OCR Text |
Show o pinion Just things Jim By IF YOU HAD BEEN STAN Landers The state legislature is going to have a hard time satisfying everyone this year. All of the traditional lobbying groups are present to do their thing for their own cause. And the legislators are feeling the ground swell of tax revolt at the same time. None of the decisions that will face the lawmakers will be easy. But I hope that they are able to avoid one situation that could be a real disaster for local control of the schools. To help local school boards cut property tax mill levies one plan would have the state finance 100 percent of the maintenance and operation portion of school budgets. The state already provides ' the money for over 70 percent of the school budgets. The maintenance and operation budgets of the schools issued mainly for school employe salaries. Thus if the state provides all of the money for the operation of the schools then the state will set all of the salaries plus attaching other strings to programs in the schools. Local school boards will have little to say about the actual operation of the schools. If this form of tax relief means the loss of the freedom of local control then I want nothing to do with it. Eventually this same kind of thinking could filter down to municipal and county government and would leave us with one government in the state. The federal government already imposes enough controls on our personal and public lives without the state getting into the same act. Inflation causes problems in property equalization Despite improvements in the quality of assessments resulting from the property revaluation program, inflation has tended to destroy tax valuation balance among Utah counties. This was the conclusion reached by Utah foundation, a private tax research organizaton, in a study of property assessment levels in Utah. According to the foundation. report, the property revaluation program, which now has been completed in all 29 Utah counties, has greatly reduced the inequities that formerly existed among individual properties and among property classes. Uniformity of assessment improved dramatically within each county following revaluation. Moreover, there is greater uniformity in assessment levels (the ratio of assessed valuation to fair market value) among property classes than ever before. Inflation in real estate values, however, is creating new assessment disparities among individual counties. When property first is reappraised, it is placed on the tax rolls at or near the 20 percent level. Rising real estate values soon cause this initial equalization to become dated. The average assessment level of property in counties which were revalued and placed on the tax rolls at near 20 percent in 1972, for example, had declined to 7 percent of current market value by 1979. On the other hand, the average assessment level of the last three counties to be reappraised was 19.35 percent in 1979. According to the report, the average assessment level in Salt Lake County during 1979 was 18.82 percent. Thus, a property with a current market value of $100,000 in Salt Lake County was likely to be assessed at $18,720 last year. For the state as a whole, the average assessment level was 14.13 percent inl979. Assessment levels for earlier years in Salt Lake County were 19.35 percent in 1978, 10.99 percent in 1976, 11.53 percent in 1974, 15.94 percent in 1972, and 16.72 percent in 1970. The y revaluation program went into effect in Salt Lake County during 1978. The study notes that legislation enacted by the 1979 Utah Legislature attempts to correct the disparity among counties by providing that "taxable real properties revalued . . . .after Jan. 1, 1978, shall be appraised at current fair market value and the value shall be rolled back to the Jan. 1, 1978 level." In addition, new properties added to the tax rolls after that date will have their values rolled back to the Jan. 1, 1978 level. In effect, the change provided by the 1979 legislation will "freeze" the assessment d levels for real estate and improvements in Utah at the 1978 level. Over a period of time, the move should correct the disparities that have developed among counties as a result of inflation. Foundation analysts point out, however, that the 1979 change will gradually reduce the overall average assessment level for this class of property and increase the disparities d real that exist between other such and as classes, property property and properpersonal property ty, which continue to be assessed in excess of 20 percent of recognized current values. county-by-count- locally-assesse- locally-assesse- state-assess- ed Thursday, Jan. 24. 1980 THE SENTINEL ALONGSIDE THE REACTOR AT THREE MILE ISLAND... (f 'yy ? EXPOSURE,,, , . 2 School ...ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE AMOUNT OF RADIATION a DIN) (3 Page ' fW and W.