This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Young people of Utah, I hope you laughed as hard as I did after reading The Tribune this morning ("Utah has the greatest roads in the country," July 3).

Ask your parents why they voted for leaders who value roads and construction projects more than they value your education. Ask them if they really think about you and your ability to compete in the world before they cast their votes.

Maybe you (the young) need to establish more lemonade stands, shovel more snow, cut more lawns or get part-time jobs for the cash to compete with the lobbyists who bring barrels of money to the Capitol (think John Swallow; think the process for bidding on highway construction projects) to influence the people your parents voted for.

I hope your underpaid teachers are helping you understand — from an early age — that money talks, and that the actions taken by our Legislature and state attorney general and governor's offices are directly influenced by how much cash special interests pour into the system.

The governor and the Legislature always face tough choices. Cash or kids, for example, and they never hesitate ... to accept the cash. It's sad.

Marita Hart

Salt Lake City