Tag Archives: politics

Utah Legislative Special Session Begins Today

Posted on September 19, 2006 | Leave a comment

The Utah State Legislature reconvenes today in a special session to consider the funding of road and transit expansion.

About 100 people rallied yesterday in downtown SLC to urge lawmakers to vote for a sales tax increase to fund transportation improvements.

While such increases are good to fund transportation, I have two opinions on the matter:

  • Property tax increases are more favorable since that would for sure affect multi-millionaires (like Earl Holding, owner of the Grand America Hotel).
  • Any tax increases should be used to improved and expand mass transportation – light rail and buses.

    I also would be in favor of the development and implementation of a “wealth tax”. Any net worth over $1 million would be taxed. Millionaires would still remain millionaires and would also be paying more of a fair share towards services for people.

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    Posted on September 7, 2006 | Leave a comment

    Bennett: Rumsfeld erred, but who can replace him? On confidence: Senator stays mum for president’s sake

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Bob Bennett said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made mistakes in prosecuting the war in Iraq, but the Utah Republican would not answer directly whether he has confidence in the secretary.
    Responding to a push by Democrats for a vote of no confidence in Rumsfeld, Bennett said, ”I can criticize some of the decisions that have been made, but the question arises, ‘Who would replace him?’ ”

    I have a suggestion: My dog, Star.

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    School Funds Being Used for Soccer Stadium?

    Posted on September 6, 2006 | Leave a comment

    This drives my point home that people do not seem to do any kind of activism unless it affects them personally:

    Stadium deal angers parents:
    Jordan School District residents fret about loss of school funding

    Since the public learned millions of dollars reserved for Jordan schools may be spent on a Real Salt Lake soccer stadium, residents’ reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, a review of e-mails sent to the Jordan School District and Board of Education shows.
    For some residents, e-mails they sent marked the first time they felt strongly enough about an issue to contact the district.
    “I have never, ever in my life e-mailed a school board, a congressman, a senator with a political opinion – ever,” Brad Jacobsen, a South Jordan lawyer and father of two children in the district, said in a Tuesday phone interview. “But this one made me do it.”

    At issue is as much as $8 million the district could contribute as part of Sandy’s $15 million bond pledged to RSL for land and infrastructure improvements for the stadium.

    Even though the Board can effectively choose not to use its share of the property taxes (now or in the future) towards any such projects, it has not made a decision nor has it voted on the matter.

    Really. This is a no-brainer. What is more imporant to us? Spending money on corporate deals or educating our children?

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    Myths About Rocky Anderson’s activities in last week’s rallies

    Posted on September 5, 2006 | Leave a comment

    In The Wasatch Front’s post Questus Furore – Civility and Disagreement, I was disappointed to read:

    When Utah did not erupt in spontaneous revulsion, the mayor [Rocky Anderson] took it upon himself to organize protests against the President’s presence. (Unanswered and unexplored is the question of what city resources and employees were used to organize these protests. Seems like a job for some enterprising reporter out there. Too bad the local newspapers – the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News – don’t employ any.)

    Here is my response to that statement:

    I would like to clarify that Rocky Anderson did not organize any of the rallies in Salt Lake on August 30.
    Continue reading →

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    Salt Lake County Purchases Wind Power

    Posted on September 5, 2006 | Leave a comment

    I am happy to read in today’s Salt Lake Tribune that Salt Lake County is becoming more green with its purchasing practices, something that is part of my campaign platform

    In S.L. County pushes green energy habits –
    Blue Sky: Officials have purchased a significant amount of wind power    :

    Salt Lake County’s mayor long has sought to green up the county. He has pushed everything from xeriscaping to hybrid cars to energy-efficient light bulbs.
    Now, armed with a pool of progressive employees, Corroon has persuaded Utah’s most-populous county to purchase a substantial bloc of wind power. After setting a summerlong environmental challenge – 120 county employees agreed to buy the alternative-energy source for their homes – the county has secured enough Blue Sky wind power to equal the effect of planting 230,000 trees a year.

