Jay Evensen
  • Front Page
  • Opinions
  • Second Thoughts
  • Portfolio
  • Awards
  • About

Why can't Utah's prison be rebuilt in Draper?

6/23/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
One thing that gets state Rep. Fred Cox “ticked” is the notion that the Utah State Prison can’t be rebuilt in Draper, where it currently sits.

“Whether it should remain in Draper is something smart people can disagree about, but I don’t understand how smart people can disagree that it can be rebuilt there,” he told me by phone. “Anyone looking at an aerial photo can immediately see there is ample room to do that.”


To help the discussion, Cox, an architect with 30 years experience doing commercial site planning, has posted such an aerial photo on his blog, Fredcox4utah.blogspot.com. He proposes rebuilding in phases.

Whether he has the clout necessary to stop this political freight train, however, remains to be seen.

Relocating the state’s most visible prison — one known for its army of local volunteers who provide religious counseling and other services — is among the most important, and expensive, decisions involving taxpayer money in recent memory.

And yet people who suggest the state rebuild in Draper are met with two bumper-sticker responses that don’t tell the whole story. One is, “The decision to move has been made.” The other is, simply, “$1.8 billion,” referring to an estimate by consultant MGT of America as to how much private economic activity could be generated on that site.

When members of the Prison Relocation Commission say the decision has been made, they are referring to a 2014 legislative resolution. It said the issue had “received much attention and study.” But that study included only "a very quick look" at rebuilding, as commission co-chair Sen. Jerry Stevenson said recently.

Telling the public the Legislature has made a final decision (legislative decisions never are final, which is why the state keeps holding elections) rings hollow in light of this.

Cox believes the state’s first step should have been to decide what is needed in a new prison, study what it would cost and then thoroughly review the Draper site to see whether it could be applied there.

“I haven’t seen anyone who’s gone through this and said, ‘This is what a new Draper location would look like and what it would cost,’” he said.

The second quick response, “$1.8 billion,” is under reconsideration at the moment. Prison Relocation Commission co-chairman and House Majority Assistant Whip Brad Wilson has asked legislative staff to study whether it’s too low. But Rep. Merrill Nelson has asked the same people to study whether it’s too high.

Neither effort helps much. What’s lacking is a healthy dose of perspective. MGT’s study said the $1.8 billion estimate includes business and spending that would move to Draper from other parts of Utah and Salt Lake counties, “and activities that are new to the region (i.e., relocating from outside the region).”

That’s an important distinction. Merely moving a business from one part of the county to another won’t generate any more money for the state.

In addition, $1.8 billion has to be compared to the current size of Utah’s economy, which is approaching $150 billion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Utah’s economy grew by 3.1 percent last year, which was well over $1.8 billion.

There is nothing magical about Draper. It’s reasonable to believe whatever new business would go there could just as easily be attracted to Lehi or some other place in the state.

Public hearings tend to attract people who feel threatened. It’s easy to dismiss the angry crowds as hyper local rabble. But an opinion poll conducted late last year by Dan Jones & Associates for Utahpolicy.com found 55 percent of people statewide opposing the move. Cox believes the majority of his constituents in West Valley City, far from any proposed site, are included in that figure.

With the governor poised to call a special session once the commission decides on a site, options for keeping the prison in Draper are dwindling, short of voting down the eventual recommendation.

Cox also is trying to repeal a law passed this year that moves the process along.

Meanwhile, however, he looks at the four sites under final consideration and asks, “If those are the four best sites we have, you tell me why Draper isn’t better.”

1 Comment
Robert S. Warren
8/19/2015 05:30:35 am

I would like a 4 page breakdown of the costs to stay to mofe and a beeakdown of the costs to stay in Draper. How many guards, staff, janitors and other employees are in Draper? I think when they are all asked to move the value of their house will go down. The cost to buy near 7200 west will go up. Some of the employees will elect not to move, and a new person will have to be trained.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Search this site


    Like what you read here?

      Please subscribe below, and we'll let you know when there is a new opinion.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Picture

    The author

    Jay Evensen is the Senior Editorial Columnist of the Deseret News. He has nearly 40 years experience as a reporter, editor and editorial writer in Oklahoma, New York City, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. He also has been an adjunct journalism professor at Brigham Young and Weber State universities.

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    Categories

    All
    Campaign 2012
    Congress
    Crime
    Culture
    Iran
    Oil And Gas
    Poverty
    Steroids
    Taxes
    Utah
    Washington
    World Events
    World Events

    Links

    Deseret News
    Newslink
    Marianne Evensen's blog

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.