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Show THE ZEPHYRSEPTEMBER 1990 PAGE 5 4 UDOT vote Priorities and the Book Cliffs Road Zephyr: Tied In with that UDOT had hearings couple of weeks ago to discuss road needs and priorities for the next decade. The prelects Included In Grand Countv approach the $100.000.000 mark and the Book Cliffs Road Is not even mentioned. The total cost of these other prolects already exceed protected revenues. Where does that put the Book Cliffs Road? Dave: My understanding Is that weve always had a commitment If we bring the road up to a certain standard, UDOT will step In and do that And I've always maintained that you have to take It step by step. If we reach a point where If s Just no go, were not dollar road If there's no money to get It done. But at going to push through a this point there are absolutely no Indications that the obstacles cant be overcome. You dont give up on a project Just because If s difficult, or takes a lot of time. Zephyr: If s not the time. Ifa the money. First Sam Tavlor said at the UDOT that meeting they were committed to finishing the road, but he dldnt sav when. Indicating It could come AFTER the other prelects on this long list were completed. Secondly. I spoke to a couple UDOT people who thought this prelect could not be completed for UNDER S100 million. The Road Board's original estimate was S24 million. Dave: Did they have anything to back that up? prelect south Zephyr: It was mostly specification, but for Instance this of town last summer cost 10 million. How can Grand and Uintah Counties hope to construct 67 miles of NEW read, less the pavement for 12 million? Dave: Whaf s the question. Zephyr: Is the price the Road Board keeps Quoting realistic? Dave: I don't know. Ask the Road Board. If you're asking me If Ifs still worth Unless the citizens pursuing, yes It Is. One third of our taxes come from north of down here are willing to cany the entire tax burden, weve got to continue to try to get Industry from our traditional tax base. Zephyr: But vou earlier made the comment that Increases In our tax base from oil and gas are really tied to the market Isn't that what will Increase revenues? Dave: To a large degree. But your ability to get to the wells to get the oil to market Is vital. Anything we can do to help them will help us. Feme: I really don't agree with all that If the market Is there and the people are after It, they'll fix their own roads. As far as finding the oil, that road would get them up there, but theyll still have to build roads to get In there. Zephyr: Traditionally, haven't energy companies built their own reads? Dave: To a degree, yes. That's great and fine. But going back to our tourism economy and applying the same standards, why has the county had to build boat docks for the river companies or gravel roads for bikers? If were going to apply the same standards across the board, then lets say, If youre an Industry, take care of yourself. Zephyr: But a group of mountain bikers Is not an Industry that has anv organizational power to collect money to pave a read. Dave: I agree. But we support that The county maintains things that have even the slightest Indication of being economically beneficial. Zephyr: Right Byt theres a difference between maintaining a read and building a SI 00 million highway. Dave: All roads were built sometime. Zephyr: But theres a difference In scale here. Dave: You bet there Is. And a difference In scale between the money mountain bikers bring In versus oil and gas. A third of our tax base comes from It Im not saying we should push on, regardless of cost, on the Book Cliffs Road. Its worth the effort to keep pushing until we find out Its not feasible. I support that 100. If we come up to an Insurmountable block, that's the time to say, It cant be done. Zephyr: And that's the concern. How much money are we going to spend before we realize this Is not a viable prelect? A million bucks? Dave: Can you say Ifs not viable now and pass up possibly hundreds of millions? Its a gamble. Is It worth It or not? Neither side can say with any certainty. multi-milli- on re-pav- ino 70. . KEN SLEIGHT Democratic Candidate, House of Representatives Utah Legislature 74th District (Grand & San Juan Counties) the time has come... o to improve our standard of living, to provide rewarding jobs and to eliminate poverty. o to improve the economic climate favorable to small businesses and to institute a revolving loan fund for the acquisition of other funds to encourage capitol investments by prospective new and existing businesses. o to plan and develop our towns in a responsible manner so that all of us may have a good environment in which to live. o to improve our educational standards and school teacher benefits, to get back to a week, to equalize educational opportunities throughout the state. o to clean up and remove the Atlas tailings to another location for health and economic 5-da- y reasons. to improve the (J128 river corridor. to protect our public lands and natural resources from indiscriminate development and to assure our area does not become a toxic waste dumping ground. to continue to make our area an educational center and to support efforts toward the formation of a Moab college to support the University of Utah college of fine arts in their establishment of a campus in Moab. NEEDLES OUTPOST Canyonlands National Park - Needles District Located 34 miles west on Hwy 211 General store - snack bar Ice - cold beer pop Showers - firewood Jeep tours by reservation Gas - propane Camping partial hookups 4x4 rentals Scenic flights Maps - books - information dWLy THE BEST BURGERS -- , WITHIN 75 MILES . VOTE FOR KEN SLEIGHT 259-857- 5 259-854- 5 or or 259-887- 9 paid political announcement 259-203- 2 0 if i . ,i , ii .1 . ' |