    I am enthusiastic over a government’s officials advocating for energy-saving. Now if we can just get to the point where bicycles are provided for all those county employees so they don’t have to drive those cars……

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    MOX killed – sign-on letter

    Posted on September 4, 2006 | Leave a comment

    Green Commons has asked that this letter be circulated:

    Please circulate widely!

    Dear Friends,

    Tom Clements parting gift to us … he has drafted a great letter for all of the groups to sign on thanking Hobson for KILLING MOX {a blend of uranium and plutonium from left-over nuclear bombs} (I know it’s a premature call, but he has called for cancellation of the program and return of the money, and also is giving money to immobilization which is GREAT).

    We’re looking for U.S. and Russian group signatures only, please. We will field suggested changes from this list through end of tomorrow, Friday. We need to be sure of the subcommittee calendar for marking up the appropriations bill, but we are thinking to broadcast widely for signatures through next week and then shoot it to Hobson and Domenici with a media release.

    Thanks and NIX MOX y’all!

    Send your sign-on to me at atom.girl@mindspring.com

    Please circulate widely!

    ———————–

    September x, 2006
    Dear Representative Hobson
    Chairman, House Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
    Room 2362-B Rayburn House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515-6020
    fax 202-225-1984

    Eliminate Funding for SRS MOX Plant, Support Plutonium Immobilization

    Dear Representative Hobson:

    We are writing to you to thank you for the decision by the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee which led the full House to eliminate funding for the plutonium fuel (mixed oxide fuel, MOX) plant at the Department of Energy¹s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. For a host of cost, non-proliferation, and environmental reasons we fully support the decision to terminate the MOX program as a method to deal with surplus weapons plutonium. We also enthusiastically applaud the House¹s recognition that immobilization of plutonium as waste is the preferred disposition path.
    Continue reading →

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    California’s Proposal to the GPUS

    Posted on September 4, 2006 | Leave a comment

    The Proposal by California to the GPUS on Utah is now in the official discussion phase on the GPUS National Committee discussion list.

    There are insconsistencies and myths throughout the proposal. Here are examples:

    1. The title of the proposal itself is misleading:
    Continue reading →

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    My First Post on One Utah

    Posted on September 3, 2006 | Leave a comment

    I have been invited in the past to become an author on One Utah. I’ve been hesitating because I don’t have a lot of confidence in my writing skills. I finally decided to take the plunge and posted my first article. today on the No Child Left Behind Act’s Military Recruiting Clause.

    I think I still need to spice up my writing a bit and am happy that there are those out there willing to help me along with that.

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    Commentaries on last week’s rallying events

    Posted on September 3, 2006 | Leave a comment

    NOTE: If you decide to submit a Letter to the Editor or Opinion Piece, please also send it to Dee so that it can be published here, just in case the papers decide not to publish it!

    Here it is, folks – Today’s commentaries on last week’s events surrounding the visit of the Terrible Three to Utah (Rumsfeld, Rice, Bush). I would urge everyone to read these and formulate your own responses. Contacts and guidelines are below the links to the commentaries.

    Salt Lake Tribune
    Commentary
    Continue reading →

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    Complaint Against the GPUS, cont’d

    Posted on September 1, 2006 | Leave a comment

    A couple of days ago, Texas withdrew its proposal to conduct in independent investigation regarding the Complaint Against the GPUS, leaving the California proposal intact, yet with the “modificaiton” that only one person from each Utah group be included in an “independent investigation”.

    Sorry, this still doesn’t fly.

    There is NO WAY such an investigation would be “independent” or unbiased.

    Word is now that California and Texas are working on a joint proposal. All I can say is that the proposal will not be substantial unless it totally supports a completely independent and unbiased investigation – OUTSIDE of the GPUS. This means that no one connected in any way with the Green Party or its members should be involved. Period.

    NC DELEGATES: SUPPORT AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION.
    VOTE DOWN CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSAL.

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