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Show f UINTAH BASIN STANDARD. January Twin '4 ft. NW- - Face 3 sisters out of danger after crash By Lezlee E. Whiting Two Roosevelt sisters who were to LDS Hospital in serious condition following accident on Christmas day are now homerecovering from their in- t ed one-vehic-le juries. Andrea and Barbara Parrish, 17- -, year old twin daughters ofKent and Bonnie Parrish, were on their way home from Salt Lake City on Dec. 25 when Andrea fell asleep at the wheel while Barbara was asleep in the passenger seat. They remember being jarred awake as their 1982 Camera hit a ditch after they went off Highway 40 just as they were SAI .F.S TAX--ou're now paying a little more in sales tax. On Jan. both Roosevelt city and Duchesne of a Countys sales tax increase went into effect. Y one-quart- er 2ND S QUARTER Continued from page 1 1996. .lob growth in the district continues with slight expansion. Konagricultural employment increase posted a 6 percent year-ovthis quarter. The total employment in ie Hasi n District rose to more than 13.600 from 12,800 last year. All three Basin District counties, er 1 1 Uintah.'DuchesneDaggett, showed job h i kes this quarter but the lion's share of i ncreasecame from Uintah County with more than 533 new jobs. Duchesne followed with 235 new jobs and Daggett gained 3 new jobs over the same quarter a year ago. Mining once again led the indus- tries, with 374 new year-ovposi- (ions. A jump in oil drilling and gen- oral oil and gas field services is the er posit ve impact in mining. The Uintah District services indust rios were the next big contributor to growth by posting 170 new pnsi lions. Eighty percent of this expansion came from Uintah County. Duchesne County jumped by nearly 4i) positions and Daggett County decreased slightly by losing 4 service jobs. Munufacturingandfederal government employment were again sectors experiencing a decrease. While most of t h manufacturing losses occurred in Duchesne County, Uintah County had some losses as well. The federal government declines were experienced by a!! counties but Uintah County had i he most this quarter with alossof22 FERGUSON 1 Continued from page nt continue to pursue this project. As a former mayor Ferguson said he hopes the city will continue to pursue a peaceful and productive relationship with the Ute Tribe. I really would like to see the relationship with the Ute Tribe be as it was in 1956, when I came out here with the Utah Highway Patrol, he said, explaining that at that time there were no jurisdiction issues, issues that began to raise in the 1970s, and have caused such conflict . Ferguson said he believes that nearly every issue concerning Roosevelt and the tribe could be worked out around a table - with just elected officials, and without lawyers. There is but one issue, he explains that he believes can not be resolved that way, of jurisdiction of fee lands, which he feels much be decided by the Continued from page 1 Supreme Court, as the two entities too far apart in agreement on that In conclusion Jenkins said of the are issue. former mayor, I commend Leonard "I consider them (Ute Tribe memFerguson for thejob that he has done, bers) my friends. I would like to see a I think he really had the interest ofthe great improvement in relations. They citizens at heart." Looking back the former mayor says his tenure was pleasant because of the people of Roosevelt. I appreciate the citizens. Im just tickled with the support and help they gave me. I sure do love them.' Looking to the future Ferguson says he will be doing a lot of church work, especially work on family histories. He is also looking forward to doing temple work in the LDS Vernal Temple. i are i jb positions. Thu trade industrys gain of 120 positions came mostly from Uintah County. G nicery and department store employment were expanding to effect the increases. tax-ti- l government jobs experienced gn iwth in Duchesne and Daggett coun-- t ins. hut decreased slightly in Uintah Clou nty fur a net gain of 48 positions in the district. Education and hospital hires generated these enhanced local government figures. Construction employment grew modestly in Duchesne and Uintah counties but fell in Daggett County. Financeinaur-unc'real estate (FIRE) businesses expanded slightly in Duchesne, jumping moderately in Uintah County and recorded no activity in Daggett o County. The valueof new construction permits fell sharply this quarter compared to this quarter last year. The drop was 43.9 percent and totaled just under $3.8 million. Last year's figure was inflated by the permit for the Duchesne County jail. Residential construction dropped in both Duchesne and Uintah counties. Just 49 single-famil- y units and mobile home permits were issued in the district , compared to 10 1 ayear ago. The total is barely $2.2 million and reflects a 55 percent decrease. The fourth quarter 1996 (the latest a vai lable data) gross taxable sain in the district totaled almost $96 million for a 12.7 percent gain over the same period the year before. As traditionally is the case, Uintah County tallied the large majority of t hese sales, 68 percent this quarter. COUNTY WATER DISTRICT Continued from page 1 The lime period for public announcement and submission of to the County Commission for ci msidcr.it ion will begin Tuesday, Jan. 6 and conclude Friday, Feb. 13. Submit all resumes to: Duchesne County Commission, P.O. Box 270, or bring Duchesne, UT 84021-027to the County Clerks office in the Duchesne County Administrative Offices. 