Teenagers were able to demand some answers from their elders Wednesday night at a downtown banquet celebrating a pair of youth-oriented service organizations.
The puzzler was popped by Trevor Dryer, a West High School student, who during a panel question-and-answer session wanted to know whether the state thinks it's better to spend money to hire more police or pour funds into programs aimed at keeping kids off the street."Yes," replied Rep. Pete Suazo, D-Salt Lake, offering a tongue-in-cheek answer, suggesting he thinks both are priorities.
Suazo, speaking at the 3rd Annual Diversity Dinner & Dance at the Salt Lake Marriott, said it's clear government has gotten behind the curve, as the demand for space in detention centers continues to outpace supply.
"We got to the point where we got behind," said Suazo, noting plans to build 60-bed youth-detention facilities in Farmington and Utah County and expectations that a similar 160-bed facility will be erected in Salt Lake County soon.
Suazo told his mostly young audience of about 250 that it's also an expensive option to lock young people up, figuring that taxpayers spend about $2 million a year running the 40-bed Decker Lake Youth Center in Salt Lake County.
But what about the homeless? wondered Sarina Hail, another West High student, whose question was fielded by state Rep. Raymond W. Short, R-Salt Lake.
Short said he thinks Salt Lake City's transient problem stays in its homeless rut in large part because it's hard to find work when you don't have an address. Most homeless shelters allow residency for no more than 90 days, said Short, but those who are in such a bind need as much as a year to get back on their feet.
In perhaps the most personal moment of the evening, 3rd District Court Judge Tyrone Medley was asked by a student what special challenges he's faced as Utah's first African-American to serve on the state bench.
"I wasn't sure anybody would follow an order I issued, to tell you the truth," said Medley, who went on to say that his role as a trailblazer was frequently noted in the initial months of his 1992 ap-point-ment.
Caucasians, in particular, were taken aback when visiting his court.
"I could tell they were surprised to see me there . . . it was a fairly wide-eyed look."
African-Americans, he said, had a different response: "(They) kind of high-fived one another."
But Medley said he shares the same burden any judge has, "trying to decide what an appropriate sentence would be in a given case."
Heather Waddoups of Taylorsville High School asked about the effectiveness of drunk-driving laws, an issue Suazo said the Legislature will confront this winter.
General alcohol-control bills likely to surface include one that would add a nickel tax to every drink served in the state. One certain to stir up more controversy is a leftover from last year - a proposal to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit to .04 percent, a move drinkers say would be draconian because it would make it illegal for most people to drive after a single beer.
"This bill will bring on a lot of debate," promised Suazo.
Wednesday's event was cosponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake and Colors of Success, local programs aimed at encouraging socially responsible behavior in young people.