Show e 0 by harry marlowe with the big emphasis on revenue lack of it and how to r raise alse it the utah Lc legislature gila swung into sessi session orl this week aa As the legislators started their heir t preliminary into the states law lawmaking making machinery an and d legislative needs it became more and more apparent that gov J bracken lee will hold the whip hand when it comes to money matters unless that Is a good portion of tile republican legislators kick over the traces gov lel has shown no signs of relaxing his stand that there will be no tax increases if he can help it and with a powerful veto bewon weapon he can help it the e legislative lineup studied dispassionately does not show much eign sign of being united in support of any tax raise although there will be posed the governor unless he chan changes a his mind mind seemingly stant stands committed at present to veto any tax increase the legislature might pass only it if the legislators find themselves convinced that the state must have more revenue to operate on and if it appears that the whole increase will fall on property tax does it appear from advance indications that a veto might be overridden over ridden the biggest majority it appears 23 2 3 of each house seems not to want any property tax increase yet the state obviously I 1 needs more money or else ze the state agencies are amway way out of line in asking tor for much more than they need even further out of line than usual the tax proposals which are being na proposed are not singling out an any specific tax field to hit significantly I 1 y the proposals are care carefully full steering clear of property pe tax the suggestions of the utah legislative council on taxation are being cautiously offered as possible methods in case the legislators decide they must find a new revenue source it is very doubtful if gov lee will go for an increase in corporate franchise taxes as is proposed and it is also doubtful if a veto could be over rid belh on this matter he might go tor for e changing hanging the income tax laws to close up a few loopholes and which would provide the state with some income without affecting the big majority of the people extension of sales tax to beer oleomargarine and I 1 cigarettes might and this is doubtful too get gunport sun port the same goes for extension of the mine occupation tax to oil and natural gas meanwhile it see seems ms that salt lake city is giving up its proposal for a municipal sales shies tax instead the city is trying to gei get the 4 mill water and sewage levy without i a special election the city is the only one in the state which cannot levy this special tax without an election a condition imposed by bov gov lee on salt lake alone an and ad the city fathers are hoping legislators will be more sympathetic than the governor most legislators I 1 feel they w will in get some inkling ing of the iway way things may go as soon as the governor gives out with G his biennial budget message during the second week of the session the more you look at governmental operations the more you become impressed by the lou fact c that governments and individuals vidual arc are mostly alike they all A 11 could use more money and that quest for money will v III be one of the biggest it if not the biggest headache of a 1955 utah legislature which is likely ilk ely to run into several pressing problems before iti 60 day session Is over whatever actions the legislators take this session the pro perty owners of the state will watch closely for even more than usual it is clear that the property ly owner is in the direct fine line of fire if the legislature should resort to increase i I 1 taxes to too operate p erate government an and d since legislators for the most part are property owners too there will be some strenuous efforts made to either cut state spending or find new revenue or both the trien men who have long experience peri per lence ence with and who have kept t an a 4 eye e e on state revenues and expenditures n over the years seemingly are more alarmed this year than ever not only Is the states depart zed government asking toy for some more than anticipated revenue there the alarming indications that the sales tax cure all ah fund Is beginning to show signs of strain the sales tax revenue has been be en tapped by every legislature to make up deficits in the general fund after appropriations have been made it has met that test wl without too much trouble in the past and has still held up to tor wellam welfare costs building funds and other uses set by law in the last couple of sessions however the sales tax money will have been tapped by education first a million or so for emergency building aid and last session by a whopping bite per year for th the e minimum school fund it if there Is to be any building out of the state building I 1 fund if there is to be much of of an increase in the welfare program etc ete the sales tax revenue is going to be hard put to produce that per biennium tor for the schools and it if the sales tax cant come up with money for schools there must either be a cut in education funds or the money must come from income corporation and bro property pirty taxes there Is another alternative it if another source of revenues can be found there will still be some money for the schools and other governmental units with no property tax hike the catch Is where is the revenue coming from anyone having the answer will fet get an onen armed welcome on capitol hill HUI |