Cache County executive says HB 511 doesn’t make sense
March 8th, 2012 Posted in Opinion‘We just don’t have the time, resources, or money to go up against the federal government, and honestly I can’t think of many situations why we would want to condemn federal land.’
By Tara Alvey and Tmera Bradley
LOGAN — The Utah Legislature’s 2012 session ends at midnight, and with the end in sight, Cache County Executive Lynn Lemon spoke Wednesday to Hard News Cafe reporters about bills he hopes will pass, and also the ones he hopes won’t.
House Bill 511 would give counties the ability to use eminent domain to condemn federal lands. “To me, this bill just doesn’t make any sense,” said Lemon. “We just don’t have the time, resources, or money to go up against the federal government, and honestly I can’t think of many situations why we would want to condemn federal land.”
Lemon hopes that the bill will not pass because he does not want Cache County to be burdened with the responsibilities that might come with this bill.
However, Lemon said he can see the purpose and potential benefits behind House Bill 140, which proposes that DUI checkpoint roadblocks be done away with. Rep. David Butterfield proposed the bill because of evidence that shows that DUI roadblocks are not the most effective way of stopping drunk drivers.
“I can see the logic behind this bill,” said Lemon. “In today’s day and age, people can find out about DUI roadblocks very quickly through social media and this reduces their effectiveness.
“My dad was hit and badly injured by a drunk driver, so I have a lot of sympathy for efforts against drunk drivers,” Lemon said. “However, I think Butterfield raises some good points with this bill. There might be a better way to stop drunk drivers.”
Lemon also has reservations about House Bill 298, which would modify requirements involved with vehicle safety inspections. It would repeal the need for receiving a safety inspection certificate prior to vehicle registration, eliminating the inspection fee. However, registration fees will increase to compensate for revenue lost from inspections.
Lemon also said he is “almost certain” Cache Valley will be implementing an emissions test in the near future.
“For the most part, our air quality is pretty good,” Lemon said of Cache Valley. He said the times when the valley does have poor air quality “is probably really the result of inversion.”
The plan would have to be agreed upon by Dec. 12, and then be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Lemon said he doesn’t want to make the plan a burden for people. He said that residents with lower incomes are more likely to be the ones driving older cars with bad emissions. “It’s the people who can afford it the least that it will hurt the most,” Lemon said.
Lemon said he’ll be glad when the legislative session is over. “I have a lot of respect for our legislators. I’ve seen what they do, and it’s not easy. But at least after the session is over, we know what bills we have to deal with.”
NW
Tags: HB 298, HB 511, Lynn Lemon, Utah legislature
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