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Letter: Splitting up counties in Utah

(Francisco Kjolseth  |  The Salt Lake Tribune)  Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, asks Sen. Mitt Romney about efforts to change the Antiquities Act during a meeting with state lawmakers at the Utah Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, asks Sen. Mitt Romney about efforts to change the Antiquities Act during a meeting with state lawmakers at the Utah Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019.

I have been thinking about House Bill 93, the legislation to maintain the political status quo in non-red San Juan County.

I was mayor of the town of Castle Valley from 2010 to 2017. More than 80 percent of our property taxes go to Grand County. Taxation with little to no representation. I agree with Rep. Phil Lyman. Castle Valley should create a new county to keep those needed resources in the community.

How about the poor folks in the portion of San Juan County in Spanish Valley south of Moab? SITLA has a plan to build out Moab South, a community of 8,770 folks. Perhaps, it is in the best interest of the current residents to create “NOT-Moab” and zone their alternative future.

The Navajo and White Mesa Ute should drop their historic differences and create their own county, “Native America,” including all of San Juan County except Blanding, Monticello and the anglo-dominated lands stretching to the east and north. Picture it, the vast majority of San Juan County would be Native American controlled. Who needs Phil Lyman when you can have sovereignty, Bears Ears National Monument and most of the rest of the county to boot?

Not so seriously,

David D. Erley, Castle Valley

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