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Show th salt lake times FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1976 Page Two Moss Asks Senate For Water Project Funds Senator Frank E. Moss, told the Senate Appropriations h, 10 All People Created Equal provided by this ownership is being threatened by escalating property taxes. (Now added to the tax burden is the soaring cost of home repairs and utilities.) After many years of working, saving, and in many communities older citizens face l, the very real danger of being deprived of their property. Taxation is due process, presumably, and communities need more money each year to support education and public services. But this is no solace to the thousands of retirees on fixed incomes who each year are forced to sell their homes because the taxes are beyond their ability to pay. Several states have legislated relief. One arrangement, sometimes called the circuit breaker," refunds property taxes that exceed a fixed percentage of income. But most legislatures, even while acknowledging the regressive effect of property taxes, have failed to act. It may prove necessary for the federal government to provide the desired relief. One bill, introduced by Senator Edmund Muskie, would if passed reimburse states up to half the tax refunded on1 the basis of income. Elderly renters would also benefit, by provisions for tax refunds to owners of self-denia- rental property. If relief from soaring property taxes is not provided for older Americans, if the retired home owner with fixed income is becoming an endangered species, the nation will somehow have to expand its current provisions for alternate forms of housing. Such n measures as the use of stop-ga- p city hotels to house the elderly poor are clear evidence of providing too little, too late. There have been changes in the approach to the problem in recent run-dow- federal legislation. The Housing and Community Development Act provides for direct federal loans to groups sponsoring housing for the elderly and the handicapped. It provides that units be rented at a maximum rent of 25 percent of the income of the eligible tenants. The National Housing Act provides help with financing housing for the elderly. The chief deterrent to the private sector doing more than it has done is commonly the uncertainly of a profit-margi- n large enough to justify the investment. The most ventures are those of churches, successful unions, and business firms for their own members or former employees. Here, the sponsoring groups subsidize the tenants to varying degrees. One Estero Woods promishing example is the brand-neVillage in Florida. Organized and wholly owned by the Michigan Baptist Foundation. Renting apartments in such communities cannot provide all the pride of home ownership, but it removes the worry of not being comfortably housed. Adequate housing stands first among the needs of the elderly, and is basic to whatever each older person may choose to do in the pursuit of happiness. Advancing age brings to many increasing susceptibility to illness and accident. Medicare, though a very welcome aid, meets less than half the actual costs, on Medicare Supplement," average. Without a the charges for services and hospitalization, in a a serious illness, can use up the last dollar in assets freightful deprivation of rights supposedly unalienable. Fear of crime is almost as great, among our aging, as fear of shattered health. Street crime threatens at every age, but statistics show that the old are most non-publ- ic w so-call- Committee's Subcommittee on Public Works that Utah needs continued, and in many cases accelerated, funding for its water projects to meet the states current and future water demands. Making what he termed his "annual appearance" before the subcommittee, Moss said the entire Central Utah Project must move' ahead at a faster rate if Utah is to water avoid serious long-rang- e difficuif and financial shortages lties are to be overcome. UA potential crisis in municipal water supply has been steadily increasing in the Uintah Basin, Utah Valley and Salt Lake Valley," Moss said. He noted that population expansion in the Uintah Basin has caused water supplies there to be overburdened with even greater population growth sure to come. In the Salt Lake Valley, he said, a dry year of below average water supply could turn off the water in many homes. Moss asked for $800,000 additional funding for the Bonneville Unit, $300,000 of which would be used for the Provo Reservoir Canal Rehabilitation, with $500,000 going for the Alpine Aqueduct. He supported funding for the Jensen, UPalco and Uintah units, saying construction must start as quickly as possible on these units. In addition, he supported funding for a feasibility investigation during Fiscal 1977 of the Ute Indian Unit. Final appropriation requests for the CUP include the $560,000 necessary to complete drainage necessary for the Vernal Unit and $140,000 for the drainage program of the Emery Unit, he said, adding that with these two requests the Vernal Unit will be complete and the Emery Unit will be ready for completion next year. Moss also supported funding for salinity control of the Colorado River. He said if considerable funding is not immediately approved, the return flows of irrigation, municipal, industrial and additional