Show Voter support urged for constitutional amendments By Senator Karl N Snow Jr Chairman of the Utah State Constitutional Revision Commission and Senate Majority Leader State Constitutions are often stumbling blocks to the effective conduct of state government Unlike the United State Constitution which serves as a basic blue print for the conduct of our federal system most state constitutions are with statutory detail dollar figures and organizational arrangement appropriate for the time the document or or amendment was drafted but which have limited applicability to today's problems The Utah Constitution is no exception albeit not as poor as some The Utah State Legislature has In re- re recent re recent cent years experienced extreme frustration frustration tion in Its efforts to address contemporary problems It has found in many instances that the detail of the state con con- constitution constitution offers limited flexibility for tax reform and needed organizational and change Too the prospects of New Federalism wherein tOO the states would assume greater flexibility for pro pro- program program gram now administered in Washington has likewise renewed Interest in state constitutional reform Recognizing the need for greater con con- constitutional constitutional flexibility several states have established pro programs ams for systematic review and update of their respective constitutions con con- constitutions In 1970 Utah voters approved ed approved a constitutional amendment making it possible to revise an entire article of the State Constitution In one proposed amendment when the Legislature deem deem- deemed deemed ed it necessary To assist in this effort the Legislature created the Constitutional Revision Commission a bl bipartisan partisan citizen group charged with the responsibility responsibility of systematically reviewing the Utah State Constitution and making recommendations to the Legislature for needed changes The process for amending state con con- constitutions constitutions is difficult at best as perhaps It ought to be In Utah a two thirds favorable vote of the legislature is re- re required to place a proposed constitutional I change before the voters who must ap- ap approve approve prove the change by a majority vote Compounding the difficulty however is voter apathy and a tendency to vote no when In doubt or when uninformed Too it is difficult to organize support for the mere of general government Such issues generally lack the political luster associated with can can- candidate candidate races for public office Further Further- Furthermore Furthermore more organized opposition Is rooted in groups who benefit from the status quo and who are willing to spend dollars to protect their interests as these interests In turn may be protected by out out- outdated outdated dated constitutional restraints on legislative action This November voters in Utah will have the opportunity to approve four pro pro- proposed proposed posed constitutional changes These four proposals were first recommended to the Legislature by a unanimous vote of the Utah Constitutional Revision Commis- Commis Commission Commission sion All four amendments have been overwhelmingly approved by both houses of the Utah State Legislature by more than the required two thirds ma- ma majority majority vote These measures have subsequently been endorsed by the leadership of both houses of the Legisla Legislature ture the governor and the platforms of both major ma jor political parties The Utah Association of Coun- Coun Countis Countis the League of Cities and Towns and other groups interested in good govern govern- government government ment have likewise added their endorsement Briefly the four proposed constitutional constitutional amendments are 1 REVISION OF THE TAX ARTICLE This change Is intended to give the legislature greater flexibility in restructuring restructuring turing the local property tax and securing securing ing tax equity for residential property tax payers This amendment would also permit the legislature to increase state funding for the basic school program thus relieving some of the burden on the local loc l property tax Among other changes this amendment would allow the legislature to place certain municipal properties like the Intermountain Power Project on the local property tax rolls Perhaps no other issue has received more attention or greater legislative sup sup- support support port that the proposed revision of the Tax Article which will as Proposition 1 1 The Legislature has struggled for several years attempting to find a solution solution tion to the property tax problem and the gross inequities that exist Approval of this amendment will give validity to pro pro- property property perty tax relief already afforded to residential properties Its failure will clearly result in a substantial su increase in the value of residential properties for tax purposes 2 LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION This change would r remove move legislative pay from the constitution where it is cur cur- currently currently established in outdate dollar figures and places authority for initiating change for legislative compensation with an independent citizens citizen's committee The Legislature will be required to approve any recommended change and could reduce but never increase any recommendation 3 LEGISLATIVE RESIDENCY This change will require legisla tors to live within their districts throughout their term of office If a legislator after election moves from the district he or she would have to resign At present a legislator is required to live within the district at the time of election only and may subsequently move and still retain office 4 CORPORATE OFFICERS This change will repeal an outdated restriction which presently prohibits officers of- of of private corporations from holding municipal office in the municipality which grants the corpora corpora- tion corporation a business license The current pro pro- provision provision vision is obviously not being enforced To aid voters in becoming more in- in informed informed formed the State of Utah has published an official Voter Information Pamphlet This pamphlet has been distributed as an insert to all major dally daily and weekly newspapers It contains detailed information matlon mation as well as pro and con arguments on each of the four proposed amendments This writer representing the Constitutional tu- tu Revision Commission and the en- en entire entire tire leadership of the Utah State Legislature urges voter support for the foregoing proposed constitutional changes They are appropriate needed changes that will provide better representation and will permit the legislature lature to secure property tax equity equi- equi equity ty for home owners More important however is the need for each voter to study the Voter Information Information mation Pamphlet and to become Inform Inform- Informed Informed ed and then exercise his or her In- In Intelligent vote at the ballot box this November November Good government depends upon n info informed and d participative voters |