| "body"> | | | | percent of the citizens of Utah are members of the |
| Congress recently passed the Bankruptcy Abuse | | | | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and |
| Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, designed to | | | | members are encouraged to have large families. It |
| minimize frivolous bankruptcy filings and to require | | | | costs more to feed, clothe and house a large family |
| debtors to repay some of their debt. Once it takes | | | | than a small one. |
| effect in October, 2005, the law will make it harder | | | | Utah has more families with only one wager earner. |
| for those with problem debt to have their debt | | | | Large families mean more stay-at-home moms, so a |
| wiped away by the courts. Most will have to agree | | | | lot of families must get by on a single paycheck. |
| to a five-year repayment plan. In passing this new | | | | Utah's wages are lower than average. Many high tech |
| law, members of Congress suggested that our | | | | companies have relocated to Utah in recent years, |
| bankruptcy courts are filled with cases involving not | | | | but the "high tech" jobs they provide are often |
| ordinary citizens, but with reckless gamblers, | | | | telephone customer service jobs, which typically pay |
| shoppers, and drug abusers. Is that really the case? | | | | $8-10 per hour. |
| One would think, given the accusations, that the | | | | Members of the LDS Church are expected to tithe |
| highest bankruptcy rate in the Untied States would | | | | 10% of their income to the Church. |
| be in place where such vices were common, such as | | | | While Utah's home prices are not among the highest |
| California, New York or even Nevada. If problem | | | | nationally, they are fairly high when compared to the |
| gambling is thought to be the cause of so much | | | | average wage within the state. |
| bankruptcy, then one might assume that Las Vegas | | | | The combination of large families, fewer workers per |
| would be the bankruptcy capital of the world. How | | | | family, church donations and low wages have |
| odd it is, then, to discover that Utah, one of only | | | | contributed to an economic environment that makes |
| two states that prohibits gambling completely, has | | | | it very hard for many Utahns to stay afloat |
| the highest per capita incidence of bankruptcy filings | | | | financially. This is in direct contrast with the |
| in the United States. Utah? How can that be?Utah | | | | arguments put forth by Congress when the new |
| has a number of aspects that, taken on their own, | | | | bankruptcy law was proposed, which suggested that |
| don't suggest that bankruptcy would be a problem. | | | | most people filing for bankruptcy are simply |
| Added together, however, these things create a | | | | irresponsible. For many hard-working people in Utah, |
| recipe for disaster: | | | | the new law will make it harder than ever to make |
| Utah has the nation's highest birthrate. Seventy | | | | ends meet. |