$1.03 per year

$1.03 per year-Would you help a National Guardsman deployed to (out of state) active duty for that amount? Utah Senate Majority “Leader” Scott Jenkins (R) will not. Instead, he states that we have done enough for our National Guard Troops, According to the “leader” of the Senate majority party, we do more than enough for our Guardsmen, after all, we provide them uniforms, allow the families to shop at the PX (basically allowing them not to pay state sales tax) and we even give them some aid for education. Heck, Senator, we even provide them with all the hot lead and IED’s they want!
State Senator Luz Robles (D) introduced SB116 (and SB116S01), which would extend our current state Military Exemptions for active duty military to include Utah National Guard members. This would enable a Utah State Consitional amendment to be placed before the voters, allowing the citizens of Utah to decide if homeowners should give this minuscule amount to exempt members of the Guard from property taxes while they are on active duty for 200 or more consecutive days. The cost to the homeowners would be $1.03 for a residence of approximately $200,000 valuation. $1.03 per year-less than a fast-food hamburger- to give some aid to our men and women in harms way? And the Republican Senate Leader says no? This slap in the face to our National Guard troops, from a Senator who has the right to State-funded health insurance –for life if he is an elected official for 10 years? This- from a Senator who wants to exempt private country clubs from state sales tax? (SB96, passed, sponsor-Senator Scott Jenkins)
$1.03 per year. Senator that is less than the sales tax on the user fees for a country club.
This is NOT “leadership.”
I’ll proudly give this amount for our National Guard Troops! And I call on Senator Jenkins to do the same. (But-he already has said he won’t)
Here is Senator Jenkins’ speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BlZbsJ5ycc&feature=youtu.be

As always, your comments are appreciated.

The Machine Gun Fire & "We're Sorry"

Major General Brian Tarbet, in a news conference, when asked what he would say to those who lost homes in the Machine Gun Fire, said: “We say we’re sorry.” (SL tribune 9/21/10)

What he should have said was:
“A team of appraisers is en route to Salt Lake, with authority to arrange for complete coverage for your material losses. Starting Monday, they will contact those whose homes were lost, then continue until all claims are satisfied in full. I will personally be contacting you throughout the process to verify your satisfaction.
Further, all future actions involving live-fire will be accompanied by a fire suppression team, equipped with a pumper truck, a water truck, and full crews. We will also notify the Unified Fire Authority one week in advance of any live fire actions, giving them the GPS co-ordinates of the range in use. Additionally, we hereby promise not to conduct any live-fire actions on red flag days, notwithstanding our failure in the instance known as the Machine Gun Fire.

My staff is waiting at the desks in the rear of the room to take pertinent information from each of you; and they will also be providing you with a list of names, phone numbers and other information regarding the appraiser who will be working your claim. My number is at the top of each list, please call me if you feel any dissatisfaction whatever.

Thank you for your time, and again, we will be here to make this correct for you.

I will now take any questions you may have.”

That is saying “We’re Sorry” in a REAL way.