| Show Constitutional Revision is Big dog Question For Utah Voters to Decide Novo NOVa Voters at the November 8 election must decide whether whether whee ther or not the Utah State Constitution will be revised at a a. a constitutional conven conven- tion The League of t Women Voters have resolved to support the issue Voting yes yes on Proposal No 2 on the November b ballot Their reasons represent one of the best analysis ot of the subject subs sub presented First the League points that calling a Constitutional Constitution Constitution- al Convention is no not a rad rad- cal move Changes in the document were anticipated iby by its originators and provided provided pro pro- vided for by two legal means in that Constitution one by Iby amendments the other other other o- o ther by revisions at a convention convention con con- called for lor the purpose purpose pur pur- pose both to be approved by majority vote The Women Voters League League Lea Lea- gue also points out that Utah Utah U U- tah is not alone atone in its move to call can a C Constitutional Convention Since 1938 many states have updated their original constitutions New York Missouri Georgia Georgia Geor Geor- gia gla Now New Jersey Hawaii Alaska Michigan Connecticut cut New Hampshire and a convention is in process in Rhode Island Tennessee had a limited convention last year Kentucky will vote on a new constitution this year year- and Maryland has a call on this years year's ballot banot Iowa will vote on the question in 1970 Many lany national leaders and political scientists point out that weak State governments and constitutions constitutions are the contributing factor in the growth of federal power If It the States do not equip themselves to handle today's needs the job must be done by the national government If the trend continues the States will eventually become mere subdivisions of the Nation 1 States may unintentionally ally promote the centralized ed government they deplore the Kestnbaum Commission on Relations Rela reported to President Eisenhower In 1955 they found a pressing need for tor States to Improve their Constitutions A Constitution has four tour major functions 1 A Bill Billot of ot Rights to protect the liberty lib erty of the people 2 ts u. tallish laLlish the structure of the government 3 to define the powers of that government government govern govern- ment and principles under which it shall operate and 4 provide e. e a a method of oi o changing g the the fundamental law The present Utah is rigid filled with details that should be left to law It was largely dictated by a hostile Congress after Utah had spent years trying to gain statehood I took almost 50 years and 7 constitutional conventions before th the e Union agreed to accept Utah The first convention wrote The Constitution of the State of Deseret In 1849 It was good short good short broad and flexible patterned after af- af after after af af- ter the Constitution of the United States It contained a Bill of Rights including absolute guarantees of religious religious reli rell freedom f. and equality of opportunity But it did not get Utah into the Union because the Nation felt the Mormons Mormon's r beliefs at that time were incompatible ible with organized society Seven attempts later the present Constitution was and Utah gained statehood When the Utah Constitution tion was written Utah was wasa a rural state It is now I largely an urban society with problems the constitution constitution tion could not forsee for for- see see school school financial and economic The Constitution should be adjusted to fit modern day needs Two provisions In the tion are now federally un un- unconstitutional and Article Ar Ar- tide Ucle RI l infers Utah cannot run its own affairs The following ordinance shall be irrevocable without the consent of ot the United States and the people of this state state There are many other outmoded out out- outmoded phases of the present pre sent Constitution For 01 In in- in instance stance it states the metric met ric rte system shall be taught in public schools and that the Utah State Fair must bJ bg by located in Salt Lake City There are 6 pages of ot details de tails taUs on state finance taxation tax i atlon debt limitations that I have been amended 22 I times in an effort to adjust to modern conditions Find FindIng Finding Ing legal ways to bypass the limitations of ot the Constitution Constitution Con Con- forces and end re reo re- sult suIt of higher taxes and In Increased increased increased creased adminis administrative ra cost On An the other hand there are many good portions of the con constitution and there is no reason to believe a anew anew anew new constitutional congress would voul discard these items The document though is s specific and l limiting in its l language It contains words compared to to the used in the National Constitution a brief rief simple and flexible document made adjustable to the changing times and leaving leaving- details to Congress to os es establish establish es- es through statutory law The National Constitution Constitution Constitution tion has been amended only 24 times and 10 of these amendments were the Bill of Rights By comparison Utah's constitution written written writ writ- ten almost years later has already been amended 48 times and there are arl 7 more on ballot banot this year Interpreting the law after so o many amendments becomes be be- becomes comes a confusing operation operation ion slow and and costly Changing the Constitution Constitution Constitution tion does not signify a tax increase It could logically and has in other states saved vast sums of money through more efficient framework in the finance departments It could bring better service for the same money The cost of a constitutional constitutional constitutional convention would b be difficult to estimate depending depending de pending on time Ume of the con duration advance preparation and whether or not delegates would be paid ald Missouri's convention cost but one reform reform re re- re form alone s saved Ved over a million dollars almost twice the cost of ot the con New Yorks York's cost a million dollars but they paid their delegates 1000 per month Convention dur durat at Ions have ranged from 2 or 3 months to 2 years a among among a a- mong other states depend dependIng dependIng Ing ng on advance preparation A Constitutional Convex Conven tion would have full fun cover covert age of news media and by bythe bythe bythe the time the people were asked to vote on the issues they would be familiar with the do document um nt How flow these would be presented In a package or singularly would be decided by Legislature Leg Leb If It the convention i Is Iii accepted ac by the people Leg at Its next regular session must designate how delegates will be chosen chosen- The Constitution requires that there be an equal num number her ber of Legislative delegates and lay delegates Legisla Legisla- Legislature Legislature ture Lure must determine how they would bo be el elected Unless Unless Un- Un less tho the people of Utah elect them a constitutional convention could not Le be Lecont controlled cont 1 by extremist groups |
