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Show Candidates for District 58 tell views Review - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1988 - Page 3 ...... ., Economy key to Utah growth, saySLeBaron 1 iRtfHELC. MURDOCH Gnomic development is the way l.p the tax problems which fnow has, according to Don l't candidate for the Utah Representatives in the 58th e psef Solve a shortfall in funding, .either need to cut services or revenues, said LeBaron. 'we the people won't accept a cut ervices or increase in taxes, we t0 increase revenue through ji,er means. LeBaron said we should develop industry which is already in the !!te but also attract industry from ltside the state which will create ler paying Jobs and thereby n ease tax revenues. Ve do have some new industry in, kinds like McDonald-- ! - Lias, which has been attracted by the quality of leadership we have .'Utah " he said. "And they're also ' eing that we're capable of Production. The jobs they are Seating are $20 to jobs." Tax breaks to attract new business should be used sparingly, ajd considered on a case by case basis, said LeBaron. "Why should we give tax breaks ; to a company who is creating $4 or '; jobs," he said. "They're ' getting a good deal by coming here n Utah anyway." LeBaron said the legislature - worked hard to bring in these new r businesses, and he personally also : helped develop the Centers of Excellence program, which mat-- dies up researchers at the state's universities with outside funding. ' This allows the technology to be developed into commercially marketable products. Increasing tourism is another good way LeBaron sees for upping : lax revenues. "Tourism doesn't bring in high-payin- g jobs at all, but there is a great benefit in tax dollars," he said. Park City, for example, has a very high property tax base, due largely to big hotels and valuable assets. LeBaron also pointed out that 25-3- 0 cents of each dollar the tourist spends in Utah ends up in state coffers, with little expenditure from i Family issues of concern to Laursen Family issues are the main concern of LaVon Laursen, challenger for the seat in the Utah House of Representatives from District 58. For example, child care for working parents really concerns her. "We need to really strive to get businesses to provide on-sit- e child care," she said. "The children will be happier and the parents would feel better knowing their children would be nearby." Laursen said she would favor some kind of tax breaks to en-courage businesses to provide such services. The elderly population is another topic Laursen believes the next legislature will be dealing with. "The elderly are the fastest growing segment of the population," she said. "I would like to see an affordable health care program and affordable housing for the older people." She suggests there be a program for younger workers as well, where they would set aside money now for future health care, something like social security. Another family issue which disturbs Laursen is the child abuse laws in the state. "The laws need to be strengthened against abusers," she said. "We also need to make them uniform so they are applied equally across the board. Right now there are some real discrepancies." Educating the children of the state is an issue Laursen feels strongly about. "We need to have a quality education for all of our young people," she said. "They are going to be our leaders in the future, and unless we provide them a quality education, they won't be able to compete." Laursen said they will be com-peting not only with others from the United States, but with the entire world, and they must receive a comparable education. Therefore, the increase in day schools also concerns her, since she does not believe those children are receiving comparable education or as broad an understanding of their world. The slow Utah economy is something Laursen said she would address in the legislature, and she thinks that can be done from within. "I would like to see our economy pick up," she said. "But we're not LaVon Laursen going to attract the industries here. We need to build up the businesses we have now." Businesses which have been brought in previously have been attracted by the promise that they could lower their wages in Utah, she said. "Federal Express and Stouffer's both give lower wages here in Utah than they do at their other divisions elsewhere," she said. Laursen said she would suggest a council be formed to give advice to the small businesses and help them financially. "Utah banks won't lend to their own small businesses," she said. "I'd like to see a flow of money, perhaps an investment fund, which they could borrow from to get started or expand." Laursen said she is against tax initiatives A, B and C and does not think they will pass. She does, however, think the people have sent a message to legislators. "I can see where everyone is fed up with taxes," she said. "People are going to demand a lot of reform." Laursen has been involved with politics and campaigns across the state and has served as precinct chairwoman for two terms. She has also been a county and state delegate for many years. Don LeBaron the state. "All we do is provide them roads to the ski areas and law en-forcement, which everyone gets anyway," he said. "And they don't bring children to educate." LeBaron sid he sponsored legislation for the "Ski Utah" license plate, which he said generates about $1 million worth of free advertising each year. LeBaron does not support the tax initiatives A, B and C, but does believe the legislature is going to have to face tax revision next session. "We do need to introduce more realistic tax measures," he said. "There are some rather unfair parts of the current laws. When you hear of little old