Recently while attending another great barrel race at the Old Spanish Trail Arena in Moab the producer was informed that the usage fee had increased by 148 percent.

An average of 100 contestants and family attend these functions.

Most of the girls stay in motels, eat out, buy fuel, and attend local events – dropping around $500 to $1,000 a weekend at the local businesses during the winter months when tourism is at a stand-still.

The Grand County Council members, in all their wisdom, have priced the arena out of the competition for an average event.

Every dollar I spend while in Moab goes around seven times. So now, who knows where my dollar will be spent after Thanksgiving weekend. For the race is on for a more reasonable venue.

Thank you Grand County Council members. For the wonderful job of adding to the local economy.

You just can’t fix stupid! The small people keep all the big ones booming.

—Tamy Jaramillo

Blanding