OCR Text |
Show The 1980 vote: suggestions Readers of The Record have noticed two rather dull looking pages, filled with endless lines of print, in issues ol the past three weeks. Their appearance belied their importance-which is great. Listed on those pages were four proposed amendments to the Utah Constitution, and two ballot initiatives. All six items will appear, though in summarized sum-marized form, on the general election ballot Tuesday. Citizens taking the time to read through the proposals have probably decided how to vote. But we also suspect that a large majority will enter the booth with little, if any, knowledge on these crucial items. For that reason, we have decided to print our recommendations on each of the six ballot items. We do so, not with political or partisan interests, in-terests, but rather as a public information organization very much interested in Utah and its future stability and prosperity. The recommendations follow: Proposition No. 1--Executive Article Revision. Recommendation: YES. This proposition would result in a number of positive changes in the Executive Branch of government. The governor and lieutenant governor would run for office and be elected together, much like the Federal arrangement. The order of succession would be clarified. It would allow a governor to act while outside the state. It would grant the governor more time to consider the merits of legislation passed by the Legislature. It would also allow the Legislature to convene a session on its own. The amendments to this section have been obviously well thought out, and merit the voters' support. Proposition No. 2--Tax Article Revision. Recommendation: NO. This proposition is a piecemeal approach to a problem that should be given more attention. If enacted, it would open the door to an establishment establish-ment of taxation patterns that may work to the state's detriment in the long run. In view of the changing economic picture, both now and in Utah's future, we feel more study needs to Ije undertaken, and a more comprehensive com-prehensive proposal submitted to the voters in 1982. Otherwise, Utah could be stuck with a ".lemon"' that would be hard to get rid of. Proposition No. 3-Prison Work Release-Women In Mines. Recommendation: Recom-mendation: YES. Passage of this proposition would allow establishment of the type of positive penal program which has been proven successful in manv other states-allowing selected, well-behaved convicts to work outside of the prison. Such a program is now forbidden by the Constitution. It would also allow women to work in underground mines. They, by law, cannot now, because of an archaic provision in the Constitution. Utah's criminal rehabilitation program needs just the kind of shot in the arm this provision would give them. The state will benefit by better-adapted, better-adapted, more productive people as they attempt to re-enter society. Proposition No. 4-Legislative Compensation. Recommendation: YES. The last pay hike received by Utah's legislators was in 1968. They now make just $25 per day, with $15 additionally in expenses, whether they incur expenses or not. That may be fine for legislators who can commute com-mute daily to their work at the Capitol, but smacks as almost discriminatory for legislators from outside the Wasatch Front area. The proposed amount, $40 per day and a $40 daily maximum for expenses, ex-penses, would not only reimburse our legislators for their expenses, but would encourage more qualified people to serve in the Legislature, who now cannot because of financial constrictions. The new compensation level would mean a maximum ot $4u0 per year per person. That pales ' beside the $40,000-plus paid part-time legislators in some other states. We urge a YES vote here. Initiative Proposal A-Kemoving Sales Tax on Food. Recommendation: Recom-mendation: YES. The sales tax on food is a regressive tax of the worst type. It hits hard at our most disadvantaged citizens-for food is a necessity. The elderly, others on fixed incomes, those with larger families, are all victims.. Though the food tax seems insignificant when doled out week by week, for a family spending $100 per month on food, about $50 would be saved per year-equivalent to an additioonal two weeks of groceries. Over 20 other states have eliminated their taxes on food, and Utah should also-for humanitarian reasons, if nothing else. Initiative Proposal B-Tax Limitation Act. Recommendation: NO. This initiative is patterned somewhat after California's Proposition 13. What it would do in one fell swoop is wipe out, according to Utah's Voter Information Pamphlet, $180 million in potential revenues for the state. Hardest hit would be schools. It would set taxes to 1977 assessed levals. That in itself would be unfair, un-fair, for four Utah counties were reassessed after 1977, meaning their levels would stand at far below average 1977 levels. The other counties will not benefit from this good fortune ii scheduling. We agree that tax limitation is needed, but such a radical, decisive cut would be disastrous to the state, particularly in light of its recent economic difficulties. Let us see a more reasoned, rational approach. What was good for California (and that's debatable) is not necessarily good for Utah. |