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Show Commission explains revisions on 'S ballot Four Constitutional amendments which will appear on the 1980 ballot were clarified in a public meeting of the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission Commis-sion last Friday in the Job Service building. The commission is a bipartisan group of 16 legislative and citizen members from Utah, which entertains public meeting in the state to explain con-sitituionai con-sitituionai revisions. Three are appointed ap-pointed by Gov. Scott Matheson, the President of the Senate Miles Ferry, and Speaker of the House James V. Hansen. These appointees appoint six more members and the Director of the Office of Legislative Research is the sixteenth member Established in 19C8, the Utah Con-" Con-" stitutional Revision Commission is charged with ongoing review and study of the Utah Constitution. The recommendations recom-mendations of the commission are put on the ballot after approval of the Legislature. Amendments for the 1980 ballot are: revision of the Executive Article, revision revi-sion of the Tax Article, Prisoner Work Release Amendment, and a Legislative Compensation Amendament. "The Utah Constitution describes property tax in great detail, but only covers other taxes with one sentence," Jon M. Memmott of Layton, said explaining ex-plaining the proposed Tax Article Revision. Revi-sion. "The revision will give the legislature more flexability with property tax," Memmott said. The revision will exempt property tax to livestock held in the state. "At times it is more expensive to hire people to count livestock than to pay the tax," Memmott explained. The proposed revision allows the Legislature to exempt from taxation or to abate taxes on primary residences and tangible personal property. The amendment also allows the Legislature to reimburse local units of government whose revenues are reduced by property proper-ty tax exemption or abatements. The tax amendment removes a limit on state school funding. At present, the state may not support more than 75 percent per-cent of the operation and maintenance of the minimum school program. The remainder is raised through a 24-mill property tax levy. The amendment removes the 75 percent limit, and allows the Legislature to increase the state's contribution and to reduce the local mill levy. Finally the amendment allows the Legislature to remove the exemption from property of local government located outside their own geographic boundaries. It also clarifies the wording of the consitution for tax exemption of non-profit entities. ' The proposed amendment uses language now in Utah statutes to specify that the exemption is to apply to property owned by nonprofit non-profit entities and used for religious. charitable, hospital, educational, employee representation or welfare purposes. The Prisoner Work Release Amendment Amend-ment will allow prisoner labor to be contracted outside the prison, Rep. La-Mont La-Mont Richards said. The amendment will also allow women to work in mines. The Compensation of Legislature Amendment will increase salaries of congressmen from $25 a day to $40 a day while Legislature is in session. "Utah ranks 49th in compensation of legislators," Richards said. "This amendment will repair some of the hardships of serving in the Legislature." The amendment also ups allowable expenses from $15 a day to $40 a day while in session. The Executive Article Revision creates the office of Lieutenant Governor, Gover-nor, allows the governor to act as governor while out of state, extends time for the Governor to act on legislation, legisla-tion, allows the Legislature to call veto sessions and clarifies gubernatorial succession. The amendment removes the requirement that elected officers live in Salt Lake City, Senator Glade Sowards explained. After explaining the proposed amendments, amend-ments, the commission discussed constitutional con-stitutional revisions of the Judicial Article, Arti-cle, but made no decision on the matter. The commission, hosted by Sen. Sowards, remained in Vernal until Saturday to go down the river. |