734 North Center Street, Duchesne, Utah es 0; 1 entering Duchesne city. According to Andrea, they saw the wall of the Catholic Mission Church on main street just prior to the time their vehicle slammed into the corner of the church, but she says they blacked out before the impact at just about 3 p.m. Barbara sustained a fractured ankle and fractured vertebra. She was released from the hospital last week wearing a walking cast and a body cast that extends from her waist to underneath her arms. She will be in the body cast for six months. Andrea was released from LDS Hospital yesterday (Monday, Jan. 5). She underwent four hours of bone surgery on a broken ankle and broken leg and plastic surgery on her face on Christmas day. Doctors dont anticipate any further surgery, she said. Andrea also sustained a broken hip, broken nose and a 'deep laceration over her knee. She expects to spend about three months in rehabilitation. Neither girl suffered any internal injuries and Andrea said they both know they were lucky their lives were spared in the crash. They were not wearing their seat belts. "I couldnt feel any pain at all. I was worried about Barbara. I waa just thinking about her. I didnt even think I waa hurt, Andrea detailed. The girls were on their way home to go to work Christmas night and had a lack of sleep during the previous days. Andrea said the lesson she and her sister have learned from their ordeal is to always wear your seat I had my seat belt on from Salt Lake to Heber City when we stopped to get something to eat, and I just didnt put it on again. The girls are juniors at Union High, they will be tutored at home until they can return to school. growth shows expenditures are stable increase, the issuing of $600 million in bonds and significant transfers; from the general fund. The issuing of bonds, the transfer of general fund monies to the transportation fund, and a series of property, income, and sales tax cuts over the last few years have resulted in a decline of state expenditures relative to personal income while more money is being spent on the states highways. "Stated differentthe large increase in expendiforthepoorandmedicallyneedy.lt ly, tures on transportation capital has is mainly funded by the federal govcome from the gas tax increase, ernment (72 percent) with the balbonding, and at the expense of gencoffers. from state ance coining eral fund programs, not at the overUntil recently the federal government set the rules, giving the all expense of the Utah taxpayer. According to the report, "This state the option of accepting them or not participating in the program. shift from general fund programs to transportation expenditures keeps Not wanting to lose the substantial but funds, states have accepted the the tax burden from increasing it places increasing pressure on the mandates. There are two main reaprograms which are being affected sons for the rapid increase in Medthe shift. Public and higher eduby icaid expenditures. First, medical cation, which are arguably keys to inflation has substantially exceedlowed overall inflation for quite some Utahs future, are receiving the to relative of level est perfunding, time. Second, the federal government has changed eligibility re- sonal income, of any time during the part 17 years. quirements allowing more people to The report concludes, The chalthe for states the program, qualify for Utahs governor and legislenge report is to find that delicate ballature exThe second fastest growing between ance providing adequate penditure area in state goverunent resources for all state programs, with law deal that are the agencies tax burden Utahs while keeping and order (mainly Department of now Corrections and the state courts). within acceptable levels. This is deUtahs task given unique easy combined ofthese The expenditures mographics and fast growing popuagencies has grown from $4.85 per lation. Great care and a visionary to of income $8.59. $1,000 personal perspective of Utahs future will be As with the nation, Utahns have needed to successfully deal with this become increasingly concerned delicate balance. about crime and this concern has been translated into more state govUintah Basin STANDARD : ernment action. Utahs prison population has increased from 1,341 in 1982 to 4,272 in 1996. This is an annual average growth rate of 8.6 gpsu'r percent, more than four times as fast as the growth in the state popja!t Tpllree ulation. As a result, the states incarcerated population has increased from 77 per 100,000 population to of the study period, two m aj or shifts in public spending have occurred. First and foremost, the state Health Department driven by the Medicaid program, has grown faster than any other state agency or program. Health expenditures have grown from $10.99 per $1,000 of personal income in FY 1981 to a projected $20.60 in FY 1998. Medicaid is a federalstate health care program 17-ye- ar 17-ye- ar mid-1980- tfDSH S 182. The most important shift in state expenditures in the last few years has been toward transportation. Between FY 1981 and 1995, transportation expenditures declined from $17.14 per $1,000 of personal income to $12.57, a decline of 27 percent. "In the last three years, the legislature has turned the decline around and transportation expenditures have increased steadily to a projected $16.40 per $1,000 or personal income for FY 1998, the report states. This increase spending has come from the gas tax Associated Press The cost of living for WaRatch Front residents declined 0.1 percent last month, identical to the drop recorded nationally. Transportation had the biggest drop in costs, down 0.7 percent for the month, said Kelly K. Matthews, chief economist for First Security Bank, which which sponsors the monthly report. Matthews said gasoline prices have dipped for three consecutive months. Correspondingly, the cost of transportation has dropped 0.6 percent over the past six months, compared to the same period last year. Clothing and health care costs also went down last month, offsetting increases in groceries and miscellaneous costs. Housing, dining out and utility costa were, stable. Overall, the Wasatch Front cost has. .declined J(;5. percent over the past six months compared to the same period in 1996. Nationally, the Labor Department reported Tuesday that t he cost of gasoline, oranges and airline fares fell in November, holding down the increase in all consumer prices to 0. 