OCR Text |
Show 4ZLH01W iflAira Tuesday 3WUTW. 800K31.9 OOBM ZOG. " gygWMMMlK JwaoBwaaauHWuj'. uuM'nuuta,.aMa.awvaaiaiM naeurrm 11 1th Year -- No. , Price, Utah 105 500 Carbon Dlnos fall to Park City, IB Utah faces mounting education challenges jf. Utahns continue to shoulder a high taxburden and the state dedi- cates the majority of the revenues to public education. But Utah faces several major hurdles in addressing mounting public education demands in the future. Utahs per pupil spending currently ranks the lowest in the nation and classroom sizes are the largest, due primarily to the states school-ag- e population. The latest data indicate the state spends approximately $4,200 per student and classrooms in the public schools have an average ratio of 22 pupils per teacher, pointed out the Utah Foundation in a report recently compiled and released by the independent public policy organization. The 1990s brought extremely favorable conditions for public education in Utah, allowing increased per pupil funding and lower class sizes. However, the proportion of spending for kindergarten to 12th grade education dropped as state revenues were directed to capital projects, including highway improvements. lax revenues increased, while public school enrollment slowed across Utah during the period. But a different landscape is expected for the current decade, with an enrollment boom, the prospects of slower economic expansion and the education outcome implemented by the government. In 1997 and 1999, the Utah Foundation analyzed the states education paradox. Utah has consistently exercised a significant effort to fund kindergarten to 12th grade and higher education. But the effort continues to yield low per pupil funding because of the unusually huge number of chil10-ye- S' dren. When measured in proportion to personal income, Utah has a high tax burdea In the burden was 15.2 percent of personal income, ranking ninth highest among the 50 states. Constitutionally earmarked for public education, Utahs individual income taxianls 16th highest in die US. Utahs rates are not unusually high, noted the foundation. But the highest rate applies to more taxpayers than in most 1998-1999- 9, states. For example, married Utahns reach the highest rate af- ter earning a little more than $8,600 in taxable income. Utah sales taxes rank eighth highest in the nation. The assessment in Utah is the third-laige- st property tax levied by cities, counties, special districts and school districts. Utahs property tax registers 36th highest in the nation, while the state ranks 25th in reliance on corporate income taxes. In Utah, 183 percent cf all state and local resources go toward fond higher education. s, Utahs During the budget effort for 2 schools was mid-1990- K-1- , among the highest in the nation. Utah ranked fifth highest in 1996, but fell below the national average by 1999, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2000 census indicated that Utah has approximately 500,000 school-ag- e residents or 22JJ percent of the states total population -- the highest percentage recorded in the nation. When comparing the number children to the adult of school-ag- e working population between the ages of 18 to 64, Utah ranks first in the nation. For every 100 working adult Utahns, there are 38 children, noted the foundation. Utah also has the highest fertility rate in the nation, at 91.4 live births per 1,000 women of child-beariyears. Arizona is second in the nation, with a considerably lower rate of 78.2 per 1,000 women, explained the foundation. In 2000, children ages zero to five comprised 9.4 percent of Utahs population, ranking the highest in the nation. Projections from the Utah Office of Education show public school enrollments increasing by 102,434 from 2001-201According to 2001 preliminary figures, Utah has the 35 th largest economy in the nation, continued the foundation. But when divided by the population, Utah drops to 44th place with a per capita personal income of $2402. In 2000, the average annual salary in Utah registered at $29,229. When divided by a 2,080 hour work year, Utahns rank 32nd in the nation with an average hourly salary of $14.05. The wage for workers in Utah equals approximately 83 percent ofthe national average. Utah students perform at an average level on standardized tests. But most racial groups, including white students, score below average compared to national counterparts, noted die foundation. Examination of comparison test scores indicate Utah would be below average ifit were not for favorable demographics, including a high proportion ofwhite, middle dass students. Utah has historically scored at or near the U.S. average on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests in all areas, except science. Utah students have scored better than the national average in science. Utah students score significantly below average in writing. 1. The Stanford Achievement Tfest is a norm-referenc- ed evalua- tion administered to fifth, eighth and 11th graders since 1997. The tests measure an individual students ability versus a representative sample of pupils. Utahsoverall performance has remained relatively static in the last five years. Students score ter on the complete SAT battery as youth get older. Scores for (Continued on page 3A) norm-referenc- ed stops to allow several deer to cross a roadway in the western part of Carbon County. Often, deer travel in small groups as well as larger herds. However, notall of the deer are visible at one time because of the way the animals A vehicle driver are spaced out or the wildlife are running as members of a herd. When motorists spot one deer crossing a road, they can almost be assured that other animals are nearby or directly behind the one that is visible. Roads, deer collide in ongoing conflict of Helper was a red sports car one driving evening aboutaweek ago on US. Highway 6, listening to music on one of the resident's normal trips story is reminiscent of similar incidents related at locations across the country. Deer populations have always presented a hazard to vehicles, but in many places, increased traffic and higher speeds seem to be getting the better of herds, toward Price. nowadays. By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter . Kilri Rodriguez The sun had barely gone prior when Rodriguez was Helper and she was trav-in the twilight of the eling evening. As Rodriguez approached the small rise that denotes the turn off to the right for Consum- ers Wash, the motorist report- edly noticed a deer flash into her side vision. Rodriguez swerved her ve- into the oncoming lanes of headed toward Price Can-yon to avoid the deer and almost collided with a trade. I just reacted and swerved, the motorist shortly after her encounter with the wild If things had hap- second a later and I had pened done the same thing, I would have hit that truck. As she swerved back into her lane of travel, the motorist looked in the rear view mirror and saw the pickup truck follow- close