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Show www.dailyutahchronicle.cor ► 5 OPINION Monday, March 29, 2010 SLC should treasure its local stores s WILLUS BRANHAM/The Daily Utah Chronicle Women have reason to fear riding mass transportation T hose who commute downtown are given plenty of incentives to use public transportation. Thousands compete for limited parking stalls or pay expensive monthly parking fees. Gas prices and the cost of living are continually increasing while pay scales remain unchanged. Conveniently located TRAX lines and UTA bus stops further promote the ideology that each of us should help decrease traffic congestion and pollution. For some, the occasion to ride public transportation is no big deal. They're comfortable with the surroundings and seem to enjoy rubbing elbows with an eclectic group of individuals. But for others, the prospect can be terrifying, especially if you're a woman traveling alone. Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, a professor of urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles, recently published her research findings concerning the real fear and anxiety some women have about encountering potential acts of intimidation, crime and violence on public transit systems. The October 2009 study, "How to Ease Women's Fear of Transportation Environments: Case Studies and Best Practices," identified an overwhelming need for communities to address problematic transit environments to help ease women's safety concerns, ALICIA WILLIAMS Senior, Mass Communication and English the results of which would aid in increasing the number of women riders. Nicole Kratzer, 24, works for a financial institution located in the heart of downtown. She sits at a TRAX platform late in the evenings, waiting for the Sandy train. Kratzer said she removes all her visible jewelry for the short two-block walk to the station because she doesn't want to give anyone a reason to attack her. "It's scary, especially when it's getting dark," Kratzer said. "I feel vulnerable." Statistically speaking, her fears are justified. Neighborhood Scout's website reports Salt Lake City has one of the highest crime rates per person in America. Analyzing information gathered from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies, it estimates that one out of every II people will be a victim of a property crime in Salt Lake City, and one person out of every 131 will be a victim of a violent crime. The facts show you're signifi- cantly reducing your odds of staying safe when you spend more time out on the streets of downtown. The daily commute into downtown Salt Lake City offers a deceptive perception of the city. Travelers can briefly glimpse a picturesque panoramic view of the valley on the upper east-bench of 1-215. Even with a smoggy blanket, there's a spectacular illusion of tranquil beauty. The false impression grows as you drive along streets free of debris and litter and pass buildings unmarred with graffiti. From an outsider's observation, the facade of downtown appears spotlessly clean, inviting and safe. A more intimate interaction with the city can drastically change that perception. The growing eco-friendly trend pushes individuals to save resources and money by traveling on public transportation, but it doesn't take into consideration the legitimate distress associated with the effort. The appearance of Salt Lake City might be beautiful and inviting, but the reality is it's not always safe. Women who choose to avoid potentially dangerous situations have every right to endure traffic jams, contribute to the smog and waste gas. Nobody should have to endure the painful shackles of fear just so they can say they're saving the environment, money or resources. letters@chronicle.utah.edu alt Lake City seems to take pride in its traditions—the entire religious structure in any semi-theocratic system depends on them. But Emigration Market, a neighborhood grocer and Salt Lake City Senior, Mass Communication institution grocer since 1942, is now prey of corporate but two Burger Kings and a sniping that is regularly emPizza Hut, among other things braced in the valley. We are inin the eight-block stretch. The undated with chain restaurants U has io or II nice options, and giant retail outlets that depending on your relationdot Middle America the way ship with Jared (of Subway the sex offender registry dots fame), but we are by no means the area immediately west of in a strong, local commercial Presidents Circle. Granted, we district up here. have our Utah-exclusive chains It is hard to establish an such as the Training Table, but identity within a city without we gobble up anything that is those locals-only spots. Any familiar. other big city in the country The closing of Emigration has an established local comMarket is a microcosm for munity, complete with restauthe way we treat local entirants that have only one locaties. Emigration cannot keep tion and a plethora of spots up with the economically that you stumble upon that reinfluenced Freddy Kruger-like mind you why you love living price slashing that is frethere. Local pride is hard to foster if nothing is specifically quently seen at larger outlets such as Smith's, Dan's and associated with home. The the artist formally known charm of a privately owned as Albertson's—now Fresh establishment is not reciproMarket (a ruse, if you ask me). cated on the corporate level, However, Emigration's product and in big cities it can make them feel smaller and homier. is undeniably fresh because of its local ties, and it actually has