Rural Utah is doing just fine: Letters from the towns real estate developers can't wait to get their hands on.

• Author: Malan, Mekenna

UTAH'S ECONOMY IS BOOMING, drawing even more businesses to the promised land. But what happens to the residents of lesser-populated towns when developers want to expand near recreation hubs like our world-class ski resorts and vibrant national parks?

Well, we asked them.

A letter from Chris Dever, Mayor of Eureka, Utah

Population: 740

THE METAPHOR "allowing the invisible hand to work" refers to the economic spillovers that the economist Adam Smith described, which occur when businesses or individuals act in their own self-interest. Typically, society benefits economically from their "selfish" success, but dangerously small towns could also suffer negative reactions if not carefully kept in check.

In the town of Eureka, I am very concerned with this possible imbalance of the "invisible hand" where forcing a town to grow could result in possible unintended economic backlashes. The thought of more sales tax, property tax, children in school, and the greater economic benefits is appetizing, but these offerings might--and will--come with a cost.

Because of the sparse rural population in Juab County, the Tintic School District qualifies for special state funding which is called the Necessarily Existent Small Schools program (NESS). This provides extra equity for smaller, rural, or geographically expanse districts. Without these generous infusions, there is no question our district would struggle to provide programs and services to the communities (Eureka and the West Desert) it has stewardship over.

These funds appropriated to the district are contingent on the socioeconomic status of the community. With that stated, the district has postured itself carefully in regards to school capital needs and staffing. If Eureka City allowed untethered expansive growth to occur quickly, the district more than likely would suffer a loss of its supplemental funds too rapidly to adjust or allow the homeostasis balance to take effect.

Eureka city is constantly approached by businesses and developers who are going to "save" our city from annihilation. These unicorns think their superior intellect, acuity, and prowess will scoop our small town up out of the "food stamp" doldrums and provide a magical way for all of us to drive BMWs and eat lobster rolls! They really believe (and want to convince us) that we need them to improve our lives and economic well beings.

To these "saviors": you all walk the same walk and talk the same talk. We are well aware of the people...