Show Citizens group to defeat Proposition One A group called Citizens to Save Utah Jobs announced this week It will conduct an organized effort to urge Utah voters to defeat Proposition One which will ap ap- appear pear on the ballot Nov 2 Opposition to Proposition One stems from the fact that Its passage will not lower property taxes on residential pro pro- property property perty as some have promised But passage would result in significant In in- in increases creases in business property tax This would be a further blow to the states state's already staggering economy It would Impede recovery and result in further unemployment and business failures Citizens to Save Utah Jobs takes no op op- opposition position to any of the other three propositions propositions that will appear on the November ballot Citizens to Save Utah Jobs consists of ofa ofa a member 45 45 member advisory committee which Includes citizens from throughout the state Serving as executive director is isDale isDale Dale Zabriskie Zabriskie said 19 separate organizations organizations and associations representing thousands of Individuals and businesses large and small have endorsed the groups group's effort to defeat Proposition One Proposition One Is a lengthy and com com- complicated complicated amendment to the tax article of the Utah State Constitution It proposes several separate and unrelated changes to the Constitution There are some provisions contained in Proposition One with which we have no argument and some which we could even support Zabriskie said But It contains some serious fatal flaws that L make it necessary to oppose We wish the Legislature had separated the various Issues so they could have been voted on one by one Because they are lumped together and because the bad outweighs the good we must oppose the whole Issue Zabriskie said the groups group's opposition results mainly from the provision that would allow business property to be tax tax- taxed ed at a higher level than other property in the state Taxing business property at a higher level is called classification The Utah Constitution has always specifically re- re required required that all property be taxed at the same level as a matter of fairness Not only would classification be a ablow ablow blow to business already operating In the state It would be an business anti signal to companies considering Utah as a loca- loca location location tion for new operations or for local businesses thinking of expanding within the state Zabriskie said Other states that have adopted classification have seen a negative Im- Im Impact impact pact on business development and new jobs A tax commissioner In Minnesota charged with administering that states state's elaborate classification system says I would like to sum up by saying that I have observed in respect to the classified property tax system that it cannot work equitably that It has no effective brake on It and that it leads to changes in the property tax law which are Inspired by politics rather than economics In general I think that It is a hazardous ex- ex experiment experiment to start Zabriskie said the implication that Proposition One would result in a reduction reduction tion of residential property taxes is a hoax Passage of this measure would limit the percentage of valuation that can be taxed but It does nothing to limit the rate at which that percentage can be tax tax- taxed taxed ed It does nothing to limit the mill levy local governmental bodies can Impose on your property Another reason to oppose Proposition One Is because It gives too much control over property tax policy to the Legislature Such policy polley now rests with the utah State Constitution Giving this control to the Legislature means each new Legislature may change the policies Zabriskie pointed out the Issue Is essentially the same measure utah voters defeated In fn 1980 Placing It on the ballot again this year is an attempt to force passage of a measure already turn turn- turned turned ed down by the voters Also it is ex- ex extremely extremely complicated and difficult to understand |