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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 4 TOBACCO continued from Page 1 it purports to save, since smokers will turn to neighboring states for cheaper cigarettes—a sentiment the committee sided with. So Christensen is going to give his bill another try with a strategy more in tune with what they want: money. "I'm not trying to buy their votes," Christensen said. "I'm just trying to show them where this money can go." Christensen said the bill would provide both public education and higher education with an additional $io million in funding, as well as $2 million for the U's proposed dental school. It also comes with about $38 million more for other state departments and programs, including the Department of Corrections and prenatal services for lowincome women. Christensen nailed out the idea after sitting down with Gov. Gary Herbert and Sen. Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, president of the Senate, on Friday for advice. But at the end of the day, Christensen's goal for the bill is the same: Save Utah lives by making an unhealthy habit more expensive to maintain. "This bill is not about gaining revenue," he said. "It's about having those people who make a choice to pay more of their own way. We regulate prostitution. We regulate gambling. We regulate all kinds of things that could be said this is putting our morals on another group of people." Only 9 percent of adults smoke in Utah, but even that is too much, said Mary Beckerle, executive director for the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Smoking causes 90 percent of lung cancer cases in the United States, she said. If the sales tax on a pack of cigarettes cost $2, more than 2,000 youth and io,000 adults would quit smoking, Christensen said. Morality and health issues aside, raising the tobacco tax is just bad policy, critics argue. "It says that we're going to apply a very high rate to a very narrow base (of the population)," said Royce Van Tassell, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association. Critics also questioned the government's role in correcting a population's health. "So should we put a consumption tax on food high in sugar and televisions and computers?" said Jim Olsen, president of the Utah Food Industry and Utah Retail Merchants Association. "And what about video-game usage? What about a tax deduction or credit for bicycles, treadmills and fitness center memberships?" The last time lawmakers raised the sales tax on tobacco was 2002, when it was raised from 51 cents to 69 cents a pack. Since Christensen's bill was voted down in committee, its only hope is that at least 15 senators, half of the full Senate, vote to revive it. m.mcfall@chronicle.utah.edu Senate Bill 40 Sponsor: Sen. Allen Christensen Description: S.B. 40 would raise the sales tax on cigarettes from 69 cents a pack to $2 a pack. Monday, March 1, 2010 SITE CELL continued from Page 1 continued frwom Page 1 If research finds a new application for an artificial limb, by posting it on a site with a high volume of traffic, an investor might come across it and make an offer to fund further research so it can become available to the public, she said. "I want to do anything I can to make it easier to help them share their research," Millington said. "This helps them get connected." The ranking system provides these comparisons to help motivate universities to improve their institution's web presences, measuring the activity and visibility of each institution, according to their websites. A high ranking is a good indicator of the prestige and impact of a university, according to the website. d.rafferty@ chronicle.utah.edu wrote identical bills—Riesen's started in the House and Romero's in the Senate—about minors using cell phones this year, but hopes of the law passing relied on S.B. 113 when Riesen's bill became tied up in the Senate. "We really want to highlight to young drivers that they shouldn't have phones in their hands when they get behind the wheel," Romero said. Thirteen other states have passed similar bans on cell phones while driving—five rule it as a secondary offense, and eight rule it a primary, Romero said. The bill now moves on to the House transportation committee for the approval of the other half of the Legislature. j.hibbard@ chronicle.utah.edu KITS continued from Page 1 many different service groups on campus and community members to help get donations. "Dan's grocery store provided the bulk of it," Esquibel said. Local Dan's stores held a three-day program in which customers could donate $12 to go toward the relief effort. They raised about $2,800 in three days. The Latter-day Saint Student Association donated 220 toothbrushes. Campus Crusade received 200 washcloths from the U's Philosophy Club and many supplies and money from the LEAP Program. "Our heart is (in it) to give people a place to do service and help people with their needs," Esquibel said. It gives students a tangible way to help out with Haiti. About 5o students came to help out with the project. "It feels really good," said Kiana Taheri, a sophomore in psychology. "All the work has paid off, and the people in Haiti are really going to be helped." Other students just showed up on the spot. "(On Thursday) I just was downstairs University of Utah's Webometrics Rankings for the last 5 years 2010: 48 2009: 59 2008: 48 2007:51 2006: 47 Webometrics Ranking of World Univerities ranks at least 500 universities each year based on the number of views each university's webpages receive. Source: The U and Webometrics Ranking of World Univerities and I saw a sign and came up, the sign said 'Haiti,' " said Ronel Israel, a freshman in biology. Israel has extended family in Haiti who survived the earthquake and was grateful for the service. "I think they are doing a good thing as young people," he said. "These are the best things and they are doing the best things for Haiti." Campus Crusade also received $286 in cash donations to go toward shipping the kits. It is still accepting donations and needs about $i,000 to be able to ship the kits, but still hopes to send them out this week. j.bowen@ chronicle.utah.edu Campus Crusade for Christ and the Global Aid Network still need $1,000 to ship the kits to Haiti. To make donations to the Haiti relief effort, visit www. utahcru.com/donate and follow the link. TheltddleFaSITIlr011gllitsFilnis Wednesday, March 3rd at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts from 6:00-9:00 pm WANTED: Experienced video garners, specializing in puzzle games. Only you have the skills required to be a page designer for The Daily Utah Chronicle. We need your unique ability to fit together many varied pieces into one unified whole. Your parents thought you were wasting your time, now prove them wrong. Dunia This film is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.mec.utah.edu/outreach CITY ACADEMY Too Good to Remain Salt Lake's Best Kept Secret! I Celebrating 10 Years Now Enrolling for 2010-2011 contact A Few Openings Still Remain - Call Now! a. whitney@ chronicle.utah.edu A College Preparatory, Tuition-Free Public Charter School for Grades 8-12 555 East 200 South Salt Lake City, UT 84102 1801-596-8489 1 www.cityacademyslc.org to apply. Follow us on Twitter! twit-tor. co-miTheChro-ny Dummies makes everything easier. EXPERIENCED SALES R 50% commission A Reference fortheRestaLls! For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, and Dummies.com are registered trademarks of Wiley Publishing, Inc. Pest Control Dallas, Texas 281.974.9658 |