FRONT PAGE A1 www.tooeletranscript.com TUESDAY TOOELE RANSCRIPT GHS girls crush T Check out the eastern Utah features on our new Web site: teams tooeletranscript.com See A10 BULLETIN December 16, 2008 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 115 NO. 061 50¢ County budget stays Transcript-Bulletin Christmas Benefit Fund flat at $60.2 million look doesn’t necessitate spending Officials say steady sales tax revenue means cuts, but it also doesn’t allow for increases. few spending cuts, slight raises for employees “We tried to keep most of the by Sarah Miley of $60.4 million. funds to where, if they had an STAFF WRITER “As far as sales taxes go, we’re increase, the only thing that was not in too bad of shape, and I increasing was due to the cost As Utah legislators head into think that’s where most of the of living and raises,” Jensen said. next month’s session wrangling state is seeing their decreases [in “Most other things either stayed over budget cuts of up to 15 per- revenues],” Tooele County Auditor the same or decreased, if at all cent, Tooele County has unveiled Mike Jensen said. “We are dipping possible.” a budget that will be virtually into reserves to make up some of Jensen said one big budget cut unchanged from last year’s. the difference, but I don’t think was in capital improvement proj- Last week Tuesday, county com- our sales taxes are as bad as the ects. missioners approved a $60.2 mil- rest of the state.” The capital projects fund for lion budget for 2009 — down less Jensen projects revenues overall 2009 is $4.2 million, which is a than 1 percent from 2008’s budget will stay flat next year. That out- decrease of $4.8 million from the year before. In 2008, $4.5 million was budgeted for the Emergency Operations Center building. Only $50,000 is budgeted for the EOC in 2009 as at nears completion. The fund includes several other capital improvement projects, including $1 for the continued remodel of the county court- house, $1 million for a new shoot- ing range, $1.2 million for a Utah photography / Maegan Burr State University building, and road improvement projects total- Skyler, Isaac and Aleisha Mitchell smile on a chair in their Tooele home Monday night. Skyler and Isaac ing $524,000. would both like a scooter for Christmas while Aleisha would like a Barbie doll. “The only projects that were allocated money were those that were already committed,” Jensen said. Jensen said the Wendover Wish list modest for family Airport, which is budgeted for $11.3 million, is the only enter- prise fund to rise drastically due to a projected injection of federal with bills, health problems funds. “We budgeted in anticipa- by Sarah Miley a month after his daughter found him tion of receiving that money,” STAFF WRITER unresponsive in their Tooele home. The he said. “The construction will verdict of doctors was that Michael was only happen if that money comes The Mitchell family’s needs are many overworked and dehydrated so severely through.” but their wants are few. that he slipped into a light coma. An FAA project grant accounts Seven-year-old Aleisha would love a He said his hospitalization led him to for $5 million of that amount. The Barbie. Isaac, 6, would be happy with a re-evaluate his priorities. Now spending 2009 general fund budget, which scooter and a toy train. The youngest of time with his family is what’s most impor- is the county’s operating fund, the family, 3-year-old Skyler, would also tant to him. totals $29.7 million. That repre- like a scooter and anything related to the “Yesterday I went to a family Christmas sents a decrease of about $1 mil- hero Iron Man. party and to see my kids laughing and lion, or 4 percent from the previ- It’s a modest list for a family that’s just playing and just seeing my family smiling ous year. weathered one of the most difficult years with the Christmas spirit made me feel The general fund budget of their lives. pretty blessed that I was there,” Michael includes a 2 percent cost-of-liv- The Mitchells, the Tooele Transcript- said. photography / Maegan Burr ing raise for county employees Bulletin Benefit Fund family for 2008, This epiphany came at a price, however. and elected officials. have struggled with bills brought on by Michael spent two months after leaving Geneva Concrete and Big Bubba’s Concrete subcontractors pour cement footings Monday The budget also allows for the father Michael, 30, going from working the hospital on dialysis as a result of the afternoon for the Deseret Peak convention center. Deseret Peak’s budget