Huck for Mayor of Salt Lake City

Back in the 50’s, when I was just a small boy, there was already a lot of talk about how the world would soon run out of oil. My grade school class at the now defunct Whittier Elementary School was shown dramatic films of cars stopped dead and ships rusting at their moorings, while the announcer’s ominous voice warned us the dreadful day of reckoning was, at most, twenty years away.

At the same time our technology brought forth a bright new hope for the future—nuclear power—which was advertised as being able to create such plentiful electricity as to be “too cheap to meter”.

It’s true there was some trepidation about the atom. After all it had just blown up two cities in Japan and threatened to rain annihilation down upon us just twenty minutes after a secret button is pressed. Yet it had also quickly ended WWII and was efficiently powering ships and submarines. All around the world, plants generating this electricity “too cheap to meter” were being built up.

With the collapse of Communism still more than a generation away, the pubescent environmental movement was desperately searching for targets about which to invoke the Principle of Gloom and Doom to secure converts from the ranks of the idealists, the do-gooders, and the gullible. Thus, the destruction of the nuclear energy industry became job one.

In this endeavor they were not without allies; the existing energy establishment wasn’t too happy about a competitor that could, with one gram of uranium, replace ten thousand tons of coal and do it without discharging the noxious effluents into our atmosphere. An enormous investment in carbon combustion was at risk.

The attack was slow and awkward at first, but the unavoidable consequence inherent in any technology—something broke—provided all the ammunition they needed to destroy the industry. The minor incident at Three Mile Island, in which no one was killed or injured and only a small amount of radiation released, was portrayed as a major disaster more dangerous than all the extractive energy endeavors which had killed tens of thousands of workers over the years.

Of course there was the unfortunate event at Chernobyl, but this happened after nuclear power was already pretty much dead in America. It is important to note that this was a failure not of nuclear technology, but rather of communism which designs and operates its facilities according to ideology rather than sound scientific principles.

The environmentalists then went on to suppress all avenues of disposal for the waste products of atomic reactions thereby imposing an additional unnecessary dimension of apprehension that was opportunistically exploited by cynical, upwardly mobile politicians. The bogus West Desert Wilderness Act is an excellent example; being created for the sole purpose of blocking a low level waste repository on sovereign tribal lands.

Nuclear energy is the one and only technology with the proven capacity to eliminate our reliance on imported oil. If it had been fully developed instead of irrationally suppressed, we wouldn’t need to be burning polluting substances to heat our homes or to travel within our cities. Heavy duty vehicles and long haul driving would still need oil, but our domestic supplies would be more than ample to supply this need.

Without imports, the dictators and despots who hate America would no longer be collecting our cash to use against us. The radical Mohammedans who brought terror to our shores would have had far less reason to attack us since their main grievance is the presence of the infidel on their holy lands.

The war in Iraq is about oil—the very same oil upon which our country is now dependent for its very survival. The environmental cabal, in its endless lust to force its pagan world view on America, created the conditions that made conflict and war inevitable. This state of affairs will continue as long as real energy independence is suppressed

Rainer Huck, Ph.D.
Candidate for Salt Lake City Mayor

Like frogs in a slowly heating kettle, most people are unaware of how city spending and thus their taxes are boiling over. Since I’ve been around a long time, I remember how things were in 1971, the last year of a conservative government in SLC and the year I bought my first house.

In that year, the entire budget was $16,565,136, which seemed a lot then. Last year, it approached $600,000,000, an increase of a whopping 3400%! Here is a chart showing the meteoric rise in the budget and comparing it to the cities population, shown by the bars:

As you can see, while the population remained essentially static, city spending went through the roof.

Even more dramatic is the cost increase of water/sewer/garbage/storm water/franchise fees. In 1971, the bill for all of these services was $10.12—–FOR ONE YEAR! These days, the average bill, if you don’t water your lawn much, is about $440/year. This is an even more impressive 4400% increase in just 35 years.

The growth of this city charge is shown below also with population indicated by the bars. Clearly, the increase in costs cannot be attributed to population growth.

You might say: “OK, that seems like a lot, but we’ve also had a lot of inflation.”

Let’s have look at the advance of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for these years:

From this we can see that the CPI has increased by 500% during this period. Thus, the city budget has increased about 7 times the rate of inflation while the water bill has increased almost 9 times the rate of inflation. Clearly something has gone wrong here.

Adjusting for average historical inflation using the CPI Inflation multiplier, the 1971 Salt Lake City Budget of $16,565,136 would actually be worth $82,457,565.86 in 2006.

A 1971 average annual water bill from the City of $10.12 would be the equivalent of $50.38 in 2006.

Special interest directed spending has caused the budget to balloon to grotesque proportions. The water bill has become just another tax collection vehicle. As Mayor, I will work hard to bring these stratospheric costs down to earth.

Sources

• http://www.bls.gov/data/home.htm (Prices & Living Conditions) CPI-Avg. Price Data
• http://www.slcgov.com/info/area_info/default.htm
• Salt Lake City Record of Minutes – Recorders Office
• Salt Lake City Budget - Fiscal Year 2003 - 2004 Community Budget
• Salt Lake City Budget - Fiscal Year 2005 - 2006 Revenue
• Salt Lake City Budget - Fiscal Year 2005 - 2006 Revenue
• Salt Lake City Budget - Fiscal Year 2006 - 2007 Community Budget
• Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities 2004 Annual Report
• Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities 2006 Annual Report
• Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2007 The National Data Book
• U.S. Dept. of Commerce; Economics & Statistics Administration -U.S. Census Bureau

The environmentalists are bent on getting us out of cars and into buses, trains and bicycles. This would be ok except that most people prize the convenience and safety of their personal automobiles. UTA loves to show us how happy bus riders are in their pandering commercials, but somehow miss the scenes of those freezing in howling blizzards waiting for the bus that never comes.

