By RUSTY PAYN
State control rather than federal control of government is vital for Utah to prosper in the future, said Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt Thursday at the Provo Economic Development Winter Roundtable.
'It's a desire people have that we bring government to a local, limited level,' Leavitt said. 'I feel more intently than ever that this is what has to occur. Someone in D.C. is making decisions on what we do here. That troubles me.'
The roundtable featured owners of small businesses in Provo, as well as Provo Mayor George Stewart. Leavitt spoke informally and took questions from the business owners and developers.
Leavitt's topics focused on the role of government, education, infrastructure and Washington's budget battle. Steve Gleason of the Economic Development office said, the goal of the meeting was for the business owners to find out what they needed to know.
'Governor Leavitt is the best at Q and A,' Gleason said. 'We feel good about the meeting because we want them to find what they want to know.'
Mayor Stewart also felt the meeting was a success.
'We have a shared vision,' Stewart said of himself and the governor. 'We need to make a difference in Provo. We have a vision of a moral society driven by family values. The government's role is to provide an environment for people to grow and develop.'
Leavitt said that rebuilding the roads was vital if Utah can support its astonishing growth. He also addressed the state's infrastructure, a leading topic which Leavitt addressed in November's growth summit.
'I have proposed a $3.5 billion state initiative on roads for the next 10 years,' Leavitt said. 'This is not a problem you solve, it's a problem you manage.'
Leavitt said he will pay for the roads project by slowing the growth of the government and indexing the gas tax to inflation. Existing resources and the federal government will take up the remainder of the costs of the project.
Another aspect of the government that needs to be brought back to the grass roots level is education, Leavitt said. He added that in order for schools to be able to make their own decisions, parents must be willing to sacrifice more time and effort.
'That's something you can't legislate, it's something you inspire,' Leavitt said.
Gleason's goals for Provo include a broader retail sales tax base. City revenues must increase, he said, so Provo residents stay in Provo to shop.
'We need to educate people that if they shop in Provo, it helps their property tax,' Gleason said. 'If they have what they need here, they need to shop here.'
Gleason said the proposed Provo mall will be a valuable addition to retail business in Provo.
'The new mall would be an excellent way to diversify our tax base,' Gleason said. 'Our vision is to revitalize the downtown area. We don't have a lot of land like Orem, (but) we feel good about the future.'
Leavitt said the budget battles in Washington come down to central power versus state and local control of government.
'The (Clinton) administration wants to centralize power and control it,' Leavitt said. 'Congress wants to give power to the states. States are becoming a more potent political force in D.C.'