| OCR Text |
Show Utahns show support for Reagan policy, want stiffer laws Utahns are supportive of President Reagan's policies and believe laws should be changed to make it easier to prosecute those convicted of crimes according to responses to questionnaires question-naires at five Report to Utah meetings by Senator Orrin Hatch. The philosophy behind the Report to Utah meetings were to update Senator Hatch's constituency on what is happening hap-pening in Congress and to receive input in-put from Utahns on their views and and concerns. Over 900 responsed to the question-nairs question-nairs turned in at the meeting and 93 percent preferred cutting federal programs pro-grams to increasing taxes to reduce the federal deficit. Utahns also showed strong support, 78 percent, for a balanced budget tax limitation constitutional amendment. Seventeen percent of those responding "somewhat" favored the balanced budget amendment. They also strongly strong-ly opposed a repeal of Reagan tax cut which will enter its final segment this July. Utahns were as supportive of legislation allowing reasonable compensation com-pensation for Utahns who can demonstrate their health was harmed by nuclear fallout from the atomic bomb tests of the 1950s and 1960s. Only On-ly 37 percent strongly favored the legislation, 42 percent somewhat favored it, 14 percent were opposed and 7 percent strongly opposed. Responses to the questionnaire showed optimism about the economy as 70 percent said it would improve in the next six months, 26 percent said it would stay the same and 4 percent said it would be worse. Ninety-three percent said there should be changes in the laws to make it easier to prosecute or punish those accused or convicted of crimes. Strong support was shown for Reagan's defense plan, 60 percent and 49 percent were strongly opposed to a nuclear freeze. Utahns definitely, 90 percent, supported reforms of the criminal justice system to tighten the insanity defense making it more difficult dif-ficult for mental illness to be cited as a defense in criminal trials. J. Paul Smith, press secretary for Hatch, said "We had a good feedback. Every meeting was well attended, and although we didn't ask, the questions raised by those in attendance indicated in-dicated a bi-partisan crowd. |
