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Show 17 DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE T h u r s d a y , April 27, 2006 Sam Weller's vs. Barnes and Noble Patronizing local businesses can strengthen Utah's economy B THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW No school district left behind ber back to times in classes when your peers had to ight now there is a projected surplus of $i bilask, "What's a thesis?" This money could go a long lion in the Utah State Legislature. The fate of way into fixing the education problems in Utah—to that money is going to be decided by our state funding programs, rewarding competent teachers and representatives in the next few weeks. While there are obviously many deserving avenues strengthening schools in disadvantaged districts. We all benefit by having a strong education system for this money, we would encourage state legislators in Utah. With a more educated workforce, the econto reserve the entire surplus to overhaul the state's omy will improve. Educated individuals who could public-education system. significantly contribute to Utah's economy will stay This may seem extreme, as there are obviously here, rather than move their families to places that other avenues that need that money desperately— put a higher value on education. law-enforcement pay raises or medical care for the We all have a stake in this issue, whether we think disabled, for example. Yes, by taking little chunks out we do or not. As college students from Utah, the of the surplus, we can give firefighters raises. prestige of our degrees will improve once Utah isn't But by making these few exceptions, we have infailing the No Child Left Behind standards set in vited state legislators to divide up the entire surplus place by the Bush administration. among their own pet projects—leaving an amount of money that will make no significant difference on the Students at the U who are concerned about thenstate of public education in Utah. futures, and the futures of their neighbors, need to contact their state legislators and encourage them to We all know the situation of public schools in this state—either because we are the products of them or use this money tofixa problem that has been plaguing this state for years. we know people who are. It's time to give education more than just lip serUtah consistently ranks at the bottom of the nation when teacher salaries and student competency scores vice. We need to stop talking about how much we value learning and appreciate our teachers and start are matched with those from other states. If empiriputting our money where our mouth is. cal data isn't enough to convince you, then remem- R And the survey says: absolutely nothing U administrators and the student government have combined forces on yet another survey, supposedly aimed at answering the big question: Should health insurance be mandatory for U students? The health insurance debate is one of the most daunting issues students currently face. According to a national survey conducted on our campus in 2004, about 18.1 percent of U students either did not have health insurance or did not know if they were insured. This means that, were health insurance mandatory for all U students, these 5,000 students would be forced to find a plan or drop out. The Student Health Advisory Committee started a push to address this issue last year, holding several informational sessions for students to learn about the serious nature of insurance at the U. Members of the committee found themselves speaking to their co-workers as students showed an overwhelming disinterest. The Associated Students of the University of Utah later hopped on board, calling for student response to the issue in a more proactive way. At last, students began voicing their opposition to the mandate. Then ASUU voted to further investigate it contrary to the student body's negative response toward it. And now we see the next step. The administration and student government forged a committee and decided to conduct yet another survey. Aside from the fact that the student government portion of this committee has already proven itself blatantly biased by voting in opposition to its constituents' requests, the new survey by which the committee is seeking student response is unscientific and unrepresentative. Of the 29,012 students on campus, the administration will target 769 random people with a series of 12 questions, ranging from their ethnicity to how much they paid in medical expenses last year. Of these targeted 769 students, administrators'expect 20 percent—about 150 students—to reply, based on empirical data from similar surveys conducted in the past. But let's give them kudos for attempting to sweeten the deal by entering respondents in a drawing for an iPod Nano. So what does all this mean for you? Roughly 150 students will be making a decision that could potentially force 5,000 of their peers to dig deeper into their pocketbooks—or drop out of college. The administration and ASUU seem to be com* Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, religion, creed, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. All letters to the editor will now be published online at www. dailyutahchronicle.com. Letters that the editor deems best represent those received will be printed in the newspaper as well as online. pletely fine with that. What exactly is the purpose of this survey? ASUU already discredited the survey process by voting against constituents' requests. Wouldn't members of the student government expect students to be disenchanted with the idea of surveys now? The Utah State Legislature already overlooked another survey regarding students' feelings on a potential recreational facility—but the survey was enough to convince the Utah State Board of Regents. So there's the issue. The administration needs some definitive evidence to show that it knows what the students want. Just some hard numbers to support the idea that this is what those kids need—at least according to 0.5 percent of the student body. This survey is a form of selective democracy, as if to say to the other 28,243 of us: "Not only do we not care what your situation is, but we are not going to let you tell us." But there's still a way to have your voice heard. In The Chronicle's equally unscientific survey, which often gets upward of 300 responses—twice that of the administration's expectation in its survey—we ask whether you want health insurance to be mandated at the U. Voicing your opinion is as simple as pressing a button. Or, you could always detail how you feel on the subject by writing a letter to the editor. We implore you to make your voice heard so there is a more representative record of what the students want for themselves and the future of the U. efore you automatically opt for Wal-Mart's unbeatable low prices, consider the benefits of purchasing local goods and services first. It will be a better Clayton decision in the long run. A grassroots movement called Local First Utah is making a difference throughout the state by supporting local businesses. Local First Utah promotes a stronger local economy through encouraging consumers, businesses and government to look to local businesses first for their needs. For a business to be considered "local" by the group, it must fulfill two criteria. At least 51 percent of the company's owners must be located in Utah, and the business owners must be able to make independent decisions on purchasing, practices and distribution. That doesn't seem too hard, now does it? I mean, all someone's doing is going to a local coffee shop instead of Starbucks. The great thing is that there are benefits to doing something so simple. For example, if someone buys locally as opposed to nationally, he or she can help create a stronger economy for Utah. With a stronger Utah economy, jobs will be more abundant—not to mention that a strong economy can also increase the hourly wages or salaries of employees statewide. In a 2002 study titled "Livable City," researchers found that for every Sioo spent at local bookstores in Austin, Texas, S39 was returned to the local economy. At a national bookstore, only $13 was returned. It is obvious where your dollar is doing more for you. Local businesses also create a stronger community throughout the Salt Lake Valley and across the state by reflecting the wants, needs and interests of their consumers—us. Basically, local stores are Utah. Now, I know how U students feel about community—they Norlen don't want anything to do with it on campus. So this is a perfect solution: We can have community where it belongs—everywhere else. That should make all of you who are against the rec center happy. Other benefits of purchasing local goods include a variety of goods. Local j;oods aren't streamlined for the masses like national goods; they are made for Utahns. Also, buying local creates a personal shopping experience. Patronizing a local business brings out the small town in even tiie biggest of cities. When buying local, you have the opportunity to be acknowledged by the owner. You become an individual instead of a demographic. I am no longer just a white male. Local First Utah has even created a directory on its Web site, www.localfirst.org, for the roughly 487 businesses that have signed on with it. Shopping has never been easier. For example: Say I'm looking for a bookstore. I go to the directory and click on the category that hosts bookstores. Then I'm provided with a list of local bookstores and their addresses. Searches can also be conducted by location or name. Now I don't need to put up with the teen scene at the malls to find a good read. The advantages to shopping locally may not appear overnight or even next week, but they will come eventually. It's time to start thinking long term. By purchasing local, we can make Utah a selfsufficient state. So, next time you go shopping, look for the Local First Utah sticker and make Utah a better place. letters@chromcle.utah.edu GEICO. A15-minute call could save you 15% on car insurance. How many beds will you Family Carnival & Saturday, April 29th 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Liberty Park 1300 South 700 East Games Food Prizes Entertainment FUN for the whole family sleep in this summer? 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