This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
New boss, same as the old boss • State Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, was selected by his fellow Republicans Thursday to be the new president of the Utah Senate. He replaces outgoing Sen. Michael Waddoups, who did not seek re-election to the Legislature this year. Other than the name, though, it seems that there will be little change in the presiding officer's chair. Like Waddoups, Niederhauser hails from the rapidly growing 'burbs of Salt Lake County, is in the real estate game, and is a friend of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, the right-wing national alliance of state lawmakers that aspires to put its anti-regulation, anti-environment, anti-tax philosophy into the statute books of as many states as possible. Niederhauser also defends the indefensible practice of closed caucus deliberations held by Republicans in both chambers. He says the policy "creates some transparency."
County tax shock • We do not regret our support of the recently passed Salt Lake County bond issue, in which voters approved borrowing $47 million to expand and upgrade the county parks system. But some county residents would be forgiven if they felt a little baited-and-switched by the 2013 county budget rolled out Thursday — two days after the election — by Mayor Peter Corroon. That budget, which calls for a 17 percent hike in the county's property tax levy, is the result of the same problem that inspired the park bonds: years of cutting, trimming and deferred maintenance that Corroon feels can no longer be sustained in the face of a rising population and more strains on the social services and law enforcement divisions. The County Council and the public will now weigh in on the budget proposals. The decisions won't be easy.
More bikes on roads • Provo residents are seeing and embracing the benefits of cycling, and that is a good thing for their health and for the air quality of their community. More people riding bikes to work and around town means fewer people driving their vehicles and less carbon junk fouling the air. More bicycle commuting also helps people get fit and stay healthier. The city has improved opportunities for cyclists so much that the national League of American Bicyclists has presented city officials with a bronze-level ranking among American cities for being bicycle-friendly. Provo has added 42 miles of bike lanes during the past 15 years. It joins Salt Lake City and Park City as the only bike-friendly Utah cities recognized by the group.