consumptive uses of water will concentrate such quantities of salt in the river that future attempts to control salinity will be even more difficult. Moss final request before the subcommittee was for the supplemental loan required by the Roy to Water Conservancy complete its pressurized irrigation system begun in 1969. "This project has been given top priority by the Bureau ofreclamation, he said. "All phases of the project will be under construction within two months if funds are made available. However, the initial loan will be fully expended by August of 1976 that is why the supplemental loan is needed now." Sub-Distri- ct Technical School Labor Trainees Display Skills The laborers training program conducted on the main campus of Utah Technical College at Salt Lake recently put on a display of skills for about 40 Salt Lake area contractors and laborer union offidels. Training program coordinator, Ross Williams, says the program is one of the most unique in the U.S. since it is affiliated with a technical college and its facilities. Participants in the training program demonstrated various techwork to niques from WilMrs. cement. heat cutting in liams said the demonstration was to bring contractors and union officials current with the type of training being offered, the upgrading program in general and to solicit additional comments from contractors. The training program is jointly sponsored by Laborers Local 295 and the Utah Chapter of Associated General Contractors. Horace J. Gunn, executive manager of the contractors organization said there are at least 95 different job classifications for laborers, and that participants are given training in as many jobs as possible. k The program offers courses for as many of the more than 1,400 members of Utahs Laborers Union as possible. The Laborers Union has three locals in Utah, one each in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo. jack-hamm- er th- eLEASED GRAPEVINE The Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors has outlined details ' for a July 4th Bicentennial parade. Mrs. Marrilee Latta, chairman of the Parade Committee, said the parade will be July 3 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Salt Lake. Mrs. Latta added, the parade will not conflict with parades in smaller communities in Utah. Governor Calvin L. Rampton being named as a favorite son candidate .for President would Utah delesolidify the Democratic National the to gation Convention in Kansas City. Rampton said however, he would neither encourage nor discourage the favorite son move. Michael T. Miller, the governors administrative assistant, said if the states delegates are initially uncommitted to other candidates, they will become split and the state will have no voting er influence. Bus drivers for Utah Transit Authority will deliver 12 new buses to Salt Lake City this week, and 12 more again next week. The buses, part of approximately $17 million expansion program by the company, are being manufactured by the General Motors Corp. plant in comPontiac, Mich. A drive-awa- y in new buses pany is also bringing and the entire shipment of 120 is expected to arrive by the end of May. six-wee- A Third District Court ruling barring employment of wives and other relatives by justices of the peace was to be appealed to the Utah Supreme Court. "There are constitutiona problems on the ruling of Judge Gordon R. Hall, Crockett said. "We feel that the decision cannot be implemented equally unless the Supreme Court rules on it and applies it statewide. The decision presently affects eight relatives of seven JPs in courts in Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties at the present time. often the victims. Crime burglary, vandalism, in rural areas is steadily increasing. arson, assault There must be ways to reverse the current steady increase in all forms of crime. This generally gloomy picture may be somewhat exaggerated. Millions of older people keep well, are not victims of crime, and enjoy their existence more than they expected to earlier. They find new ways to continue their pursuit of happiness through satisfying activities hobbies, new careers, volunteer work, Utah members of Congress and recreation. pressed the administration this Senior Centers, more than 5000 of them scattered week for explanations of proposed moves of both an internal Revenue across the nation, are only the most conspicuous of Service Office and an Occupational numerous facilities designed to help older people find Safety Laboratory out of Salt Lake City. Utahns here, while noting their most satisfying center of interest and to that the number of employes affectreduce the common complaint of no one to talk to." ed is small, indicated that they are dial ed Where thousands of listeners enjoy concert music and news every day! disturbed by a potential trend that might downgrade Salt Lake City as a Western regional center for federal offices. The newly created Commissioi on State Forms and Paperwork thu week began its taks of deciding which forms should be eliminated or simplified. Governor Calvin L Rampton told the five - membei committee he would like the wort completed by July 1, but if mon time is needed, it can be granted Rampton said he wants to know i the state forms are necessary t the efficient operation of govern ment, and if they can be simplified |