-E- Home by Dr. Daryl J. McCarty Executive Secretory Utah Education Association Tom. "Hey, Mom!" called . "Guess what celebrity I talked to today." "I give up. Who?" "Our class went up to the Capitol today, and we saw the governor, and I got to talk to our senator and he told me he lives just two streets over from us!". That's a valuable experience for any youngster. They may read in their textbooks and library books about how governments work. But that's not quite the same as actually watching debate on some matter that comes before the Legislature. Debate of bills in the Legislature can also teach young people an important lesson : That there can be more than one side to an issue. One key to making these experiences mean something to our chidlren is to discuss that visit to the Legislature with them. Did the debate Tom heard seem important to him? Would passage of the bill be good for Utah? How would Tom vote on the bill if he were a state senator or representative? Get the newspaper and see if there's an article on the debate Tom heard during his trip to the Capitol. Chances are, there will be some mention of the bill. Many students live too far from the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City to visit the Legislature with their schoolmates. But maybe you could take your son or daughter the next time you make a trip to the area. Better do it quickly, though. The Legislative session ends Feb. 2. It can be a great learning experience for parents and children, and the legislators will greet you warmly. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn as much from the experience as your child. nine-year-o-ld 1 i THAN AN HOUR V- f - W lj Smith Feature S. w4lfP Legislators' Opinions Sen. Arnold Christensen In Utah last year 40 percent of all dividuals who were involved in automobile accidents were not insured or covered by any insurance policy. As a result of this astonishing percentage of uninsured motorists many innocent victims of these accidents were not reimbursed for their damages and inconveniences. The senate has proposed a bill. Senate bill 52, which requires mandatory coverage of all motor vehciel drivers for the protection of our citizens who use our state highways. In connection with this senate bill Sen. Arnold Christensen has proposed three amendments to the bill that will help insure its enforcement and protection that it offers the people. These amendments are: 1. The insurance company with which the individual has his policy will notify the state in event of a policy cancellation. 2. Empower inspection stations to only issue inspection stickers to insured drivers and ' to require proof of coverage of insurance at ' " inspection time. 3. In event of a cancellation, the state will inform the Utah Highway Patrol who will be able to remove the inspection sticker from any auto owned by any driver who is not presently insured. Sen. Christensen holds that driving is a privilege and responsibility that we must provide for the protection of our citizens against the negligible driver and that our citizens have the right to know that they will be reimbursed for their inconveniences and damages caused by the negligible driver. "Also the citizens of Utah stand to benefit from this bill in the pocketbook," said Sen. Christensen. "As the percent of insurance business increases by 40 percent in Utah perhaps our overall rates will go down." in- Sen.EVerl Ascry Today I want to tell you my feelings about property taxes. If I had my way I would take all the taxes Taxes are off homes that are is real threat of there a so high today that inif sufficient losing one's home there isn't owner-occupie- d. come to offset inflation. The value of our homes has quadrupled through inflation. Not that the home has any more value to its occupant; it still has four walls, a floor and ceiling and roof. It still needs cleaning, painting, and constant upkeep. But the cost of upkeep has quadrupled. The dollars in savings have depreciated in value several times over. And the trend continues. So inflation and one depreciation are on a collision course When down. the other and coming going up they meet, the security that America was Gov .men? built on will be gone. And this must never happen. What has happened to the spirit of cooperation that has brought us through hard times in the past? This very principle that is what should reduce prices cooperation is sorely needed today. As a youngster during the depression, I can remember a co-o-p store in the little farming town where we lived. The farmers owned the store and the goods and services were bought at a discount through buying quantity. The savings were pased on to each member of the co-oand the more members of the p the greater the savings. This principle seems to be working in reverse today. Take our public utilities as an example. The rate for these services should be reduced with the addition of each new customer. The same with property