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Envirocare Tax Initiative



FYI -

 

The initiative is so much more than simply an over-the-top tax on one company in the industry. See for yourself.  The initiative is available online at:  http://www.governor.state.ut.us/LT_Gover/radioactivewaste.PDF

 

If you look, you'll see that the initiative is nearly 13,000 words and 53 pages long. It makes over 100 changes to laws in Utah.  It alters waste definitions from how they in federal law and regulations.  This will likely lead to regulatory conflicts, confusion, and much litigation.  It attempts to remove current taxes on reprocessors even though they compete for the same kinds of waste.  It keeps people who store radioactive waste-including Utah's major universities and research companies -from serving on the Radiation Control Board.  It sets the state definition of "impoverished" at twice the federal poverty level - a family of four with annual income of $36,200 ($17.30 per hour) would be defined as "impoverished".  It defines as "homeless" any person-including a child-who does not have "individual control" over their shelter.

 

It tries to make it illegal for the legislature and governor to reduce funding for public or higher education or for programs to benefit health, children, human services, the impoverished or the homeless. It creates the "Education, Environment, and Ethics Fund Oversight Board"8 and the "Utah Basic Human Needs Authority," yet provides no funding to operate these boards.

 

It names certain special interest groups to those boards.  It diverts millions in revenues now going to the general fund, and puts them under the control of these boards requiring that monies be distributed to the special interests pushing this initiative.

 

It exempts these boards from the Budgetary Procedures Act, enabling the boards to hire lobbyists to influence the legislature and removes the boards from stringent fiscal oversight.

 

It places tax money under the control of these boards with no legislative oversight or input of how they spend it. 

 

It does a lot of other screwy things, too.  Like I say, read it and see for yourself.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu [mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of Claude Laney
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 7:34 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: Envirocare Tax Initiative

 

Does anyone have the latest information on the Envirocare Tax Initiative being placed on the November ballet in Utah?