| Show The Salt Like Tribune OPINION Sunday Febniaty 1 AA3 2004 Polygamist leader saddened by wholesale condemnation Because of the news that has come over the media concerning the problems in Colorado City and Hildale I feel that I would like to respond Recent action has been taken against 20 or more men in those communities on the Arizona-Utaborder which in et fed excommunicates them and leaves their families in considerable turmoil This is very distressing to me as is the fact that they frequently rob people of their free agency Though we are not associated with the people there we know of some who are involved in those upsetting circumstances that have OwEN A occurred inTheir present problems are ternal issues but I must say that I am equally saddened by the willingness of this nation to condemn plural marriage We strongly believe in having eternal families while the value system in our nation has become such that nearly any marriage or lifestyle is condoned — but let's go after the polygamists I want to say that I support husbands and wives who sincerely work to establish loving family relationships where parents care for one another and their children where they do their best to teach truth and kindness understanding and responsibility I support the recent civil suit of sincere men and women seeking to live plural marriage free from the threat of prosecution I support or- ganizations that try to help strengthen the family unit in a society that appears to be on a rapid ALLRED decline I also have stated before that I MEE support the State of Utah in its efforts to protect children who are at risk from hurtful or neglectful parents or any other threatening circumstances This includes women underage or otherwise being forced into plural marriage I know that some fundamentalists have strong feelings and opinions but they are generally peaceful people who want to be faithful to their state or federal officials will not come up with false accusations because they don't know them Our door is open Ask us more about the loving taught that problems can be solved without resorting to any parents and families in our community those violence I have never at things that you never read advocated about in newspapers or see time any Ask us more about the lotting on TV I think you'll find threats or force of any kind against those who that the majority of fundaParents andfamilies in our mentalists are definitely disagree with me or mis- understand me and my and contributors to those that builders things you community people and our beliefs the cities and towns where never read about in newspapers they live I am simply asking at this time for the state at- My prayer is that a whole or see on TV You71find that the torneys general of Utah lot of trouble will be avoided and Arizona to show care majority offundamentalists are If we work to understand and restraint and avoid one another Surely we will definitely builders and condemnation of those see how each of us views who believe in plural contributors to the cities and and appreciates life liberty marriage and happiness Diviwhere live tOle7IS Utah the Surely they sion of Child and Family Owen A Allred is the 90- Services and other agenyear-ol- d president of the pocies can find ways to help one of Utah's Brethren United most Apostolic children raised in a lifestyle different from lygamous families in this state My sincere wish is that just largest fundamentalist sects The UAB is based in because fundamentalists are different that the Bluedale UTAH VOICES h )' beliefs As for myself I have always House leadership sent mixed signals on cable TV tax The murky blur between politics and policy that members and rewrote it in the form of the TV registered barely REPORT tax often seems to guide our elected officials in strange enough "ayes" to pass Stephens and metaphysical directions played some role in who as speaker was polled last But Goodfellow was supportive the Utah House of Representatives' recent vote to then voted against it allowing and persuaded rive Democrats to repeal the cable TV tax that the same body had him as a GOP gubernatorial candidate to truthvote for the bill Goodfellow interestingly voted passed last year fully state he has consistently voted against the bill and all five of the Democrats who Some Republican legislators felt voted for it joined most of the house Republicans in against new or higher taxes Some Republicans recoiling at voting to repeal it this year ""--they were manipulated in the last days of the 2003 session into attaching Stephens' "no" vote then told lead- The final political twist is that now that the 00 their names to the approval of a new ership they were changing their House has voted 71-- to repeal the tax (which only tax (something Republicans normally votes