Comments on: Take Back Utah Rally

By: Travis Grant

Travis Grant — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:58:57 +0000

Sorry, but I can’t condone any illegal action. If it were my property, I would like to control it. Isn’t it better to talk with the land owners and ask for some through way access. Please don’t just move barriers, work with owners.

By: Sharetrails

Sharetrails — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:10:56 +0000

One solution that is being used to Take Back Utah is to simply remove gates and barriers that have been put up by private landowners.

By: rmwarnick

rmwarnick — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:08:34 +0000

I told you, the reason there is so much public land in Utah is that many attempts to privatize it have failed. Finally, in 1976 with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Congress made a decision to stop trying to privatize, and to retain nearly all the land in federal ownership. This policy is much better for Utah’s economy than any short-sighted attempts at exploiting resources.

Suppose for the sake of argument that all the national parks, national monuments, national forests, national recreation areas etc. were turned over to the State of Utah. Where do you propose to get the money to run them?

By: Travis Grant

Travis Grant — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:49:28 +0000

Wow, that is some interesting interpreting of the constitution. I would like to see how you construe that?

I would agree in getting rid of the leases. Sell the land to them. And let the private sector sell and use the oil and gas as needed. The state can make revenues from taxes on the land and the sale of the oil and gas.

When you talk about private land and recreational areas, this is where I feel that public lands should remain public (owned by the states). There is a definite need for private land, and for public land. But 65% of any one state is outrageous.

By: rmwarnick

rmwarnick — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:44:57 +0000

You’re right. Utah wildlands serve us better if they stay public. With a few exceptions, the public domain out West has always been that way. It is what remains after many failed attempts at privatization, up to and including the Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1980s. “Take Back Utah” makes no sense unless you want to take back the Bush administration’s extensive oil and gas leases– I’d be in favor of that!

Unconstitutional, you say? Check out the Property Clause, Article IV Section 3.

It reduces private land, you say? Utah has more private land per capita than most other states. How do you propose to enjoy your favorite recreation areas if they are privatized and surrounded with “no trespassing” signs?

It reduces state tax revenues you say? The federal government gave Utah four sections out of every 36 at statehood. Also, the federal government bears all the costs of managing the public domain, and makes payments in lieu of taxes (PILT). If you could somehow privatize millions of acres, then the land would probably contribute a lot less to our economy.