Best place to live in Utah

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ker0uac
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Re: Best place to live in Utah

Post by ker0uac »

Scott P wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 1:01 pm They'll still vote for people who want to do that because of other issues.
True
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Scott P
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Re: Best place to live in Utah

Post by Scott P »

montanahiker wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 12:58 pmHow are the state-level lawmakers on environmental issues? I'm not talking about trying to get control of federal land within the state's borders but the actual land they control.
As far as state lands go, if they can sell them or lease them, they do. There are a lot of state parcels still out there, but unless someone wants to buy them they are open to recreation.

Utah does a pretty good job with the state parks though.

As far as other environmental issues go, it's a mixed bag. Utah is making an effort to encourage things like solar power.
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greenonion
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Re: Best place to live in Utah

Post by greenonion »

montanahiker wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 12:58 pm
Scott P wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 12:19 pm
ker0uac wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:29 amI want to learn more about this. So Utah is a playground for the outdoorsy type, but the locals themselves are anti-outdoorsy? ?
It depends on where you are. In places like the Wasatch Front, Moab, St. George, etc., yes there are a lot of ourdoorsy people. In places like Delta, Vernal, etc., not so much (except for hunters).

The same is true in Colorado. There are lots of outdoorsy people on the Front Range, Aspen, Steamboat, Vail, etc., but in places like Craig (where I used to live), there are very few (except for hunters).
I understand it's a conservative and religious state, and I understand the elected officials aren't very inclined to protect the lands from commercial exploration, but would you go as far as characterizing the population as anti-outdoors
Maybe not the population, but the politicians. A lot of people in Utah are outdoorsy, but they vote for politicians who are not, just because the politicians happen to be conservative on other issues.

I'll use a specific example. Here is what Mike Lee says about public lands:

https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issue-lands

Section 9 of the federal legislation that created Utah said that federally owned land within the state of Utah, “shall be sold by the United States subsequent to the admission of said state into the union.”

Similar language in enabling acts for Missouri and North Dakota were honored. Almost all of the federally owned land in those states was sold decades ago.

But Congress has not honored that promise to sell federal land in Utah or most of the west. They should. Sen. Lee is fighting to make Congress keep that promise and to mitigate the damage the federal government is inflicting on rural communities in the meantime.


What he fails to mention is that at one time the Feds tried to give the land to the state, but that the Governor refused saying that "they already had enough desert". Also, the state constitution, dating back to the 1800s said that the land is to remain Federal.
How are the state-level lawmakers on environmental issues? I'm not talking about trying to get control of federal land within the state's borders but the actual land they control.
Big on development in the context of land they control. Money, money, money
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Wentzl
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Re: Best place to live in Utah

Post by Wentzl »

When I pass through Escalante these days it strikes me as Telluride did when I was there in the late 70's.

Not saying that an empty lot that you can pick up for $15,000 will be worth a million in your lifetime, but just had a similar vibe.

Anyone else have a thought on that community?
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Scott P
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Re: Best place to live in Utah

Post by Scott P »

Wentzl wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:02 pm When I pass through Escalante these days it strikes me as Telluride did when I was there in the late 70's.

Not saying that an empty lot that you can pick up for $15,000 will be worth a million in your lifetime, but just had a similar vibe.

Anyone else have a thought on that community?
I consider Escalante to be in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

Overall though, they aren't friendly to outsiders, non-LDS members, or anyone who supports environmental protection. A few people in town do, most don't.

PS, I am LDS and used to go to church nearly every Sunday. When on long canyoneering, hiking, and backpacking trips I went to church in town. One time the bishop got up in sacrement meeting and said we needed to start a holy war and run all of the non-members and outsiders out of town. I was shocked and the incident made national news. They also used to have public parades with floats that would drag dummy "environmentalist" down the road behind the floats and trucks.

This was a while ago though, maybe things have calmed down.

If it weren't for the people, Escalante would be my #1 choice in places to live. I don't think I could stand living there though

Anyway, in an early post above I mentioned Torrey. It is also really beautiful and not that far from Escalante. It is a much more welcoming place and much more welcoming towards outsiders.
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