Letter: I agree, enforce the law

Laws should mean something

Posted

This letter is in response to editor David Rupkalvis’ My Turn column titled “Either enforce the law or change it” in the Sept. 13, edition of the Lake Powell Chronicle.

I too was taken aback by the disclosure during the Page City Council public hearing meeting on lighting that it was time to start enforcing the current lighting ordinance. Does this mean that this particular law has not been enforced in the past? At this point, the lighting issue presents no real issue to me, however a lack of enforcement of laws on the books certainly does. Was this merely an oversight or a conscious decision not to enforce? I think the citizens of Page are due an explanation — seriously!  

I guess I am naïve in these matters but I thought if a law was on the books, that it was being enforced. However, I have questioned a perceived lack of traffic enforcement during tourist season in the past. Now I feel I have real reason to question if this is another situation not being properly enforced. Most Page citizens have their favorite bad driver stories rightly or wrongly attributed to tourist; some near misses. My close calls have led me to park my motorcycle during the season — four wheels trumps two no matter who’s at fault. Upon inquiry a few years ago into the lack of traffic enforcement, the official response was lack of personnel, the unofficial response most often heard was that it was bad for business.  

To end on a positive note — It was great to see in the same Chronicle issue the article on game enforcement of an alleged poaching incident by Arizona Game and Fish Department. 

Keep up the good work, and continue to enforce our laws. If not, then change them.