - Ofirt: SLASHED! r r 1 1 i II I 1 i tl- 1 PI ) p I L 1 1 On The Retail Dollar i ' I - ' ' I On Pearls Gold Jewelry ZCIA1 Salt Lake City - ' famous for diamonds- & re & 0162 OM OP Mgt 0 ' '': i i t - !' Watches' i' : i '' t ! 'A I f': (601) 533-073- 7 t (601) 571-525- - 4 i 01000101 MUM 1 L ' 'i Center UT UT Sandy own 4 ! South Towne Center JEWELERS' 1 - Illt I Selected ellTriftt I - " : 1 I $310 1 ' - i Additional discounts good at these locations only ' ' t IA t EMPTYING THE VAULTS! ' 1 A ' Items r' 1 if I cc t it i' e)-- Fine Diamonds 'i i - ----nrw "i - : ti lii 13 -1111 N -- 1:1211 t'") )4 ' !' iI I t - iI i 1 l c'et90 YoU " il lifiLlt 013W14110a W111 -- ' : 1 r ' $i 000 Original Price - 0: 12:9 Lori 73 rt EXAMPLE OF SAVING S '- i - Cid 1 s OêVe ti - I- onlY ' I I f -:-- Pay ': 'llt' - : iill i li- owy nog 4 ' You :I' 1 ' ft 1 pRicEs c"11 t I PPD-1 gliCe --- I: : - ' t e ZC -- 1 -- i - - - t to - ItLrd ''t te': ll N ‘ a 1: ' I" 1 (71 ''TL71U'''S7111 37S 4 — C - I ill t JEWELERS il Ii TONI PLEXICO Salt Lake City Walk for Fitness what does that do to the speaker-prayerrights under the 'Free Speech Clause" the first five plus the 17th through 22nd words of the amendment? How free is your freedom of speech if you are told you can say anything you want so long as it isn't a prayer? And what about your rights under the 'Free Exercise" clause the first five plus the 1 lth through 16th words of the First Amendment? If your religious convictions and practices tell you to begin with a prayer doesn't a gag order on praying violate your right to the free exercise of your reli- ri issmt 13-- mire I t k I have a friend who has a serious others Writers are limited to one letter of 300 reason high-scho- ol 4 r-- 1 I drug problem He asked me after being incarcerated for reasons relating to drugs to find a drug rehabilitation program He had no job or money And rather than being in jail he needed a drug program that he couldn't walk out of After calling at least 20 different places I have found out that almost all of these places can help with at least one to two of these problems but none of them could help with all three If someone is seriously into drugs and wants help they can't walk away from shouldn't there be a place for them? My friend believes that if he can't get the proper help be needs he will probably end up on drugs or back in jail again If drug abusers can't afford rehabilitation they won't go If they can walk out they will no matter how much they don't want to Shouldn't we try to help people help n Edward McDonough I - Tribune Readers' Opinions Drug Help Lacking Supports Tax Forum Rules case The court the brief argues: should take an integrated view of the First Amendment look at the amendment as a whole and harmo--- : nize the legal dzctrines adopted with regard to the various clauses of the rzst Amendment This is not going to be an easy job judging from some of the prior cases quoted in the amicus curiae brief A federal court has held for teacher in a example a basic English class has the right to write the vulgar -- F" word on the blackboard and conduct a discus- sion which some students might find offensive The same teacher however would not be permitted to open the class with a prayer The inconsistencies and conflicts between judicial interpretations of : First Amendment clauses especial- ly among lower federal courts are going to have to be reconciled at some point by the US Supreme : Court and the simple language of: the 46 words of the amendment be interpreted as an integrated whole MW6Q Material should be mailed to Common Carrier The Salt Lake Tribune PO Box 867 Salt Lake City Utah 84110 The Public Forum Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writer's full name signature address and telephone number Names must be printed on political letters but may be withheld for good ' :::7oiletemoottmatuolootw:07::: ‘m1 I am chairman of the Salt Palace Fine Arts Advisory Board whose unpaid members oversee the operation of the Salt Palace Symphony Han the Capitol Theatre and Arts Center Our board has been actively involved 'in finding a satisfactory long-tersolution for funding these facilities arid we feel that the recent legislative approval of a I tax on prepercent county-optio- n pared foods and beverages is the Today's Common Carrier author Alice Larkin Steiner executive di-rector of the Redevelopment Agen- Cl of Salt Lake City-- She stms pointed to the RDA post in June: 1990 after working 10 years at Wallace Assockites Consulting Croup where she rose from manager to se- - a: nior lice president She received' her master's degree at Harvarrt University and her bachelor's Reed College Portland Ore-- The riots expressed In the article are those of the author Point of Law --- d 444 t s ties cannot raid their neighbors' tax base? How should a community decide what subsidy if any is appropriate to attract the new development but isn't more than is necessary? Many sophisticated developers and corporations shop for subsidies although the subsidy is not always the determining factor in the decision to locate in one community over another What role should the division of Comrmmity and Economic Development within state government assume? The goal of mlevelopment is easier for most people to understand than the diverse goals that can be pursued through economic development The LerIlature undertake a sizable task if it aspires to find the answers to all of these questions Whether redevelopment or economic development how each community exercises its powers will have a dramatic impact on bow the Prayer: A First Amendment Dilemma I 1 process and the end results are perceived Utah communities need to have a way to grow and to renew themelves so they can COrtinne be the place where Utah s business-es and citizens want to live Redevelopment agencies are an important tool which permits commuMtics to mate renewal hap- - 7 pen Hopefully within the year communities will also be granted' better tools to pursue economic de- ": velopment before bliet sets in of economic development? Should there be controls so that communi- V t ' 1 t 1 1 ""4°4kho—al w |
