OCR Text |
Show HOPE group against spending lid' provision Any proposal to place a tax or government govern-ment spending "lid" provision in the Utah State Constitution could bring "very unpleasant consequences," an education group declared Friday. The group is Helping Organizations for Public Education (HOPE), a coalition coali-tion of agencies formed "to tell the other side" of the "lid" story. The five groups that form HOPE are the PTA, Utah School Boards Association, Associa-tion, the State Board of Education, the Utah Society of Superintendents, and the Utah Education Association. Darld Long, president of the. Utah School Boards Association and HOPE, said the Constitutional amendment "would lake Utah into troubled waters." "I would guess that at least half the people in Utah don't realize that a brand new 'lid law went into etlect in this state on New Year's Day," Long said. The new law will place a ceiling on state and local spending and taxing. "At this time, we don't know how this 'lid law' will pinch the state government, govern-ment, local governments, the schools, the business and industrial climate of our state or the growth boom we are ex periencing," he said, adding: "If this new law had bad features, the Legislature can change them." "But some legislators are seriously discussing the possibility of initiating!! 'lid' amendment to the Utah State Con-, stitution. "If the Legislature set in motion a proposed amendment to the State constitution con-stitution CPiat "could be raHTIed next November, such a tax and spending 'lid' could not be changed for at least two years. During those two years, a defect in the amendement could conceivably cause gross problems for business, industry, in-dustry, citizens, education and government, govern-ment, Long said. "We have a 'lid law' on the books right now that may need modifications. Surely we should not consider setting it in the concrete of a Constitutional amendment," he declared, adding: "If Utah is to grow in a sane, orderly manner, our state and local governments govern-ments must be able to adjust quickly to needs of the state's communities." Long said taxing and spending mat' ters are traditionally legislative concerns, con-cerns, and that the Utah State Legislature deserves commendation for its prudent use of tax monies. |