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Show Page 2 UTAH Will You Plan The Use Of Your Land? It is an acceptable management procedure to plan the work and then work the plan. This gives direction to the work and constructive goals can be accomplished. A farmer and rancher must plan the year's operations in advance. The farm land must be divided up into the various crops that will properly serve in a rotation plan to maximize production. There are enough occurrences of weather, pestilence, labor shortages and others that short-cu- t the plans but this is certainly no excuse for failing to plan. It should be obvious to any intelligent person that men and women who have the closest contact with the land can best plan its use. Recent plans that have come out of Washington clearly demonstrate the failure of such absentee management. Crop supports and a variety of other programs fail to reflect the consumer interests and keep abreast of demand. Secretary of Agriculture Freeman once made the remark after program failure that nobody could predict how much produce would be needed. Supply and demand are really the elements that should control production. This article is not really directed to that subject, however, but to the idea of making similar application to planning use of the land. It is altogether too apparent that the great thrust behind land-us- e who have an interest in planning legislation is coming from non-owne- which will extend certain criteria for state legislation. This legislation is sure to involve state planners in developing and supervising land uses. Zoning has been used across the country with only a few exceptions with the idea of regulating land development in orderly, acceptable patterns. History has shown this to be unsatisfactory. It has only delayed the inevitable development until such time as new pressure, change of ownership and annexation into another legal subdivision where desired development would be approved. It is not uncommon for financia I advantage to accrue to certain parties during the delay. It is certain that farmers and ranchers must get into the action, and they must do it now. To avoid the issue now could have major, undesirable effects on the value of farm lands and could possibly precipitate a loss of land control and devalue the private ownership aspect of land that is so fundamental and essential to American freedom and prosperity. Who will plan the use of your land? would have moved the prices back to what they were on January 10, Farm Price Freeze Fails In Congress J. Kuhfuss, president of American Farm Bureau, expressed thanks to state Farm Bureaus for the excellent work that culminated in House action repudiating the effort to establish price rollbacks on raw agricultural products. President Kuhfuss also recognized help in getting other UTAH Letters, telegrams and phone calls from across the country expressed deep concern about such action and reiterated the Farm Bureau position relating to price and wage controls, as follows: We oppose the extension of legislative authority for price and wage controls. farm products, price rollback became necessary when it appeared the Congress was ready to do so. There was legislation in both the House and the Senate which President Kuhfuss explained that the House action which Farm Bureau people helped accomplish was preferable to the action in the Senate. He added that the overall impact again demonstrated the effectiveness of Farm Bureau when we pull together to do the job. Kuhfuss made it clear, however, that the job was not finished. The basic cause of this and many other problems is deficit federal spending. In response to the hope that we can be as effective in getting favorable action from all over America relating to inflation, Mr. Kuhfuss said, We have demon-- 1 mm BUREAU AGNEWS Published each month by the Utah Farm Bureau Federation at Salt Lake City, Utah. Editorial and Business Office, 629 East Fourth South, Salt Lake cents per year to memCity, Utah, 84102. Subscription price of twenty-fiv-e bers is Included in membership fee. Second Class postage paid at Salt Lake City, Utah UTAH FARM BUREAU FEDERATION OFFICIALS President ElmoW. Hamilton, Riverton Jay Child, Clearfield C. Booth Wallentine NeH D. Sumsion Vice President Executive Vice President Editor DIRECTORS: Frank Nishiguchi, Garland; William Holmes, Ogden; Jack Brown,. Grantsville; Edward Boyer, Springville, Kenneth Brasher, Huntington; Jerold Johnson, Aurora; Kenneth R. Ashby, Delta; Mrs. Willis Whitbeck, Bennion, Stanley Jackson, Ogden. . vgseeiMMwanawMMir tiwj .. vr..". -. BUDGET The Governor estimated that the combined General and Uniform School funds would have 1974 income of $358.3 million. The Legislature increased this year to $381.3 million. The raise amounts to $23 million or 6.4 percent. The legislature appropriated $359.3 million against the Governors combined funds spending request, a 3 percent increase. The Legislature increased the Governors General fund request by $9.3 million to $191.5 million. The Uniform School Fund was likewise increased $1 million over the Governors requested $166.8 million. The areas that were increased over the Governors request included Business Regulation, Labor and Agriculture $.4 