Utah no kids state | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "Bill could fast-track proposed Utah prison relocation" (Tribune, Feb. 19) and "Activist: More pre-K programs in Utah would be tossing cash 'down a rat hole'" (Tribune, Feb. 16):

Our current prison is "highly efficient," but because developers want its 700 acres, we're willing to buy a new $500 million prison and pay for it through sales taxes from the developed land, commerce which I assume would happen elsewhere if the prison stayed in place.

But there's little interest in the Legislature for funding high quality pre-school education, which actually pays back incredible dividends for society and individuals, despite conservative Republican activist and former congressional candidate Cherilyn Eagar calling more education spending "throwing our money down a rat hole."

Hell, even red states Oklahoma and Georgia provide universal voluntary preschool for 4-year-olds.

Well, we're certainly a pro-business state. We're definitely not a pro-children state, despite boasts to the contrary.

John Preston

Salt Lake City