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Show “NOVEMBER 22, 2000 UL UI ME IOC Lal ll | BRU “WASATCH COUNTY COURIER AG. - Presidential Election 2000 - - Yawn... the latest poll results, had a the primaries. With all the baggage ie | come wri legitimate chance to win without the had to carry from the “Clinton Legacy” Republican machine enforcing its will? . get the son of the ex-president, running — surely the party machine could have ‘How about letting true, traditional as the crown prince of the Republican found a more electable candidlgte. Just --Democrats like Bill Bradley have a fair Imost two weeks and still no ~ other pa even ones ‘that proba- bly could have won handily. Instead we President. Not that we're in a hurry, it really doesn’t make a ‘difference in our day-to-day lives if we .don’t know until inauguration day. ~Wasn’t much of a choice anyway. Two shot the road vote at the nomination? Like Republicans, clones discarding their traditional political bases and fighting for the center of the the Democrats are so bound by the polling formula of political strategy that they have lost their roots. Both parties are fighting for the political of American politics. Bush and Gore are like two competing crown prices fighting for the kingship center, and have gotten so good at it that -of the United States. Both come. from rich, powerful families with long histories in American politics. Neither has any idea of what day-to-day life in: -we now have a virtual stalemate. Of course along the way both parties tossed out their principles in the process. — America is really about. Republicans have shown an uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of letting the American people see the other candidates. Sure would have been victory, mostly by allowing the party machine to dictate whom the “anointed” staged talk show masquerading as one. Of course to have a real debate the Republicans and Democrats would have had to invite Nader, Buchanan and Browne. And that would have. meant some tough questions and gutsy answers. No, better that the American public limit its choice to just two seem- _ nice to see a real debate instead of a candidate will be. Beating Clinton in his second term should have been a cake- — walk. Instead the Republicans offered us Bob Dole, a great man and war hero, but probably the only Republican that Party. Given all of Clinton and Gore’s couldn’t beat Clinton. The Republican Party machine said, “It was Doles’s turn to run, he earned it” and thus precluded | a winnable candidate. Same this year. G.W. was the anointed candidate a full year before the primary race even started. The deck was stacked against any Even after the primaries, how about problems, this race should also have been a cakewalk for the Republicans... like the Republicans with Dole, the Given the right Republican it probably Democrat Party machine said, “It was Gore’s turn to run, he earned it.” ‘Wouldn't it be refreshing to have a would have been. .. But the Democrats aren't immune to real choice next time around? What if on the Republican side McCain and the will of the party machine either. heaven forbid Alan Keyes, people with Gore was likewise anointed long before real platforms and County Must ideas that didn’t ly indistinguishable individuals. Trust us, we’re the TWO party system and we know what’s good for you. Winning is everything. Principles and choice mean nothing. And we wonder why only about 50% of the people bother to vote. Carefully Consider — Bonanza Flats Annexation DAN STEPHENS COURIER ? I n July of 1999 Park City and United Park City Mines joined together to approve development of the - Bonanza Flats area of Wasatch County in the mountains above Midway. This agreement anticipates argue “requires”) (some would the annexation of this Wasatch County land into Park City. Strangely enough, they did not include Wasatch County officials in ‘their discussions. Was this just an oversight, or did they just feel they could again hoodwink their rural neighbors and the weak willed commissioners in Wasatch County as they had with the prior Bald meee and Deer Crest Annexations. Earlier Midway City had Slceively killed the project by refusing to deliver water and sewer to UPCM’s Bonanza project. While the proposed develop- ment is in the county, Midway was concerned that a large development plac- ing roughly 300 residential units, a hotel, commercial development and a golf course on top of their watershed could pollute their sensitive water supply. A UPCM spokesman actually said (with a straight face) that they would’ only need one bag of fertilizer per year for an entire 18-hole golf course at a 7;500 feet elevation. A very big bag of fertilizer indeed. Midway City realized that pollution flows downhill. (and most enough, even though from Bonanza back into Park City for Wasatch County wasn’t involved in the treatment. Amazing isn’t it that Park planning of Bonanza Flats, it seems the Wasatch county environmental group, 260 homes, a golf course and a hotel. Friends All from course Sirsa PUBLISHER other stuff) Except in Park City, of State of The Wasatch Park was. It appears Mountain that the Friends of the Park desperately didn’t want a paved road,.sewer and water City can find enough extra water for a city that doesn’t have enough water for the current needs of its own citizens? Water is a magical - lines, with their attendant scars, crossing State Park land, going up the hill and mysterious thing in Park City. . Midway is not alone in its concerns about development in its watershed. from Midway. Another environmental Residents of Salt Lake County have group, Citizens Allied for Responsible © similar concerns. UPCM is in the planning phase of 154 acres they own in the Willow Heights area in Big Cottonwood Canyon, in Salt Lake Growth or CARG, from Park City was- trying to get densities down on the Park City side of the development, known as Flagstaff Mountain, which in its final form consists of 524 units, County. This project could entail several dozen single-family homes on the what appears to be a deal with the devil Salt Lake County side. According to a _ story in the August gond Park Record, it seems that in return for less density Gavin Noyes of the Salt Lake based down from an original 750 units. In- They’re in the mode of approving a lot of development and I don’t think they fully understand the long-term _ impacts,” she said. “I think what would ~ probably be best is for Summit County | and Wasatch County to work together .I think Wasatch County can learn ros Summit County’s experience.” It does make a lot of sense to work. with Park City and Summit Counties - on coming up with regional plans for our area. Our economies and land- scape are too intertwined not to work together. However planning Bonanza. Flats with no input from Wasatch County was not a good start in that direction. Park City and the Wasatch County Commission need to realize that development in our county needs to be in the best interests of Wasatch County, not Park City.- Park City has environmental organization, Save Our grown as large as it physically can Canyons said, “This is the mearnue . without. annexing parts of Wasatch Park lands on our side, the environ- | for 500,000-in the valley below... County. Park City has had its day in mental groups agreed to development | ‘development has the potential a the sun, but all the land in Park City threaten water quality through intensiof 260 residential units, 75,000 square. fied use of the canyons.” | - that is buildable is built or approved feet of resort related commercial With the competition Sap ss ee for building. Now its Wasatch County’s development (read hotel) and 18-hole ' Flagstaff Mountain Resort-partnership turn. A lot of folks in Wasatch County golf course in Bonanza Flats. -aren’t sure Park City is the model we between UPCM and Arizona based So how did UPCM overcome the want to use to plan development in real estate development company no water quandary Midway City had Wasatch County. We appreciate all the DMB complete, the next logical step is placed them in? To overcome this on the Park City side the of the hill and no road or utilities across the State problem, Park City agreed. to pipe ~ to firm up the annexation of Bonanza water over the hill from Park City to — Flats into Park City. As Nora Shepard, Park City’s special-projects planner Bonanza Flats: And since it is illegal in Utah to transfer water from one . -said in the April 29th issue of The Park ‘Record; “Summit County’s definitely _ drainage to another (from the Weber heading in the right direction . . _ to the Provo in this case) Park City Wasatch County has a long way to go. _ also agreed to pump the sewage uphill help and advice you can give us, but please stay on your side of the hill. And Commissioners, don’t give away any more of our most precious commodity, land, to Park City. If it must be built, let us plan it and control it. Grow Wasatch Sone not Park City. | — © _ |