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Show Page December 12, 1953 TIIK JOURNAL 8 second week, the lawmakers were tire at $100.! 3 per month while expected to run into teacher re- paying into the plan $1N, per tirement and school financing, and month. The same teacher under in these fields the governor really the 100 per cent plan would get will fight to get his legislative pro- $111.13 per month retirement but gram put into effect. The govern- would only have to pay $10.10 a or differs from the council in sev- month. eral respects in these fields. In finance, the governors proLawmakers also were thinking gram would get the schools $'.(3.7,-ooof the potent Iac veto a weapon in additional aid this year by the governor used seven times in giving them a classroom unit fund the regular session without once based on current enrollments rather than last years figures. This being set back. Gov. Lee has already promised, money, the governor says, could be through his GOP leaders in the raised immediately by borrowing House and Senate, that he will act from the surplus in the $2,157,000. on measure passed as rapidly as emergency building fund appropossible and will turn back to the priation. The governor agreed with the legislature any vetoed items in time for the lawmakers to act on council that a uniform local levy the veto before adjourning the ses- of 10 mills be assessed to get a classroom unit figure, $3,1.70. sion. The real battles between Lee and graduated up to a 12 mill local the educators will be in the field levy for a $1,0.70. program. But on local leeway, the governor of retirement and school finances. The governor favors a 100 per wants a 14 per cent leeway with a cent plan of integration with so- local levy not to exceed 4 mills cial security for the retirement while the council wants a 23 5 per program. The council and the cent leeway and a maximum 0 mill teachers want the 70 per cent local levy. The governor tops the council, plan. 70 Benefits are higher under the however, in providing added funds per cent plan, but the 100 per cent for districts where the taxpayers plan will cost the state less to put will go for additional levy through into effect and will cost the indi- election. The council sets a ceiling of 10 vidual teacher less. For example, the 70 per cent in- per cent leeway through election tegration plan calls for an initial while the governor sets his sights outlay of $l,47400, which is at 10 per cent leeway. The govern$27S,0k, over the initial cost of ors plan would provide a the other plan at $1,200,000. A program up to $4,4.70. teacher with 33 years of service with additional local aid available can, under the 70 per cent plan, re if the citizens want it 'and should o, J. Bracken Lee is an out- state agreed with the chief execuspoken man, and he doesnt hesi- tive or disagreed for that mattate to call a spade a spade even ter it was hard at the end of the though it might alienate some of first week of the legislative sesGov. his supporters and make his opponents even more determined. sion to see whether the governor had picked up support for his ideas The governor was running true by his fiery speeches or whether to form as the 1U.73 special session he had alienated several persons of the Utah Legislature opened. who might otherwise have supportIlis opening message was a full-sca- le ed him. frontal attack on the Utah By the end of the first week, the Education Association, which he bulk of the proposals of the school charged, tried to bring about the survey commission had been enspecial session through sheer pres- acted into law. Some had been re- sure and half-truth- s about the edu- vised by the Utah Legislative Council and still others underwent recation problem. Then, when he got around to vision on the floor of the House or delivering his second speech to the Senate. But when the box score lawmakers, the governor let the began to come in, it was obvious educators have the other barrel, that in most cases where the govclaiming they were using a psy- ernor differed from the council, chology of fear and declaring that the lawmakers were either acceptthe educators tried to silence all ing the councils proposals or those who opposed them by attack- amending the bill in favor of the ing their critics with charges of educators. The big tests, however, were still being enemies of education. However, many people in the to come. By the beginning of the state-support- OLSEN CHEVROLET CO, LAYTON, UTAH MORGAN, UTAH ed he adequate for immediate educa- tion needs, the governor feels. Among other things, the rest of the Lee program on education would provide for election of school boards all at one time, do away with state aid for the school lunch program, turn the four per cent liquor tax money into the minimum school fund and set up financial aid with a rider that future salary raises would be made with an eye toward merit increases rather than blanket allocations. The chief executive would also like to see the state abandon, as of next June, Snow, Dixie and Carbon Junior Colleges and the two vocational schools of the state, located in I'rovo and Salt Lake City. |