Show Now That Its It's Over I TT V WAS AS with mixed emotions that that the people r IT rV of f the state noted the adjournment of or the twenty-first twenty legislature Now that it is over With the score may be counted but counted but some in individuals individuals individuals in- in may yet be unable to determine which side Bide won At first with an almost solid Democratic Democratic Democratic Demo Demo- cratic membership it looked much as asif if there was only one side but as time passed and contentious contentious contentious con con- and acrimonious debate deba e proceeded ded it was discovered to be the outstanding ding session in ill all ll Utah history in its many There were many tim times s when the session appeared to be a a contest between the lawmakers lawmakers law law- makers and the people people and and we ma may not be certa certain n yet whether it was or not Only time can tell Some onlookers will aver that the peo people le still have a chance to lose and that the real test will come at the next state election when constitutional amendments are arc to be voted upon N With a record of bills passed and an all all- time record set for number of measures introduced introduced intro intro- the session was marked by factionalism never before equaled Of measures offered 40 viere were withdrawn and were killed dying from natural or unnatural causes or left to ex expire expire ex- ex pire on the table without benefit of decent burial Hopes were dashed then in more than instances each the occasion for individual or group a anguish and heartache but bUl it may be believed to the relief and satisfaction of the average citizen n Never before have so many measures been introduced which appropriately should have been labeled Dynamite These were signs of the internal stresses and strains of class consciousness consciousness con con- the self-interest self of blocs and factions factions factions fac fac- which hinder and often destroy constructive constructive construe construe- tive legislative effort for the common good Emotionalism ruled in innumerable cases where calculating reasoning should have directed in intelligent intelligent in- in debate A war cry during the campaign and during the session called for relief from an intolerable property tax Instead of granting this relief the tinkering with the income tax has increased the burden upon burden upon the earner of record at least The taxpayer has lost his property tax offset Repeal of the filing fee has deprived the tax commission of income to finance the heavy cost of its administration without having be bestowed bestowed bestowed be- be stowed a calculable benefit upon anyone at the same time demanding a new levy to compensate compensate compensate sate for the loss Should the proposed constitutional amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment for homestead exemptions up to 2000 carry at the polls disaster will be visited upon every tax unit in the state stale Voters must be de depended depended depended de- de upon to regard this proposal with sounder judgment than was exhibited by the lawmakers The tax situation may not be said to have been improved It cannot be until some effort toward scientific adjustment is made The main thought in the mind of groups was to make the other fellow pay the taxes whether in justice and fairness few seemed greatly cona con con- a The good fortune of the taxpayer is that numerous fantastic departures failed of enactment The tax legislation of the session threatened to be more destructive than it turned out to be which is about all the praise that is due Tr Traffic laws water legislation changes in inthe inthe the criminal and civil codes amendments to laws affecting education basic social legislation and scattered shots effecting minor changes in the he statutes here and there here hold greatest promIse promise prom prom- ise Ise of of benefit On the whole however it must be said that less satisfaction grows out of the twenty-first twenty session than any of its predecessors sors unless it be the 1931 1031 assembly which undertook un un- tax revision and left len in its wake vexatIOUS vexatious evils from which the state may never re re- re cove cover Of the abortive effort to give the state a rational liquor control law much more might be said saId but but the test is to come It is a test of parental competence for the Democratic party parly whose child it is beyond denial |