Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Standard-Examiner: Weber Officials Make Pitch To Legislature For Funds To Buy Gun Range - Updated

For those WCF readers who'd like to listen in, we've helpfully linked the audio of the Weber County Commission's February 11, 2014 sales pitch

Senator Jenkins: "I'm total screwup"

As a followup to our January 24 Weber County Forum story, wherein we reported that "our purportedly 'tight fisted' Weber County Commissioners are keen on dropping a cool $3.8 million taxpayer dollars for the public acquisition of a financially troubled and currently privately owned facility which features, among other things, two indoor shooting ranges and (get this) a 'mock urban environment,' where Weber County gun fanciers can finely hone their 'urban combat' tactics," we'll shine the spotlight on this morning's Standard-Examiner story, which reports on the latest development concerning this pie in the sky boondoggle:
For those WCF readers who'd like to listen in, we've helpfully linked the audio of the Weber County Commission's February 11, 2014 sales pitch before the Utah State Legislature's Business, Economic Development, and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee:
Surprise of surprises, we now learn that the taxpayer price tag for this proposed Weber County/State of Utah "joint venture," would actually total $7.8 million, rather that the "measly"  $3.8 million originally reported.

As an added bonus, we'll provide the online contact links for those Weber County situated state legislators who sit on the  Business, Economic Development, and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee, for the benefit of those Weber County Forum readers who'd like to bend their state legislator's ears concerning the "wisdom" of  this proposed $7.8 million boondoggle:
You know what to do.  Do it on the internet... or the old fashioned way (snail-mail and/or phone).

Have at it, O Gentle Ones...

Update 2/14/14 9:29 a.m.:  Ooops.... According this morning's hot-off-the-press Standard-Examiner story, the Weber County Commission's "funding request ... for state help with the [$7.8 million] purchase of a gun range is dead for now, the victim of procedural mess-up right out of an Abbot and Costello act":
"I screwed up. I thought it was in there. We had been over there talking about a million bucks. I knew I wouldn't get $3.7 million. We had a million and we were sitting over there talking and in the meantime we had never procedurally put it on the list and I thought we had. I just mixed up, it was a mistake," Senator Scott Jenkins admits, in a rare display of political candor.

Good goin' Senator Jenkins, we'll add.

Unfortunately, there's no word whether Senater Jenkins will succeed in having this possible multi-million dollar "handout" restored to the "sweeheart" priority list. 

10 comments:

John B. said...

I wonder what in the county's governing documents give the commissioners the job of buying and running a gun range?

Erna Stewart said...

Considering this is exactly the OPPOSITE direction I'd love to see the peace officers in our community head, I'd say....UM NOO! Apparently weber county officials aren't listening closely enough to my shouting. Let alone that ridiculous price tag!! Arg

Tim said...

For years, officials in Weber County are obsessed with creating Gotham City. From building the hi-tech Crime Center and unnecessarily installing thousands of cameras in area schools, prosecutors going on sympathy trips with their police officers, the DRONE debacle, gang injunction, and of course doubling down on SWAT style raids and equipment.

Connor Boyack said...

I'm
actively lobbying against this boondoggle of a request. I think there's
little support for it, given priorities to spend tax dollars elsewhere.
People across the state shouldn't be forced to fund this for the
benefit of a select few.

smaatguy said...

The bargain doubled in price but is still a bargain eh? What a crock....then of course there will be upgrading costs to make it "our". And what's going to be the funding source for operations????

Black hole here.

AWM said...

Lots happening right now with "shooting ranges" in the local area. The SE has now run stories on 3 different ranges in the last 8 weeks. The one being proposed around the King Fisher loop down by the river is a non-starter for me for two reasons. The trail would be rerouted from the loop excluding the public from one of my favorite stretches of the trail. Second, and this doesn't get much press, there are breeds of dogs who are hyper-sensitive around gun fire REGARDLESS of how it would be shielded by earthen berms. I was chosen by one to be her lifetime assistant. As were a couple of my friends. In regards to the range we're discussing here, $7.8 MILLION is way out of line for the rec opportunities it provides to the general public as a shooting facility. REGARDLESS of what the original price was to build it! This from someone who shoots large caliber handguns minimum 2 days a month for several hours on those days and has enough reloading equipment in the garage to make it look like a small scale machine shop.

John B. said...

Good, now where will he take his elephant gun.

RM said...

I
wish it were totally dead, but if they're really determined, they'll
find a way to get the money from the taxpayers rather than the State.

Danny said...

Why is the county thinking about buying an indoor gun range - for public recreation? It makes no sense.


Our county commissioners are morons. The only reason the public should buy this shooting gallery is to let the county commissioners run around in it as targets.

blackrulon said...

Lets make this dream purchase a perfect of Weber County government. Hire Matthew Godfrey to lobby our state legislature for the appropriate funds.

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