The economics tell the whole story: Automobile users pay their own way while mass transit always requires subsidies. In addition, transit is highly susceptible to crime and terrorism—a little problem never discussed in the propaganda. People want control over their transportation needs. With cars they have it, with transit they don’t. We need to focus on making our automobile transportation system as efficient and user friendly as possible.

Mass transit is also vulnerable to terrorist activity and aids in the transmission of infectious diseases due to the close proximity of many people. These substantial downsides are never mentioned in the media.

We all learned in grade school that monopolies are a bad thing. As we grew up, we noticed that areas of the economy that were subjected to the forces of free competition provided us with superior products at lower prices, while those constrained by government regulations did quite the opposite. Comparing the service you get at a store like Costco with the long lines at the DMV provides ample contrast.

For a long time we have had an effective monopoly in education which has resulted in the predictable outcomes of high costs and poor performance. If public education were fulfilling its mission, there would be no demand for alternatives. Competition and choice will improve overall quality in any arena in which they are allowed to participate. There is nothing to lose by giving the voucher system a chance.

The Mormon pioneers made this desert bloom. They did it with human intelligence, skill, and hard work; turning a hostile and parched landscape into a welcome abode for millions. Now, the environmentalists have turned everything on its head. They revile the works of man and his temerity in changing the face of a cruel earth for the benefit of human civilization. Everything man does to enhance his existence is deemed evil and contrary to the wishes of the earth goddess Gaia. They want to make us feel guilty for watering our lawns, for driving our cars to work, for not freezing in the winter, and for not sweating in the summer. Every step forward that should be celebrated is instead cursed. They hate us all for their version of “original sin”! The desire to be master of the elements rather than to be the victims thereof.

Rocky’s reckless environmentalism has cast a pall over our city. He practices the politics of scarcity with our water supplies. We have sufficient water resources, all are lacking is their development which has, through mismanagement, not kept up with the increase in population.

When I purchased my first house in 1971, the water bill was $2.50, which included all the other charges now on the bill like garbage, sewer, storm water, franchise fees—and that was for THREE Months! Now, your average bill, if you don’t water your lawn, is at least $100 for three months. That’s an increase of forty fold over just 36 years! If you do your part to help the desert bloom and beautifying our city by watering your lawn, you’re probably paying $100/month or more during the season. This is just another tax.

If we have a water shortage, it’s because our government leaders didn’t plan ahead to develop the plentiful resources nature has provided or because the eco-mongers have blocked them. Every drop of water that flows down the Jordan River into the Great Salt Lake is wasted! This water should be used to supply our burgeoning population. While it true that the current drought situation might require us to temporarily restrict our usage, the city should not reap a financial windfall from this hardship. Voluntary conservation programs can be just as effective as new taxes disguised as rate increases. I will eliminate the lawn tax and place emphasis on the development of the water resources currently going down the drain.

I am offended by government buildings that are sealed off from the people they exist to serve. Guards are posted at the entrances and everyone must wear a badge just to see our friendly neighborhood bureaucrats. This is un-American and it is wrong. Why do we tolerate it? The threat to these buildings and employees is almost zero and certainly no greater than to any commercial establishments. We can legitimately ask why government employees should be given greater protection than convenience store clerks, who are exposed to far greater risks.

A few employees with concealed carry permits would be much more effective in deterring and stopping criminal or terrorist activity that a swarm of swat cops. We need to limit the growth of imperial government. Its agents deserve no greater or lesser right to security than the ordinary citizen who pays for it all.

These days just about everyone is a part of some sort of minority. Creating “protected” classes to be given special rights is nothing more than institutionalized discrimination. It’s time we move on from the failed policies of the past and recognize that everyone has the same rights, just the way God and the Constitution intended. There will be no Office of Minority Affairs in my administration.

RDA’s are contrary to the principles of private property rights guaranteed every citizen by the Constitution. They enable local governmental entities to confiscate private property and sell it, usually at a loss to the taxpayers, to big developers for the stated purpose of eliminating “blight” and increasing the tax base.

Over the years the liberal and activist courts have allowed “blight” to be a broken window or weeds in the yard. The situation is completely out of control. Because huge sums of public money are involved, they create a dangerous potential for corruption, scandal, political power brokering, and misuse of funds. In every case the people lose. I don’t know if the Mayor has the power to do away with the RDA, but I’ll do whatever is possible to eliminate or at least minimize it.

Rocky has shown himself to be a megalomaniac of unbridled proportions with this issue. Earth to Rocky: The Mormons built this town and they own half of it. It is highly unlikely they would ever embark on a course of action that would be detrimental to the city or its people. For Rocky to think his lone judgment to be superior to that of the Mormon Church is an astonishing absurdity. In my administration, the Mormons will get what they want with no questions asked.

A critical component of any successful city is a professional and highly competent police force that understands that the vast majority of citizens are honest, productive, and law abiding. The police are the entry point to the criminal justice system and as such determine, to a great extent, the nature of its operation. When we have too many police officers with too much free time, there is a potential for mischief—when no criminals are available there’s a tendency to produce them. I would streamline the size of the police department and use the resulting savings to increase the pay of the remaining officers. Being a policeman should be a highly prized and sought after occupation, filled by best people we have to offer.

I would do away with SWAT units. Their tactics are unproductive, dangerous, and offensive. Our society does not need paramilitary police running around pounding mentally disturbed individuals into the ground. In the very few situations where these kinds of tactics might have been useful, they were demonstrated to be completely impotent. The debacle at Columbine High School is ample evidence of their failure. Swat units have no place in a democratic society. The resources they consume would be better spent elsewhere.