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Show Arguments Against Rebuttal to Vote "NO on this proposal. Send a message back to the Legislature that the citizens desire a more palatable Arguments against Proposition An extra ten days is a small price for a more effective legislature! Compared to other western states, Utahs legislature meets for a very short time. Arizona, for example, has average legislative sessions totalling 200 days every two years! Our legislature meets only 80 days. The problems merit to eliminating the present 20 day misnamed Budget Session. But, why pay a very high price? Send a message back to the Legislature that you, the citizen, would prefer a better solution. In this proposal to reduce General Session to 45 days, isnt this an the present admission that the responsibilities of the Legislature can be just as effective in 45 days as it can be in 60 days? The only real change necessary would be in the "Budget" Session. But, there is NO good reason for an additional costly 10 days total time. In my opinion, the Legislature should propose not more than 40 day annual sessions totaling 80 days for citizen approval in 1986. 1. There is y facing Utah and the Utah Legislature are far too complex to be addressed in hurried legislative sessions. Changes to the constitution should not just address current problems, but should also anticipate future needs. Adding an additional 10 days every two years is a reasonable way to provide for a more effective legislature. The cost of Proposition 2 is very small! The opponents of Proposition 2 claim it will increase legislative expenditures. It is true that the additional days will cost money. However, any increased cost is very small. At present operating levels it represents less than 2 of the budget of the legislature and less than .001 of the overall state budget! The cost of hurried legislation and unmet problems is much higher. the newly adopted Legislators salary schedule which now can be changed up or down (usually up) without further voter approval, the daily Legislative session cost will average about $13,000. The ten extra days will cost the taxpayers about $130,000 additionally. 1 would suggest that other priorities such as education, housing, utilities, daycare centers, and medicare can gain from the savings. 2. Including VOTE 3. Ten additional days as provided in this new proposal may Insist upon the Legislatures presenting other proposals in PROPOSITION 2! Franklin W. Knowlton House Chairman, Executive Appropriations Committee Representative annual 1986 for citizen consideration. Proposals of two y sessions totaling 80 days would be just as appropriate. In fact, because of the "hectic, hoopla" of the regular session, interim study committees can more effectively consider legislation between sessions. These could be handled at less cost to taxpayers because there are no additional staff Box 426 Layton, Utah 84041 requirements. this more expensive, additional FOR Senator Glade M. Sowards Chairman, Senate Rules Committee 380 West 100 South Vernal, Utah 84078 possibly allow for more bills to consider, more taxes, more restrictions, less freedom. Are these what you want? If not AGAINST 2 Even the opponents of Proposition 2 agree the budget session should be eliminated: When Proposition 2 was presented to the legislature there was almost unanimous agreement that the constitution needed to be amended to eliminate budget sessions. The only debate centered on the length of annual sessions. Without Proposition 2, the legislature would be forced to continue with the outdated and restrictive Budget Session. Virtually eveiyone agrees that this situation would not be in the best interests of Utah. proposal (or proposals) for consideration in 1 986. Presently, there are two sessions of 60 days and 20 days for a total of 80 days actual session time. In addition, there are Special Session provisions. This new proposal allows for two annual sessions of 45 days each for a total of 90 days of actual session time. The Special Session provisions still remain. What will be gained from the extra and more costly 10 days? Would it not be just as well without the extra and more costly 10 days? Vote A'o. 10 day proposal. Nothing will be lost. 1986 is only two short years away. The Legislature should offer better, less costly, proposals for the citizens consideration. Representative Samuel S Taylor 3682 South 500 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 266-774- 5 11- |