I see by The Salt Lake Tribune that the board of the inland port has just hired a man from Los Angeles to be its new executive director. We should wish him well, because he is on a sinking ship.
It has taken a while, but the people of Salt Lake City are waking up to the inequities, illegalities and inconsistencies of the port.
Aside from the environmental problems of the air that we breathe, the scarce water we need, the birds, the Great Salt Lake and increased traffic congestion from many more trucks on our roads arising from this massive development, the administrative guidelines of the port qualify the new executive director to be a czar in word and deed. He is the master of 25 square miles of the Salt Lake Valley. Only the fawning board can challenge his rule, according to the law as written by the Republicans of the Utah Legislature.
The 11-member board, appointed by the governor, consists of nine men and two women, nine of whom do not reside in Salt Lake City or breathe the local air. Imagine that!
Meanwhile, the city is providing all kinds of vital services to the port, although about 90% of the port’s revenues go to the state of Utah for the next 40 years.
Do you support the port? If you do, I have a nice bridge in Brooklyn for sale.
James King, Salt Lake City