Governor says taxes will not pay for the 2002 Olym

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    By JESSICA GUYNN

    Gov. Leavitt met with the press Thursday to discuss Utah’s future and how it will be funded.

    After returning Wednesday from the Nagano Olympics and a national governor’s meeting with President Clinton, Leavitt was anxious to discuss issues concerning Utah’s future, especially its financial future.

    The discussion focused on funding the I-15 project and the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

    Leavitt said he was optimistic about the progress on I-15. Construction is far ahead of schedule, he said. He said it will be completed on time and within budget.

    When asked if it would be difficult to raise the remaining $480 million to fund the $1.59 billion project, Leavitt said the money is guaranteed, but the source of funds depends on timing.

    Legislators in Washington D.C. are currently considering a bill that would provide additional federal money to fund transportation projects, but Leavitt worries that it will not pass before the current law expires in May.

    If the law passes before May, the I-15 project will receive federal funding; if not, Leavitt said there are other options, such as selling bonds or delaying other planned construction projects, like the rebuilding of I-80 in Salt Lake City or I-15 in Davis County.

    Governor Leavitt also responded to concerns about Salt Lake’s comparatively small Olympic budget of just over $1 billion to Nagano’s $13 billion. While acknowledging that Utah can not afford to build a bullet train or high-tech, speed-skating rink like Nagano’s, Leavitt said Salt Lake City has many advantages.

    “I visited the Olympic village when I was in Nagano, and Salt Lake’s will be nicer — not fancy, but an excellent facility,” he said. “We need to remember that our ski resorts and natural surroundings make it easy for us to host the Olympics. Nagano had to build everything from the ground up.”

    Leavitt also said after attending the Olympic games on three different occasions, he realizes the Olympics are just a week-long television program. He said all Utah needs is to provide a nice backdrop and good communications facilities for reporters and athletes.

    Many projects, such as expansion of the airport, I-15 construction and hotel development, are not being counted because they were already in the planning stages for Utah before Utah got the bid. These improvements will benefit the games, even though their costs do not show up in the actual budget.

    Leavitt assured reporters “the Olympics will not be funded by tax dollars.” He said the Olympic Committee has not even considered raising taxes as a realistic possibility.

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