You spent tax money on what?

Yes, we are in an economical slump and I think it is very apparent that those funds we have been saving for a "rainy day" are officially not going to be used for a fun vacation this summer. It is exactly times like these when I am not pleased to really find out where my tax dollars are going?

On www.ksl.com today, I found the following article: Cities' salt budgets running out

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP)--Several Utah cities have already exhausted their salt budgets for snow-and ice-covered roads this winter. West Valley City has spent the $105,000 it budgeted for salt. The Salt Lake City suburb bought 5,500 tons of salt and has another 2,000 tons in storage...The Utah Department of Transportation expects to spend about $6.5 million on salt this winter, up from $5 million last winter, because of increased prices.

Are we not called "Salt" Lake City for a reason? Am I mistaken or do we not have giant salt sculpted landscape just west of the city?

As a frustrated tax payer, who is longing for somebody in a position of governmental leadership to step up and make important decision, greater then what sandwich they would like served at the next lunch meeting, I propose the following solutions:

• Start harvesting some of our own local Utah salt, yes friends the salt flats may be used for more then racing and filming Pirates of the Caribbean 3, we have probably sold all of this land to Morton, but there has to be some "salt land", still owned by the state that could be used...and here is a business idea, sell it to other states, helping to cover the cost of harvesting while receiving revenue...it is all about supply and demand people and we have plenty to supply. If we are buying it from "ourselves" at this price it is time to take a look at this process.
• Do as the ancients did, dig giant holes, fill with salty lake water, wait for water to evaporate, and walla salt. Obviously this wouldn't work well in the winter, but come spring it is time to whip out some backhoes and dump trucks.
• Shoot the remainder of the 2,000 tons of salt still left in storage into approaching storm clouds for the rest of the winter, covering more area and bonus, the remainder will fall where it may-hopefully onto the freeway and not onto vegetation...sound unreasonable, a little crazy? So does spending 6.5 million in tax dollars on salt, in a desert, with salt flats!