tax. individuals paying the tax, the less the tax should be. But because government is in- . volved, the principle works in reverse. We should go back to the jnethod of the old p, co-o- The-mor- CO-Op- e ttious"' the - ' hat uali- presently pending. I would like to know how you feel about them: HB-- 3 Status of women commission repeal. Would do away with the Governor's Commission on the status of women. HB-1- 0 Utility franchise tax limitations. Would limit city franchise taxes do 5 percent. Salt Lake City's current tax is 8 percent and Sandy is contemplating 9 percent. HB-1- 9 Wildlife license fees. Would increase license costs on fishing license from $8 to $15, combination hunting and fishing licenses from $18 to $31, fishing license for 6 year olds from $3.50 to $6.50, deer hunting license from $7 to $16 and for a small game license . from $6 to $12. HB-5- 3 Child custody amendments. Would allow custody of children in divorce cases to be awarded to father or mother based on the child's best interests and the moral character of the parents. HB-6- 0 Executive salaries. Would, raise governor's salary to $50,000, attorney general to $38,000, state auditor, It. governor and state treasurer to $33,500. Rowe amendment makes it effective 1 Jan. 81 rather than 1 July " : 80. SB-1- 4 Sheriff and constable fees. Would infor service of court orders and fees crease ' summons etc, 0 percent. SB-4- 3 Circuit breaker modificatons. Would , lower the minimum age to qualify for property tax reduction from 65 to 60 and increase the maximum earnings to $9,000 per year. SJR-- 1 Humane education resolution. schools to teach humane education for the care and protection of animal and plant life. SJR-- 3 Compensation of legislators. Would v constitutionally raise legislators per-diev wage and expense money for mileage. If any of you have an opinion on these or 4 and other, issues, please call me at leave a message, If you leave your phone ' number, I'll call you back. Please do. rin and Vieanest .W J.iATfl 'wiron merit IKE .1 ..I'M aav11idnoi',nijrs, cart you Jim". violence..." m 533-481- ; . ; This neck's almanac It is Jan. 24. in 1980. . There are 48 weeks remaining This week's highlight in history: Two years ago, evidence was presented to v. the Justice Department by Tongsun Park, a South Korean rice dealer, which showed that 8 , Congressmen were receiving special gifts. During this week: In 1616, the Cape Horn was first rounded by William Schouten. . In 1635, the Academie Francaise was formally established in Paris. In 1787, the British attempt to seize U.S. arsenal at Springfield, Mass. was aborted. In 1848, gold was discovered in California and within a few weeks the rush had begun. In 1929, John L. Baird gave the first demonstration of television. In 1933, Adoplh Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany. In 1934, police captured bank robber John Dillinger in Tuscon, Arizona. In 1939, Barcelona fell to the Spanish Nationalists. t In 1978, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, by a vote of 14-approved treaties which would return the canal to Panama by 2000. Thought for the week: Politicans are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is . . ; V "Give me the right .word at the right moment, and I'll change the world," declared an ancient sage. During times of war, when emotions run high, the federal government assumes censorship authority to suppress certain facts that might aid an enemy. At other times, the federal laws of sedition punish people who advocate violent overthrow of the government. The First Amendment which proclaims freedom of speech and the press does not protect political extremists who harangue us with speeches and articles calling for violent destruction of our government. Freedom of the press guaranteed by the Contitution is not license. The news you receive must be complete, accurate, and impartial. Editorials must be responsible. To protect against civil disorders caused by advocates of violence, the Espionage Act of 1948 provided prison terms and fines for anyone who ". . . prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or 12-1- es -- , Rep. John D. Rowe With the first week behind us, the 1980 budget session of the Utah State Legislature is rapidly moving money and regulations to and fro with great rapidity. Bills and resolutions on almost any subject have been introduced and are being pushed into committees. Because of the short session of 20 days, legislators are putting on the pressure to get "their" bills moving. Well over 100 measures have been introduced creating sizeable bottlenecks. There is no way we can spend the time necessary on the 1981 budget and handle all of the other legislation as well. So, many bills, good bills, are being defeated to make time for more important things. Here are some bills and resolutions that are - - , :..;,.,...,,.. 75-10- ' . 15-1- , . , 1, no river. ,' |