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Show Proposed tax limitations 'devastating' according to state's educators By VICKI CROCCO An indepth meeting about the consequences of the People's Tax Reduction Act, along with the People's Peo-ple's Tax and Spending Limitations Limita-tions Amendments, revealed the proposed cuts would devastate Utah's educational system according accord-ing to the state's leading educators. Held by the Utah Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations Re-lations Friday morning at the state capitol, statements were heard by members of the Board of Regents, the Board of Education, Utah Association of Counties (which includes in-cludes Davis County), the League of Cities and Towns as well as the state of Utah. The People's Tax Reduction Act would repeal all tax increases passed pas-sed by the 1987 legislature effective Dec. 13, 1989, resulting in a 168.9 million dollar reduction. The People's Peo-ple's Tax and Spending Limitation amendments contain three main components. First, they would limit most state spending to 80 percent of the growth in personal income. Second, they limit personal property prop-erty tax to three-fourths of one percent per-cent of fair market value and limit other property to one percent of fair market value. Any new tax increases in-creases of any non-advalorem taxes must be approved by majority major-ity vote of electors. Last, they limit local government to 90 percent of growth in state per capita income plus the growth rate of population of the local government. The impact of both tax limitations limita-tions would total $349 million from 45 percent of which would come out of education; 28 percent, local government; 26 percent would come from social services, health, transportation, corrections and others. "This 13 percent across the board cut would impact Utah's higher education profoundly," said Vicki Varela, director of public pub-lic affairs for the Board of Regents. "It would cripple higher education's educa-tion's impact on economic development, de-velopment, and open access to higher education, and bring a $255 million loss in revenue generated by grants, which is re-circulated throughout the economy." Varela noted, "Economic development de-velopment through research has produced over 52 Utah companies and revenues of over $250 million dollars for Utah which won't continue con-tinue if the grants stop. "Forty-four percent of Utah's high school graduates attend college. col-lege. If these initiatives are passed in November, eight to ten thousand students already enrolled will have to be turned away. The 2,200 seeking seek-ing enrollment will be turned away, and the remaining students will see a 20 percent increase in tuition along with substantial program cuts. It will amount to the mutilation mutila-tion of higher education in Utah," said Varela. Scott Bean, assistant superintendent superin-tendent of public instruction, stated, "After a loss of $132 to $135 million from the system, in keeping all the basic programs intact, Utah's Board of Education would have to eliminate other areas. We would have to eliminate kindergarten, kindergar-ten, and all vocational education. Adult education would be out, career ladder out, accelerated classes clas-ses out, and reform programs out. "Special education would be cut by 10 percent, and transportation would be limited to those outside the three mile limit. This would increase in-crease class sizes, and increase fee structures, eliminating disadvantaged disadvan-taged students from activities and leadership programs." Clark Puffer of Cache County School district and Kirk Wright, Juab School District Superintendent, Superinten-dent, both indicated the cuts would increase class sizes and reduce school days in a year to the lowest in the country jeopardizing their accreditation standings. In the Juab district, two principals princip-als would be left to administer to four schools according to Wright. Not only schools would suffer, but also county government "The counties would see $60 rC lion cut out of budgets state-wide after already seeing a $16.5 million cut last year," said Brent Gardner, executive director of Utah Association Asso-ciation of Counties. "We have to keep the councils, so where do we cut? The sheriffs department, road work, and health and mental health services. Can we afford to wait until there's three inches of snow accumulation before be-fore beginning removal?" said Gardner. |