for 2009 is $4 two jobs to losing his sole job. To make million, up from $3.8 million in 2008. SEE BUDGET PAGE A5 ➤ matters worse, he was hospitalized for SEE BENEFIT PAGE A7 ➤ Man stabbed after HOLIDAY RUSH Tooele casino party by Tim Gillie Medical Center, the attack occurred STAFF WRITER after the hospital’s party was over while the owner of the gaming A man was stabbed inside a rest- company was cleaning up. room at St. Marguerite’s Catholic No motive for the attack is known SUN AND MOON SEVEN-DAY FORECAST FOR TOOELE Church in Tooele following a com- at this time, according to Tooele UV INDEX The Sun Rise Set WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAYpany SATURDAY Christmas party SUNDAY Saturday City MONDAYPolice Lt. Paul Wimmer. TUESDAY Wednesday 7:47 a.m. 5:04 p.m. evening. “During the struggle, the victim Thursday 7:48 a.m. 5:04 p.m. Friday 7:48 a.m. 5:05 p.m. According to Tooele City got a good look at the attacker,” Police Department Capt. Steve said Wimmer. “We are working on Saturday 7:49 a.m. 5:05 p.m. 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 Sunday 7:49 a.m. 5:06 p.m. Newkirk, the attack took place after getting a sketch artist to make a Monday 7:50 a.m. 5:06 p.m. Mountain West Medical Center’s drawing of the assailant.” Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Tuesday 7:50 a.m. 5:07 p.m. The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ The Moon Rise Set annual Christmas party, where a The police department is not number, the greater the need for eye and skin Wednesday 11:16 p.m. 11:33 a.m. gaming company was hired to pro- releasing the name of the victim protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Thursday none 11:57 a.m. Very High; 11+ Extreme Friday 12:23 a.m. 12:20 p.m. vide casino-style entertainment. at this time. However, his injuries Saturday 1:28 a.m. 12:43 p.m. Between 10:45 p.m. and 11 p.m., were not life-threatening, accord- ALMANAC Sunday 2:32 a.m. 1:08 p.m. Statistics for the week ending Dec. 15. Mostly cloudy with a Clouds limiting Cloudy; snow possible, theMostly owner cloudy of the and gamingTurning company cloudy and ing to Newkirk. TheNot victim as cold withwas snow Monday 3:36 a.m. 1:35 p.m. Cold with snow Temperatures Tuesday 4:38 a.m. 2:08 p.m. bit of snow sunshine breezy and colder went intocold the restroom. Inside,cold a treated on-site by Mountainmuch of Westthe time High/Low past week 46/15 Last New First Full man who was occupying one of Medical Center personnel and later Normal high/low past week 41/21 27 16 31 19 25 14 the stalls18 jumped7 out and15 stabbed7 transferred23 by21 ambulance37 to the18 Average temp past week 30.3 the gaming company owner sev- hospital. Normal average temp past week 31.0 TOOELE COUNTY WEATHER Daily Temperatures High Low Dec 19 Dec 27 Jan 4 Jan 10 Shown is Wednesday’s eral times with a knife, Newkirk “Currently we have no suspects, said. The type of knife has not been but we do have a good description 46 Forecasts and graphics provided by weather. Temperatures are 42 43 42 Wednesday night’s lows and 37 35 photography / Maegan Burr AccuWeather, Inc. ©2008 identified. of the assailant and are following 30 Wednesday’s highs. According to Doug Sagers, a up on leads,” Newkirk said. Collett Litchard packs presents into boxes at the Tooele Post Office Monday afternoon. Monday was the busiest mailing day of the year at the post office. [email protected] See story on A3. spokesperson for Mountain West 24 23 26 28 UTAH WEATHER 15 18 15 Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Logan Grouse 19/5 Wendover Precipitation (in inches) INSIDE Creek 20/9 BULLETINKnolls BOARDClive B2 WEATHER Lake Point 28/4 24/13 25/14 24/13 19.14 15.04 Ogden CLASSIFIEDS B6 Stansbury Park 22/12 Erda 24/13 Residen ts deck their HOMETOWN B1 Grantsville Holiday fair helps Vernal 28/16 Pine Canyon 0.77 Salt Lake City 24/9 24/13 22/13 0.44 0.35 0.64 houses with lights families in need Tooele 24/13 OBITUARIES A8 Bauer 27/16 Last Normal Month Normal Year Normal 27/16 Tooele Week for week to date M-T-D to date Y-T-D See B1 See A3 Provo Roosevelt 27/16 28/8 OPEN FORUM A6 25/15 Stockton Snowfall (in inches) Price SPORTS A10 See Complete 27/16 28/13 8.0 Nephi Forecast Rush Valley 7.0 29/14 TV LISTINGS B4 27/15 Ophir 5.0 on A9 23/12 Delta Manti 31/15 30/15 Green River Last Month Season 36/20 Dugway Week to date to date Richfield Gold Hill 27/13 32/18 Moab 27/9 SNOWPACK Hanksville 39/25 Beaver 37/22 Vernon Tooele Valley-Vernon Creek Basin 34/17 Ibapah 27/14 29/9 Snow Water Equivalent as of 12 a.m.