Show Monday October 20 2003 A4 TheHeralc journal National view Corporate compensation XMWAKRiMprwm really should be deflated The Christian Science Monitor Treasury Secretary John Snow traveled to New York last week to deliver a pointed message to business: Corptv rate America has failed to “fully and appropriately” address the Issue of CEO compensation that’s highly disproportionate to employee salaries A former CEO himself Mr Snow’s warning echoes a similar one issued recently by ace investor Warren Buffett who said reducing high CEO pay levels is the acid test for corporate reform “It would be a travesty if the bloated pay of recent years became a base line for current compensation” Mr Buffett faid Correcting the executive-suit- e excesses of the 1990s should be an ' urgent priority So far the business onshort community is falling this issue The Treasury secretary is rightly concerned that some executives abetted by overly compliant corporate boards — will simply receive new types of compensation other than : stock options that still add up to an unjustifiable total package The concept of long-tercorporate stewardship must undergud any compensation-reform plan Managers have a duty to build up corporate wealth on J shareholders’ behalf “If shareholder " interests cannot justify a compensation -it should be dropped” Snow plan ' ' ' warned y There is no simplistic formula — or m : government regulation — for determining what is reasonable compensation for running a complex enterprise But the rewards for CEOs have escalated wildly to levels that threaten public confidence In 1980 average CEO pay at the biggest companies was about 40 times that of an average production worker Business Week estimates that last year dial figure was more than 200 times average employee pay Despite the furor over such irrational extravagance CEO pay rose again last year albeit at a slower clip than the 38 percent annual growth posted in the 1990s Median pay for CEOs at major firms rose 59 percent in 2002 to $37 million Business Week says was not always the reason: A bear market reduced both bemuses and CEO stock options In those cases where corporate boards don’t reform pay practices to protect shareholder interests two corrective options are available The Securities and Exchange Commission recently issued rules making it easier for individual shareholders to nominate and elect corporate directors But that By Joan Ryan ' is still a complex and is A feasible more for option process V-big stockholders -- such as mutual few years ago Dennis funds and pension managers - to withAftergut was a player someone hold votes for directors who tolerate r whose phone calls were returned and ' 7 greedy pay plans table reservations accepted The benefits of a market-drive- n “ As San Francisco’s chief deputy r economy are too great to allow selfish ! city attorney behavior to weaken public support he argued in Self-restrai- nt Career change for kids’ ' Your view : ' : To the editor Inarecent article by Pat Trostle about taking away the Keys of the Senior Drivers It stated that locally there was 55 Alive classes available at the Hospital in Brigham City But there will be classes held at the Senior Citizen Center Nov3 and 4 8:30 am to 1 2:30 pjn taught by Russell Holdredge Contact Mr to register or contact EloDean Herzog and she will send an application The address of the Senior Center is 236 N 100 East Logan “ : Hol-dred- ge Elo Dean Herzog Wellsville : law against demonstrations protests : picketing and public persecution of ' individuals 1b allow such action on the church’s plaza denies the protec- y tion of citizens’ rights of religious freedom The 10th Circuit Court and die Civil Liberties Union have American y ' : no right to authorize the terrorism and persecution of members of Tire ' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints its visitors or any other person Those who may be visiting Temple Square The Church or its Plaza by way of the approved easement should have equal protection and no court or union should have power to deny that provision years of terrorism against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints must be stopped I have lived in Germany for 18 years and have heard the frequent arid appalling reports of those who have visited Salt Lake City church facilities Visitors and members have been spit on and afflicted with verbal abuse To authorize this type of disruptive behavior on the church plaza will also allow protesters to enter every church and sanctuary to do the same If you don’t protect religious freedom then you harm every one including yourself : Church plaza protection needed To the editor: years of religious persecution is enough The new church plaza owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints deserves the protection of ' Religious Freedom granted in the first amendment of the United States Constitution It was dedicated to be “a place of peace an oasis in the midst of this' bustling city” “an island of quiet beauty in the midst of this great: thriving community” ' Freedom of speech does not give individuals or governments the right to abridge religious freedom by allowing or authorizing petitions protests demonstrations and perse- cution against the church on its own property To authorize such is a violation of the 14th Amendment which prevents depravity of liberty or property Public easement through the church plaza deserves due process of ' ' city’s ground- - ordi- breaking domestic-partnenance in the late 1990s against United Airlines paving the way for : similar laws across the United States Then in the summerof 2000 Aftergutdisappeared “I tell people I’min die fourth ' leave” he year of my joked the other day sitting in an ' office of a tiny school called Oak' Hill in Marin City This is why Aftergut walked away from his career This place A con- verted old house with hardwood floors and pale blue shingles: No that’s not exactly right He left for something else: The boy in the front room the lanky kid with glasses studying Christopher Colum' rs four-stude- : : th post-poni- ng ' learning how to read facial expressions to distinguish between emo- tions'1 “When I went back to Washing- ton