WEST WENDOVER, Nev. — After the bouncing boundary ball quieted Thursday, a spokesman for Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., came away from a packed public hearing with a clear message — some people don't trust the federal and state governments to make decisions for them.

The City Council here stood by its earlier 4-0 vote opposing federal legislation to study annexing the Utah side of this border town into Nevada, despite votes from neighboring municipalities supporting the measure.

For years the border cities of Wendover, Utah, and West Wendover have been socially, culturally, politically and financially divided — separate schools, police and fire departments, public works, laws, taxes and on and on.

And for years Reps. Gibbons and Jim Hansen, R-Utah, say they have heard rumblings that the two sides would like to unite in a border change that would absorb Wendover into Nevada, in theory creating an even playing field for everyone.

"I want to see this community be one community," Councilman Joel Murphy said. About 6,000 people make up both cities, with about 5,000 on the Nevada side.

In June the two congressmen sponsored the bill HR2054, still sitting in the House Judiciary Committee, which gives congressional consent for both sides to take up to six years to study annexing Utah land into Nevada and combining the two Wendovers.

There was a sense from some in the meeting that things should move faster because development, they say, has gone stagnant due to the present uncertainties filtering through the community.

Nearly everyone, though, even those opposed to annexation, still wants to at least study the matter of a unified Wendover.

"I think we owe it to our future generations to at least look at it," said Tooele County Commissioner Gene White, who remembers when children from both sides went to the same schools.

The Wendover City Council and the county commissions for Elko, Nev., and Tooele all voted to support HR2054.

At least two West Wendover council members believe the legislation takes the power to veto a border shift from the local level and allows state legislatures and the federal government to forge ahead with unification.

Elko County Commissioners Mike Nannini and John Ellison warned that by letting the state and federal governments control the destiny of both cities, residents are headed for "trouble" and "disaster."

A Judiciary Committee hearing expected sometime before year's end will help decide how, or even if, the bill would move forward through the long political process before it reaches the president's desk for his signature. Some West Wendover officials say the bill should be amended to require local approval of a boundary shift.

Gibbons' legislative director Robert Uithoven said even if President Bush signs the bill, without a decisive move from both sides toward annexation, "it dies."

Representing what may be the largest property owner on both sides of the border, State Line/Silver Smith Casino Resorts President Michael Devine cautioned against paying for Tooele County's estimated $6.4 million in debt.

"Nevada doesn't need to take it on," he said. Elko County may also be facing much larger numbers as Tooele County and its school district add up their assets.

Uithoven said the idea of digging into what one resident called the government's "deep pockets" to help fund the merger is not out of the question.

The tone of the meeting turned accusatory as Uithoven said the casinos pressured the former council to vote against the legislation, while some said Gibbon's office pressured Elko County commissioners to support the bill. Elections the day of the council vote ushered in a new mayor and changed the face of city government. Still, there was no revote as some expected, and no decisions were made Thursday.

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Uithoven stressed the bill is not a mandate for annexation, a move some fear would raise their taxes.

"You think (Gibbons) is going to back a measure that's going to raise your taxes?" he asked.

Councilmen Jim Eveleth and Mike Miera said they were not once approached by casino representatives asking them to vote against HR2054.


E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com

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