behind her stop quickly. ' The pickup apparently col- - lided with the animaL Rodriguez assumed the truck hit the deer, she could only see one headlight where before there were two. Rodriguezs close encounter with the deer is a familiar one to County residents. In fact, the local motorists Despite efforts by many wild-dow- n life agencies, the federal govem-Ieavin- g ment and even municipalities, it seems that more deer are showing up dead along the nations highways than ever before, No one likes the situation, Deer that are hit seldom survive the impact, thereby lowering the wildlife population for hunting, The property damage that is caused by encounters with wild-hid- e life is costly and insurance corn-traffpanics are constantly researching ways to cut down their losses, The deer running across high-ways often cause vehides to lide with each other, but more often create hundreds and sands of dollars of damage on each vehicle that actually runs into them, And road departments hate the mess, Animal rights activists have actually started a petition on the Internet to have the federal gov-in- g emment mandate whistles that drive deer away installed in all new vehicles, Statistics show the story. In 1978, the average cost of a vehicle collision in most states was estimated at about $648 per ic ed deer-becau- se incident .. , Currently, the estimate is around $2,000 per mishap cording to State Farm Insurance on figures. In terms of animals, it is esti- mated between deer are killed in the U.S. each year by collisions with vehicles. 500-60(M)- But worse than the suffering of the animals and all the prop- erty damage claims that must be paid out is the human tragedy. While few realize it, hitting a deer can cause major injuries to drivers, even death. Each year the collisions result in almost 30,000 injuries and over 200 deaths in the United The solution seems to be elu- sive. Just like any accident, colli- sions with deer, elk or moose probably will never be com- pletely eliminated, but many steps have been taken to cut down the carnage. Responsible agencies use all of devices and ideas con- trol the problem. In the past two years, the state department of transportation along with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been working to control the wildlife on the stretch of road on which Rodriguezs car was raveling. First came waterers and guz- zlers that the DWR installed west of the highway to keep deer from running across the road to get to the Price River for water. Next came high fences to keep off the road with openings in them to allow any deer that could wander on from the ends ofthe project or from the east side to get back off the road. The wildlife barriers have been fairly successful, but noth- ing is foolproof. - At some point, the high fences and other wildlife barrier devices mast end, leaving a place where individual deer or herds can en- ter a roadway, One of the worst spots for deer killings in the United States in the last few years is Highway 30 that runs between Sage Creek Junction north of Randolph and Kemmerer, Wyo. Wildlife officials in that area estimate that between 400-50- 0 deer a year are killed on that tion of the road a year. Wyoming officials have built at least one underpass so deer can go under the road and they are frnneled there with deer fences, sec-Stat- Remote cameras located on the underpass have shown that deer are at first reluctant to use the concrete structure, but after a while they use it regularly, cut-kinting down deaths of animals in the immediate area and damage to vehicles considerably, Across the nation many more types of measures have been taken to cut down the collisions, Besides the measures tioned, cross walks, reflectors, deer mirrors, right of way planttings that use intercept feeding theories chemical repellents and deer herd reduction have been tried, But the measures are all dc- signed to keep the deer off the highways, a task that is some-detimes an impossible objective to accomplish, The most effective key to sue- cessful safety when it comes to vehicle and deer confrontations involves training drivers to deal with the situations, (Continued on page 2A) ds men-proble- m . er Utah, 52 plaintiffs negotiate settlement in Explorer suit filed against Ford Motor Last week, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtfeff announced a $51.5 million settlement with Ford Motor Company. The agreement resolves a suit alleging that com-pany made false claims regarding the safety of Ford Explorers and the replacement tires for the sports utility vehicles, indicated the attorney generals of-- fe-- The agreement calls for $30 million from the settlement tomount a nationwide consumer educa- tion campaign about SUV safety. Utah and 52 jurisdictions taking part in the settle- mentwill receive individual paymentsof $300,000. remainder will be cover the costs of the investi- - Sunday snowstorm blankets mountains, canyon roadway . Sunday's snowstorm blankets the mountains surround- ing Carbon County. At the height of the winter stofm, near white out conditions existed and Utah Department of Transportebonsnowptows arrived to clear U.S. Highway 6 east of Sokfier Summit Traffic was heavy at times afl during the day as trains' of cars and trucks proceeded through the canyon. Weather forecasters predict more snow Tuesday, possibly Wednesday and Friday. r The attorney gencralsofficchasaresponsibility to protect consumers, said Jeff Buckner, who rcpre- -' sented Utah in the settlement. One way we can do is tostop companies from sending out deceptive advertising. The investigation alleged that Ford violated state laws against unfair and deceptive acts, including: Advertising that the Explorer had car-liksteering and handling. The vehicles a truck and has a higher risk of rollover. e" ' . ' Exaggerating the Explorers capability to cany cargo and passengers. For some models with popu-far options, the vehicle would exceed capacity by simply having a person in each seat, Advertising aftermarket tires as the same as the original tires. The aftermarket tires had different specifications, standards and compounds, Failing to disclose the safety risks associated with Explorers equipped with Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires. Ford knew or should have known about the risk as early as 1993. Ford denies any wrongdoing and the company has agreed to abide by all state and federal laws gov-TemingSUV safety, according to the attorney generals office. The car manufacturer has already spent $2 billion to replace tires in the United States. I would like to congratulate the Ford Motor Company for agreeing to resolve these claims with-th- at out expensive litigation. This settlement shows that Ford has a real commitment to educating the public about SUV safety," commented Shurtleff. , The joint settlement came a year after a $51.5 million nationwide settlement negotiated with BridgestoneFirestone for selling and advertising tires with high rates of tread separation. he I - j |