DC to see Leah’s specialist” Porter said her voice catching ilhe ' j' : ' week Mr West Here is a list of addresses and phone numbers for some of Cache Wiley's representatives in government: Honorable John Doe Idaho House of Representatives Statehouse Boise ID 83720 IDAHO To can your Idaho senator IDAHO SENATE Senate District 32 (includes Franklin County) — Robert L Geddes 370 Mountain View Drive Soda i at the Senate or your representative at the House: call and ask ' for the person by name To write your senator The Honorable John Doe Idaho Senate Statehouse Boise ID 83720 To write your representative: The Springs i Joan Ryan is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle Send comments to her in care of this newspaper or at joanryansfehroni- send her clecom ID 83276 9 Preston ID 83263- - (208) House District 31 b— Eulalie Langford Lake PO Box 386 Montpelier ID 83254 (208) 847-173-2 646-240- US HOUSE-IDAH- Springs Washington DC 29515 (202) 225-55Idaho office: 304 N 8th Room 3 325 Boise ID 83702 (208) 31 334-195- 'NUCNENEft tfiQb WfSoMGr 1 Herald Journal Editorial policy J Ttn Opinion page it intended to acquaint readers with a variety of viewpoints on matlws el public importance and provide membari of It commorirty with a tonim (or the views Personal colunins carioona and lertan from readen reflect the opinions of their writers and creators Editorial under fte hearing t)ur View" represent the wees 01 the Herald Journal editorial board Members of the edrtortal board: DARRELL EHRUCKbity oeftor CINDY YURTHiTeatures edtor W'l co I BRUCE SMITHpuMsber CHARLES McCOLLUMmanaging edHor il irU amdusions art mart to begatfmd out of a multitude of tongues than tfimujfi ary find of authoritative selection — Judge Learned fond O Mike Simpson Republican — Represents 2nd Congressional District which includes Franklin County 1449 Longworth House Office Building IDAHO HOUSE House District 31 a— Larry Bradford 3208 E Cub River Road ’ BUTT I PUNNO “TUKTS WVAT 1W6 FEDPue CNRJOTO 6AV n nt i ‘ Non Sequitur : ' Lawmakers Have a great Paul Clawson Boise Idaho ' - bus Aftergut had watched his son fail year after year in public and then private schools He couldn't find a place where teachers knew how to uncover the learner beneath Max’s disabilities So Aftergut ana three other families with children like Max — kids with significant developmen-tall- y based learning issues such as ' To the editor I’m quite confident that many young children have the ability to recognize the difference between chapter headings and actual verses-Hava great week you too Mr West ' ' : courts He was tire lead attorney in successfully defending the ' DcLoy F Johnson Logan ’ " US Supreme two-mon- sate autism — decided the only way to said ‘We’ve been tapping with a tiny : hammer out here by ourselves all find such a place was to create it these years and Oak Hill took a pooled their money and energy a down ' sledgehammer' and knocked bought sprawling ' ' 'r tury house renovated it and opened : her walls:”’-: in September 2000 with just their Max could barely read when he s ' £ Oak Hill at own four children began at the “Life is a series of choices ” ' ! age 11 Now he buries himself in die : Aftergut said by way of explanation: ? sports section of the newspaper other “You have a child and you’ll do ' The nighty every morning Anything — anything — to help your Aftergut found Max’s light on late at child succeed” night and a “Hardy Boys” book on ' The school now has 14 children floor He is a different kid ' the maximum it can handle until Aftergut began to say then he sud-more money is raised for expansion denly stopped He couldn’t speak for The tuitions of five students are T' ' a moment then apologized for being ' so emotional being paid by public school districts which see Oak Hill as a desperately “Max is now open ahd curious and : needed able to accept that to leam something option Most of these kids new’ you have to take a chance that had been written off by teachers and ' doctors as uneducable But their par-- ' you might faiL” he said It’s one thing to watch a corner ofents saw something else: the glimmer of the vibrant loving child society be transformed by what you beneath the wandering eyes and ' do in ycriir professional life ' ' But it doesn’t awkward movements cany the weight of ' Artist Mary Porter saw it in Leah one child to begin carry watching Doctors had told her early on that ha himself with confidence to begin to daughter might never speak that she emerge ftom the cocoon of his dis- abilities and see in himself what yaiu might never be able to tell the differ- ence between her mother and a table always knew was there ' “I was handed a lot of Kleenex and This is what keeps Aftergut his return to law He and the told to come to grips with my child’s the said Oak Hill board want to 'rest a of disability” Porjer positioning build more classrooms and hire more sprinkler in the school’s backyard vegetable garden occupational therapists more psy- -' Leah now 9 dug in the dirt near: chologists more speech therapists and more learning specialists to by wearing long purple rubber serve more children gloves she keeps on even in the classroom: Porter uprooted from “This was never just about our Mendocino last year to move to kids” he said “You want to make Marin and enroll Leah at Oak Hill this happen because there are all ' Leah now not only talks she also these families and children in need and no place for them to turn!’ engages in group conversation and is time-consumi- front of the California and 55 Alive classes taught here too C&0W BEAUTY The Herald Journal welcomes letters to the editor Potentially IMous or offensive letters wilnoC be published however and the editor reserves the right to adR al letters to conform to the length and style requirements of ttie newspaper Letters should be: Typewritten and double-space- d No more than 450 worde in length Addressed end include daytime phone ' number tor purposes of verification Signed by the author Individuals are Kmited to one published toller widen any 30day period Addrese totters to h0atlerOhjnewscom Guest commentaries art also welcome and art run at lnC KnQrl CDCTVOOn American jurist (1ST2-1X- ‘ |