million; Public Education $5.5 million; $2 million in Higher Education, $.8 million for Judicial and Executive, $.8 million in Social Services, $.9 million for buildings, $1.5 million for the Jordan River Parkway and $.4 million for miscellaneous legislation. The Legislature cut operation costs in the following: $.4 million in Government operations as was the case with Natural Resources; Transportation and Public Safety $.3 million arid the Provo Technical College $2 million. The Governor estimated an ending balance of $9.3 million surplus. The Legislatures estimate was set at $22 million but included $12.4 million of tax relief that would take effect later this year. STATE SALARY INCREASES partial list of the top salaries as provided in S. B. 191 increased Governor from $30 to $33 thousand, Secretary of State from $19 to $20 thousand, Attorney General from $22 to $23 thousand, State Auditor and Treasurer from $17 to $19 thousand, Supreme Court Justices from $23, to $24 thousand, District and Juvenile Court Judges from $21 to $22 A thousand. PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE School finances involve the largest and most important money legislation. This legislation will increase the 1974 expected expenditures , $23 million over 1973 which was $194.3 million. It is 21 percent above the actual amount spent in 1972 fiscal year. At the same time the average daily attendance will have increased only 478 or two tenths of one per cent. The Utah Tax Payers Association listed 5 points on school finance: The new equalization formula will switch from traditional distribution units to weighted students as a means for distributing State school aid to local districts. In 1973 a D.U., or 27 children, was worth $11,910. In 1974 each weighted student will carry a guarantee of $508. To receive this all districts must levy 28 mills. San Jaun district will have three years to bring its levy up to 28 mills. 1. Local districts may continue to levy, by approval of local voters, up to 10 mills above the basic mills. 2. Exceptions: A district which cannot realize at least a 6 percent per student revenue increase under new formula, can tax an amount sufficient to raise this amount for three years. Also, districts facing loss of Federal impacted aid money will be allowed to levy up to 4 mills additional for three years should these funds be withdrawn. 3. 1973. people and organizations to express opposition as well. Action to encourage Congressmen to vote against a raw S. Although the Governor has announced plans to call the Utah Legislature back into session later this year, most of the action in the Legislature with respect to budgeting, financing public schools, salary increases for state employees are now a matter of record. The Utah Tax Payers Association has prepared a summary of action at the session this year. There are two or three points that are helpful in assessing what happened. rs preserving the land for the best interest of society. The whole question is really, "What method should be used?" Should those who know the productive capacity of the land (and permit demand with some limits) direct its use and development? The forces are gathering strength for a clear plan in the Congress William May W73 FARM BUREAU NEWS ' - strated that we can do it. Each county Farm Bureau and each individual member who participated is complimented for contributing to this effective action in the Congress. The new formula also differs in that it calculates the number of students by the average of daily membership and daily attendance. 4. It also differs in that the formula, for the first time, will have a ceiling on the total amount of state appropriations that may go into the Uniform School Fund. MThe politicians, reports UTA, promised no tax hikes, and outside of the School Finance bill, none were increased. They also promised substantial tax cuts. Here is what we will get: Individual Income Tax -$1.4 million; Inheritance Tax --- $.5 million; State Property tax $6 a $6 million; person sales tax credit $6.4 million; Corporation Income tax $.4 million and eliminating the $5 local option tax on motor vehicles will cut Salt Lake County taxes $1.3 million. Total tax cut - $16 5. - - - million. Substantial cuts in taxes are encouraging. There is always the hope behind tax cuts that greater operating efficiency has been made to warrent the cuts. Cuts that would leave the state with deficits would not be desireable. Such deficiencies at the federal level is the genesis of inflation. State governments should also balance budgets and run a good business just as is expected of the individual. When public budgeting and taxing to meet those budgets occurs, taxpayers and voters have a responsibility to see that only activities that can best and properly be the function of the state, county and local government are adopted. Elected officials have the responsibility to see that waste and corruption are held to the very smallest limits possible and hopefully eliminated completely. The decisions of the Legislature each session come after considerable debate and many times have to be corrected. However, what they do deserves our support-un- til such time as we can legally and properly through due process make other arrangements. |