1 percent, the smal lest i n crease i n the Consumer Price Index in five months. Prices rose just 0.2 percent a month from July through Octo- November Groceries: Prices moved up 0.4 percent, the third consecutive month of increases. Lower prices for shelf items were offset by increases in meat, produce and alcoholic beverages. During the past Rix months, local grocery costs have risen 4 percent over the same period last year. Transportation: Costs were down 0.7 percent in November. Nationally, costs declined 0.4 percent. For the past six months, local you may fixed rate loan with NO CLOSING COSTS! PURCHASE REFINANCE call NOw (800) 779-059- Iwad ipHimiia ext. 402 9 U MM a wM asta tmimf. Ik Ma a rtjw m a mi aar Sap aiAaa man. Ito W MaSCaflailMaiairimiaiilalaaL DFJIT CONSOLIDATION wscAtim iunmiKiHGismomiHA transportation costs have dropped 0.6 percent from one year ago. Health Care: Expenses declined 0.1 percent but the national decline was 0.3 percent. For the past six months, local costs are up 0.8 percent over the same period last year. Restaurants: The cost of dining out locally was stable in November but rose 0.3 percent nationally. For fk1 Monday, Wednesday & Friday 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Roosevelt Distribution Company Mile North & 12 Mile East Of Drive A Little & Save A Lot! HOMEILOANS the past six months, local costs arc up 2.6 percent. Utilities: Residential utility bills were unchanged lust month, but have risen 1.2 percent over the past six months compared to the last year. Nationally, utility bills rose 0.2 percent in November. Housing: Local housing costs, measured by rent rates, were unchanged last month. ber. The rise held the inflation rate for the first 11 months ofthe year to 1.8 percent the smallest since oil prices crashed in 1986. Since First Security began tracking local costs in March, 1988, the Wasatch Front cost of living has gone up 35.4 percent, compared to a 38.4 percent rise nationally during the same period. Here are how the various spending categories fared locally during Big O Tire Store 8, qualify for a lower )R COPY By The Thrift Store 1 If you are paying over Public Service Announcement by the finish Basin Standard Consumer prices held down by transportation costs Wonder Bread Buckle Up and Save A Life! November Shows Decline belt A look at Utah State government "State government, after growing in the 1980s, has stabilized and has not grown relative to the states economy in the last ten years, stated Dr. Michael Christensen, executive director of Utah Foundation, a private, public policy research agency. Christensen stated that the issue is not whether state government spends more money each year; it dies. The real question is whether it is spending more of Utahs economic pie each year. The economic pie used in the study, Christensen said, was Utah total personal income. Ifstate government is growing relative to the size of Utahs economy, it will take more total personal income over time; if it is not growing, then it will take about the same amount of personal income each year. In issuing the Foundation's latest report, A Look at Utah State Government Growth, Christensen stated that their study of state government expenditures over a period from fiscal years (FY) 1981 to 1998 showed that state grew from spending $124.63 per $1,000 ofUtah personal income to $130.88, an increase of $6.25. However, all of this growth took place between 1981 and 1988. Since then, state expenditures have remained quite stable, increasing only slightly from $130.44 in FY 1988 to a projected $130.88 per $1,000 of personal income for FY 1998. Christensen pointed out that there were some unusual reasons for the growth in state expenditures during the fiscal years 1981 to 1988. First, the state experienced historic flooding problems in the s. Most of the states counties were declared federal disaster areas and the Great Salt Lake caused millions of dollars in damage. This caused a significant increase in capital spending and debt service payments to pay for the infrastructure repairs and new construction. Second, the states public school system experienced a significant increase in enrollments over several years. Public education expenditures had to increase substantially just to cover the costa of the new students. As important as it is to know if government is growing, it is equally important to know where and why any shifts may be occurring in state expenditures. "This tells us what changes in public policy are taking place. It is in this area of changing priorities that some significant funding shifts are happening in the state," states Christensen. For most RECOVERING Barbara (left) and Andrea Parrish pose for a picture in Andreas room at LDS Hospital. The l ins were injured in a car accident on Christmas day. r!$i eotiPON" iiatreI Mouse Hunt "PG-13- Redeemable with purchase from Roosevelt Distributing Si THRIFT STORE Value Expires January 31. 1998 UINTAIII - One Show Only 7:30 p.m. No Show Sunday. MOVIE Information Call 722-2095 V s |