ladies being taxed out of their homes, you know something needs to be changed." Child care for single-pare-families is another topic LeBaron believes will surface in the next legislature. "The first place we need to look for a solution is in the workplace," he said. "Some small companies could perhaps work together in a group effort to solve the problem." The government should not have to foot the bill for such a program, nor should the state depend on the federal government to provide a solution, LeBaron said. Education, ethics in government and family and community con-cerns are other issues LeBaron thinks will arise for the next state legislature. LeBaron has completed three terms as representative and is a long-tim- e resident of the area. He has served as mayor of Highland and is a graduate of BYU. Meet candidates Thurs. aged to attend, ask questions, and become better educated on their choices for public office this elec-tion. The Pleasant Grove PTA Coun-cil is sponsoring a Meet the Candi-dates Night for the Lindon, Manila and Pleasant Grove areas in the Pleasant Grove Junior High School Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. The candidates planning to at-tend are Craig Peterson, state senate. District 14; Donald and LaVon Laursen, House of Representatives, District 58; John Valentine, Berdean Jarman, and Kenneth Kartchner, House of Representatives, District 59; Glen Hawkins and Sid Sandberg, county commissioner; and Richard Gappmayer, F. Hardy Cherry, David Harvey and "J" Von Bennett, Alpine School Board. The public is invited and encour- - Pltasant (Srout fctuitui ISSN No 7SM07 U S P S. No 357 O00 Published weekly except (or Ttanksgiving and Chmtma by NewUh. Inc. II Soalti Mala Plrsisnl Grove. UUh S4W2 Telephone Numbers Advertising & Circulation. 8 News nuzn Publisher Brett R. Beuant Editors Marc Hsddock Marwlla Walker Subscription price JI9" per year Second class postage paid al Pleasant Grove. Utah Snd lrM cton to P O Soi 7. Amcncan Fort. Uuh 1 " J ' v David C. School Board Alpine School District FOR M u-s- - CONGRESS STRINGHAM fl (fa? CkDIDOSOD fa? 1ft Oil j ijTy ''y p f r V" - y Laursen's Concerns: ' Affordable Health Care y X, jV for the Elderly V ' On-si- te Child Care ,f-- ' I ; jr i Child Abuse :, I - Education f Economic I; &)' i Development ? I ! I o n District 58 Aipine.Tghland Representatives Fork, Pleasant Grove J j Your continued J' investment in j J Don LeBaron I f j will pay off I I j I ,,.,, .J mr. J ....1.,fW., . ,,, ,, ., ,,.nr ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Since almost the easier to lower the load of our overburdened tax-da- y he was first elected to the legislature, Don has payers without cutting essential government keyed on economic development because it held the programs, answers to Utah's economic problems. He held that it was a natural solution because of the significant EDUCATION: Quality education for our children natural resources and the inherent strength of the will always be one of Don's highest priorities. The people who live in these valleys. people of this area are not asking for frills and have Don saw that the state was getting nowhere the accepted some inconveniences in holding down potential of its tourist and skiing revenues. He met costs, but they expect value in return for the cost with representatives of the industry, and with their and effort expended. help went after his colleagues in the legislature for Don gets very concerned when he hears talk of more support in promoting this very lucrative cutting out kindergarten to meet reduced budgets or business. Partially as a result of this effort, the of children walking to school in dangerous cir- - revenues from skiing and tourism have nearly cumstances. He favors programs which encourage doubled. He sponsored the legislation to get the state teachers to reach higher performance levels, such auto license changed to the new ski plate, and as Career Ladders, helped design it, with an estimated advertising value to Utah of a million dollars a year. TAXATION: The tax laws of this state are in need Don saw where the state, with a rather small of revision to make taxation more fair to all citizens, investment, could accelerate the creation of new Don has already voted this year to reduce taxes by high tech business by bringing industry in close over $100 million, proximity to the technological developments going on at our universities in what is known as Centers of ETHICS: Don expects our leaders to reflect high Excellence. He sponsored the first Centers of Ex- - personal integrity and exercise good judgement in cellence legislation, got it passed by the legislature. both their public and private lives, and with Governor Bangerter and Val Oveson supporting it, began one of the brightest programs FAMILY AND COMMUNITY: on Utah's road back to economic health. The 'There is still much for the legislature to do in Department of Community and Economic reducing the incidence of child and spouse abuse. Development report the Centers of Excellence 'State laws need more fairness in the treatment of program have returned over $100 million to the (he handicapped and elderly. state, a return over investment exceeding 40 to 1. 'The k student must be encouraged to stay in school and succeed rather than drop out. Don believes this is but a beginning of what can be -- Child care in single parent homes has become of done. Tine end result, if continued, will be better g concern to the slate and nation. It paying jobs for our oeople and revenues that will needs a solution that avoids going to the taxpayer meet the needs of the state. That will make it much for more money. Republican Candidate - House of Representatives - District 58 J Serving Pleasant Grove, Alpine, Highland and American Fork J |