Show Di i e S 'S SUTAH UTAH LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP Education Financing Poses oses Major Maior Legislative Problem By Sam Taylor Salt Lake City Jan At 17 17 At Atthe Atthe the wind wind-up up of ot the first week weeks activity In Utah's State Legislature problems pertaining pertain ing to the financing of ot schools on all levels are arc again coming to the fore tore as major legislative headaches The school I problems which accounted ted led for tor a good I t po portion r t o 0 n of Gov George I D D. Clydes Clyde's K State of ot the State mes mesa message sage lage last las tl Tuesday were I Imade made oven even clearer to the dr Utah S State tat e Mr Taylor Senate e. e Wednesday Wed Wed- LeGrand P. P Backman Dackman president of the Coordinating Council on Education Allan M M. West secretary of the Utah Education and Dr E. E Allen Bateman state superintendent superintendent superintendent of public instruction met with the Senate Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- day to plead their case The educators who brought out charts chart showing that Utah was spending less than the natIonal national national na na- average expenditure per pupil were m met t with numerous questions from Senators aimed at rit d determining what was being beIng being be be- ing done to improve to the qualIty quality quality ity of ot education under unde the present set setup Sen Ernest G. G Mantes D D- Tooele stated that he felt that just bringing state expenditures expenditures expenditures up to a national average average aver aver- age was meaningless These same sentiments were expressed express express- ed by Governor Clyde Tuesday when he said that comparisons compari sons with other states do have havea a certain value but only as comparisons The Governor went on to state that the school problem should be at attacked attacked attacked at- at tacked In the light of Utah's own conditions needs and ex ex- The arguments of ot the three educators were summed up by secretary West when ho he said There is a close correlation correlation correlation corre corre- lation between expenditure of money and the excellence of the school program and it is unrealistic to try to improve quality bf Of f education without spending more money Sen Marl Gibson D Price after learning that no study of the school finance program had been made by any state agency such as the Legislative Council moved that the Senate Senate Sen ate hear from the Council the Utah Taxpayers and Utah Foundation to see if the schools really need this money and whether we have havethe havethe havethe the revenue t to pay for it Requests for tor funds from colleges colleges colleges col col- leges and universities and consideratIon consideration con con- for tor the establishment of other small colle colleges es in the state appear to be among other other other oth oth- er educational problems the legislators will be asked to todeal todeal todeal deal with this session But Dut it also appears certain that legislators legIslators legislators leg leg- becoming more and more aware of or of increasing state expenditures in the light of state Income will carefully examine ex cx- amine amino any school request before before be be- fore rore making decisions How It Stacks Stack Up After Arter swearing swearing-in ceremonies ceremonies ies early last week Republicans cans eans kept a slight majority Inthe in inthe inthe the Senate 13 12 but the Democrats merged emerged with a huge majority in the House 42 Democrats is to only 22 Re publicans Sen Sherman P. P IJo Lloyd Salt R-Salt Lake was named named nam nam- ed Senate President while another another another an an- other Salt Laker Democrat Sheldon R R. Brewster took the reins in the House Committee assignments In la both the House and the Senate were announced ed last Wednesday As Clyde Sees Sus It Governor George D. D Clyde told legislators last Tuesday that substantial had been built up in the General Fund and In the Uniform School Fund during the first two years of hl his administration At the same lame time he said state d departmental de operations are improving Improving Im im- proving satisfying strides have been made in I unfilled needs of education and atul capital capita construe construction construction tion and the tho state has as operated operated ed within its means The Governor listed some 60 items item be ho hoped would be given by the legislature many of ot which have been introduced in in the form fonn of bills bUls at this time He UP praised the thew w work of oc the Legislative Council Coun Coun- cil cil and stated that even though he lIe did not agree with all aU coun coup council ell cil atyS ts s he hoped legislators would give the studies thoughtful tion Uon Following the Governors Governor's talk Legislative Council members members mem bers outlined their proposed legislative plans Action to Corn Come At the end of the first week of ot l legislative work a good many bills had made their way into the hoppers of ot both the House and Senate Among the first to come were a group designed to eliminate the office of ot- lice fice of or District Attorney a basic science law and a 11 pro proposed Sunday closing la law which Is quite different from that defeated de in several past sessions st of or the legislature A local option sales tax n R proposed increase in special fuel ruel tax and a proposal to lo change the form fonn of government government government govern govern- ment for 1st and 2nd class cities cit eft ies les also found their way into the hoppers Vital bills pertaining to fiscal fis us- us cal appropriations are being readied at the present time and will be filed riled for legislative consideration after aUer Governor I Clyde delivers his budget message message mes mes- sage this week It is a foregone conclusion that more bills will be up for consideration at this session than ever before and for that reason committee work will win willbe willbe be very important specially inthe in inthe inthe the latter days of the day 60 get get together Governor Clyde proposed an amendment to the state nonresident nonresident nonresident non non- resident withholding law which would e ex exclude x c l Iud u d e companies working in Utah less than 60 days This is an item of I great get t Interest to many communities who have suffered the tM loss of the lucrative moving picture industry since the the law was adopted two years ago Repeal Repeal Repeal Re Re- peal of Utah's Right to Work law appears to be an aim of Utah labor at this early stage However with a Republican majority in the Senate a change in this law seems unlikely unlikely unlikely un un- un- un likely It will be Interesting InterestIng interesting interest Interest- ing to see what will be given the new Park and Recreation Commission in the way of an appropriation |