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Show REPORT FROM SENATOR REES (Following is the weekly report from G. Stanford Rees, State Senator representing Beaver County). Let's talk about taxes. The Governor in his budget message, in order to balance his budget, recommended four tax increases: A 1-cent raise in sales tax which would bring about $24 million annually; A 4-cent raise on each pack of cigarets; A 2-mill boost in the local school district levy from the present state-wide levy of 16 mills to 18 mills; and an in- . crease in the mine ocupation tax. There is presently a bill before be-fore the Senate to add a 1-cent raise on the 6-cent tax on each gallon of gasoline, for collective collect-ive roads. If the taxes are enacted, where do we go from here in one year or two years or ten years? If we repeal the inventory tax in three years, there will have to be additional taxes or more diligent collection of taxes to the tune of $4 million to $6 million. All these will be discussed, debated and either passed or killed. If you want these tax increases in-creases because you feel state services need them, including education, post high school, etc., write to me at 'the Senate Sen-ate Chambers. If you want less services and no raise in taxes, send the word along. I'll keep you informed. About the collective road system which needs the 1-cent raise per gallon of gas to support sup-port it: This money goes to local government and in the bill is labeled for construction only. I couldn't figure out how local government could maintain these roads so I proposed pro-posed an amendment that 207c of the money could be used for maintenance. This was adopted. A 'bill passed the Senate which would have made trespassing tres-passing (hunters, et al), a misdemeanor, mis-demeanor, and gave the judge the right to revoke a hunting and fishing license for one year. The bill as presented would have made it mandatory that the license be revoked. It was my amendment which gave the judge the decision. I hope this meets with your approval. I think the judge, who has all the facts, should decide. A few words about my therapeutic ther-apeutic abortion and sterilization steriliza-tion bill. First, they are voluntary vol-untary nobody has to have anything done they don't request re-quest in writing, Second, the necessity for abortions has to, be certified by three doctors on the staff of the hospital where it is to ibe performed, and the sterilization has to be requested one month before it is done, and consultation by another doctor is necessary. This is a good, fair safeguard. Three, abortion could only be performed for: 1, Where the mother is very likely to die or suffer severe mental or physical impairment; 2, Where the Ibirth of a baby is likely to result in a child with serious seri-ous mental or physical impairment, impair-ment, like a two-month pregnant preg-nant female with German measles, where she would only have a 15 to 25 charce of having a normal child; 3, Incest, In-cest, rape, certified to by a magistrate. I'll do the best I can for my district and state. Let me know your feelings. G. STANFORD REES Utah State Senate Chambers |