I have been thinking along the same lines myself lately. One of Salt Lake City's problems is that it is so small the legislature feels like it can smack it around with no negative consequence. I think a good first step would be for SLC to consolidate with some of the surrounding communities to create a city with a population to be reckoned with.

I appreciate the writer’s feelings on this issue. However, if you have ever criticized any government entity, then why would you ever dare risk to let just one or a merger of multiple to form with the potential that it too, performs poorly? Just think, now we completely get poor results...but the dollars are spent so much more efficiently. It is about efficiency or results? I say results. If competing municipalities exist with the side effects of similar goals, expenses, and tax incentives...then bravo! Let's not get any closer to socialism, the duplication of the governement is a perservation vehicle of our power.

Mr. Evensen forgets that the Sandy theater is being proposed by a private developer, not the city. If the County could get their act together, competing theaters would probably not be an issue. While the county's potential theater would be taxpayer funded and subsidized, Sandy's would not be, as has been reported on by this paper.

It would be nice of Mr. Evensen to weigh in on something really important, like the County Sheriff trying to pull out of the VECC and force a new duplication of services for the small and shrinking unincorporated areas of the county. Perhaps he can explore how duplicating 911 centers will improve public safety. Or how forcing cities to acquire multiple redundant radios that work on different frequencies just to be able to talk to the Sheriff's department is a great use of taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Evensen clearly has 'Sandy envy' and can not stand to see anything worthwhile built outside of downtown SLC. Even when the bulk of the funding is provided from outside the capital city. One would almost think he was a member of the SLC-centric County Council.

Since the entire justification for government is to expedite matters of defense of life and property from imminent attack, it follows that anything done to you which is not in defense of an imminent attack to life or property is usurpation, tyranny, and oppression. The gov't doesn't exist to provide services, but to take services. Wake up, return to sound first principles, and give up your vision of a coerced utopia - coercion and peace cannot coexist.

Mr Evensen said: "I haven't a clue how much money is being wasted in this continual competition to do the same thing. But I know there is a better way."

So why do we need both the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Morning News? Sound like one bad paper is enough.

Consolidated services = Bigger Government. Taken to its logical conclusion, you really mean the state government should provide local services. Are you really this socialistic, Mr. Evenson, or are you just trying to make us so angry we will respond with comments? Are different branches of local retail shops "duplication" of services? Are different congregations of a large church "duplication" of services? Are 15 high schools in the valley a "duplication" of services? Come on, get a little deeper than your ankles in the real issues. The county sheriff demanding a seperate call center from VECC is an ideal example of the myopia that plagues you pundits.