No matter how beneficial WalMart might be for a commupersonality. "The big stores really hurt nity, nobody but an 8-year-old us," said James Richards, an in the toy section can truly say Emigration employee for they enjoy the whole Wal-Mart nearly two years. "It was a experience. true community here, an I know, I know, ripping on Wal-Mart is really origiemployee-run store. We never had uniforms, always loved our nal and as the crusader for customers. We just made our liberal vitriol, Wal-Mart sits own efforts because we cared." on a tee prettier than Tiger's This isn't a problem unique Nike ONE Black, but come on to Salt Lake City, but it would people. Emigration made it be nice if Salt Lake City were through three wars, the '6os, 13 unique to the problem. There presidents, one impeachment, are many aspects that make Reaganomics, Napster, Facethis city neat, especially book and all three "Godfather" downtown—the Green Zone movies. in the corporate zombie"The neighborhood will miss infected valley—and the area it," Richards said. "Whether around the U. But downtown they know it or not." It was is bordered by the chain-anda fixture on 1300 South, and franchise Mecca: 400 South, now it is gone. But no worries, right? After all, there is a Dan's home to Wendy's, KFC, Taco Bell, Paradise Bakery, Traina mere six blocks away. ing Table, Sizzler, Cafe Rio, letters@ Smith's Marketplace, not one, chronicle.utah.edu Death certificate laws show need for private options I n 2009, Utah Senate Bill 142 was passed, repealing a statesponsored monopoly given to funeral directors, who were before that time solely authorized to complete death certificates. Although the freedom to choose the legal technicalities of your funeral ranks low on the scale of political agendas, the bill reveals a great deal about the nature of regulation in general. The idea seemed good until a Provo man's recent death unearthed more problems. Parr Young's wife— who held a private funeral in her home for him—went to the Utah County Health Department to file a death certificate and was met with a $100 charge and a significant, legally technical obstacle. This isn't a lot of money, and the majority of these applications have been filed by funeral directors since S.B. 142 anyway. Nevertheless, these events have exposed UCHD's First-year Medical Student contempt for private choice. What it hasn't considered is that even in these matters, consumers of services should be able to be self-reliant and not subject to state-endorsed monopoly. The bill increased the number of those who are able to fill out death certificates by just one: the registrar's office, said Andrea Shoell, Utah County's deputy vital records registrar. Feel the soothing wind of freedom? Shoell said this was a justified move because "the directors will lose their license if they don't follow procedure the state issues." R Li IL !Doti ty. iC11-irmcorii. edi tvriaL'cat utc:scorri s -ts Thy With this policy, the UCHD has acted as Utah's surrogate legislature because surviving relatives have an incentive, however small, to seek funeral director services without a less expensive alternative. Given the great incompetence of the state to think outside its narrow box, this might be perpetual. It seems, however superficially, like a good idea to restrict the authority to complete death certificates. Shoell said, "a death certificate is used to collect on insurance, deed of trust, property—it allows (living relatives) to do a lot of things" and "if you were looking for a way to be fraudulent," this would be a plausible avenue. But the threat of removing a license from a professional could be translated to anyone, not solely funeral directors. This is because perjury when filing legally binding documents is already punishable. If a common person lied on a death oriCZ10 Li 1' IZ) tc is lhiri rig to certificate, he or she could be punished with the same zeal and magnitude applicable to funeral directors. The same constraints are in effect. The same incentives are present. There's nothing special about directors' desire to avoid punishment. Shoell said the program to fill out certificates "runs on fees that are collected," which range from $25 to $300. Giving the power to lawyers who already mediate wills and estates would also give the state some competition—one of the few vanguards of freedom—that would drive down costs. More importantly, there are many reasons to charge citizens for licenses that are voluntarily sought. A driver's license is sought. A hunter's license is sought. People can live without driving and hunting. The same doesn't, or shouldn't, apply to death, which is not usually a voluntary activity. Holding citizens hostage to the state for a burial feels CDO wrong. If UCHD's funding doesn't cover the expenses of its fundamental activities, other programs that are more voluntary or discretionary would be good places to pull from. The original theory of taxation was that it's needed to provide for basic services in free societies and discretionary services in less-free societies. Freedom is implicated because what governments spend is necessarily at the expense of choices otherwise made by the taxed. There are few things more basic than burying the dead. The only thing stopping the UCHD from being funded purely from taxation, as should be the case, is people who seem to be more concerned about glamorous causes such as animal rights or research spending. Let's get the basics straight, then argue later about what other pet ideas we want our politicians to explore. letters@chronicle.utah.edu |