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Show Urges 'No' Vote On CUP Issue Editor: I have never spoken out through the newspaper before. I only hope now it's not too late, since we are facing an important vote on No. 19 to provide additional monies for the Central Utah Project (CUP). For six years as a county commissioner, I pushed to get Garfield County out of the CUP. I have since written the present commission urging them to follow through with this effort. Today, it's very Important that the taxpayers and voters of Hatch, Tropic, Panguitch and Antimony be given the facts and vote 100 percent NO at the Nov. 19 special election. No doubt this date, two weeks away, was selected so voters will be apathetic after just voting in a municipal election, and just not bother voting again. This would give the CUP board the idea that voters approve, since they didn't actively vote no. Let's look at some facts on the CUP. They want to increase the debt from its present $140 million to $500 million for the Jordan River Aqueduct which will benefit Salt ; Lake City and take 50 years to pay back. Currently Garfield County is paying 2 mills on the debt, but the CUP board has the option to raise it to 5 mills, so people here can pay for more industry in Salt Lake City. Now let's see what local taxpayers , here will get out of it. It only took five percent of local water users to get us into' the CUP so that we could have one-half of a vote on the Sevier County Water Association board which in turn has only one-half vote on the 19-member CUP board. The CUP claims it does cloud seeding for us, but Garfield County rejected it years ago. The CUP claims it has two ; measuring devices on the Sevier : River, but they are there only to make sure Sevier and Delta get their water. The CUP provided no funds for the upgrading of the Panguitch Lake Dam. They promise M&O Water to communities for growth? The CUP entered into the Hatch dam project with only one thing in mind to get it bogged down with so much bureaucracy that it will take 50 years to untangle. They selected their own engineers, not letting Garfield County have a say. Thust they were able to inflate the projected costs so they could refuse the project on the grounds that it would cost too much. There's more, but don't you think now is the time for some advertising funds, and some flyers so that county taxpayers who will be voting on Nov. 19 will be well informed enough so that they will vote NO. Unless county voters vote no at this point while they have a chance, it will be very hard to convince anyone that we are not in favor of all , that the CUP is doing. We need to vote NO on Nov. 19 and I then we need to get Garfield County out of the CUP. It takes a vote of the CUP board and the signature of Secretary of the Interior Hodel to get us out, or it takes 100 percent of the registered voters, an impossible task. Take a look at Washington County. With Quail Creek and others, they formed their own conservancy district. If you're going to pay taxes, pay for your own local improvements, not the Jordan Rfver Aqueduct. There is no time to dilly-dally around. Phone your comissioner, your mayor, your water boards, your neighbors, but on Nov. 19, vote NO. Then proceed with individual or county plans or forever hold your peace and pay, pay, pay. George Middleton P.O. Box 367 Panguitch, Ut. 84759 |