on the House floor where it —'applies to cable TV users since satellite dishes were hate to do) while their leader House counted k t exempted by a federal law) Senate Republican A quick head count on the House leaders are Speaker Marty Stephens discussing keeping the repeal bill West filed his vote safely in the "no" floor found the Republican locked up in the Senate Rules Committee so the tax column after enough votes had been ship about four votes short of passcan remain on the books for at least one more year counted to pass the measure ing the levy which reportedly and the house Republicans in this election year can In fairness to Stephens a review of would raise about PO million in that in the end they voted against the tax the unofficial "roll-call- " vote in the additional revenue and balance the say Republican caucus meeting preceding budget House Majority Leader the official vote on the House floor then ap- Food Tax Fare Greg Curtis PAUL RoLLY shows that Stephens voted consisLeader Brent proached Minority 0 Republican gubernatorial candidate Jon HuntsGoodfellow tently against the tax Other House Valley City of phase-ou- t leaders confirm that Stephens never approved of and said the Republicans needed help from the man Jr's call last week for a four-yea- r food former ambassador's tax is on sales the the the tax even in private meetings Democrats to pass the tax But House Republicans remember the tax being The issue already had raised tensions between second poke in the eye to the Republican establishthe two parties since the TV tax bill listed as its ment and has positioned him as an outside-the-clupushed in the caucus by leadership and they assumed that leadership spoke with one voice After sponsor Sen Ed Mayne Valley City who Republican That could appeal to a conservative the pitch by leaders in that 2003 caucus meeting was adamantly opposed to the tax That enigma was element among Republican delegates with liberthat the $3 levy on cable and satellite TV systems created when the Republican supermajority hi- tarian instincts Utah government The Republican-dominatewas necessary to balance the budget the prelimijacked Mayne's bill to raise additional money by vote among the Republican caucus repealing sales tax exemptions for big corporations has always resisted efforts to eliminate that tax nary roll-ca- ROILY : 3 s) - 1 c000) b d ll families the most which would help and has leaned instead toward tax breaks for wealthy corporations Just a few weeks ago Huntsman called for ethics reforms another issue resisted in the past by Republican leaders issue normally a DemoThe cratic initiative has a colorful place in Utah political lore After popular Democratic Gov Calvin Rampton announced in 1976 he would retire at the end of his third term attorney Scott Matheson and former Salt Lake County Commissioner John Preston Creer were vying for the Democratic nomination to be Rampton's successor Creer who was leading Matheson slightly in the polls had stated about three weeks before the Sept 15 primary election that he would work to eliminate the sales tax on food The Sunday before the primary Rampton held a press conference and called Creer's position on the food tax irresponsible because he did not explain how he would make up the $50 million in lost revenue Rampton's volley across Creer's bow alerted Democrats that Matheson was his choice as succandidate thumped cessor and the lesser-knowCreer by 15000 votes two days later Creer later blamed Rampton's "interference" for his loss Matheson went on to beat Republican Attorney General Vernon Romney and begin a successful eight-yea- r run as governor d little-know- mg I s e t IC ø fl2M4'4 I '' -' '''' '''''t ''''' - 7 e ''' i 4 t It s yo r e it ft ecio vl y isn't it 77014r i 1 A 4 i : (71 dtt 0 to I i i 41 ' 0 ' t t' ' 0 711 3 3 0E1 f A ' 1 i ' ' ' Tired of hearing about wh'o got voted but being forced to see 2g? 4 - t t 'I k : t How about being forced to right to a court of law in order to receive medical treatment? ) t 4' 1 give-upyou- 4 1 A ' r ' t I t' Utah healthcare is controlled by everyone but the patient It's time that you the patient were voted 1 tt1 Call or write your legislator now hospitals for arbitration 14 41 Ask that they support free agency and patient choice for doctors for trt It's called ANY WILLING PROVIDER and it's already a law in rural Utah Ask that it be used statewide Ji Free agency and patient choice are the only ways to control healthcare costs guarantee quality and put you the patient back in control ! 1 t t Citizens for Better Health Care Through Patient Choice t PO Box57540 1 4 3 4 t 4 wvvwutahpatientchoiceorg Murray UT 84157 t : IL Paid by the Citizens for Better Health Care Through Patient Choice t s St 4 bt r - -' I - - - - - — - hpleOgraelolo011megomd |
