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Show f )t Suit fake tribune David S. Broder I Section Sunday Morning, September 21, 1975 Page Parties Draw Lines for 76 H Sudden State Tax Cut Prospect Could Disappear Just as Fast There is a tendency m money matters to follow good news with more good news. A prominent current example is talk of cutting Utah state income tax rates after the announcement tnat state government surpluses will be larger than originally anticipated. But such a likelihood depends on some important ifs. It seems the state concluded last fiscal year with, depending on how the figures are computed, an unappropriated surplus anywhere from $7.8 to $4.3 million. The total is $7.8 million if the $3.5 million transferred from the general fund to the State Department of Transportation during this summers special legislative session isnt subtracted. But it might as well be. Then the surplus amount is The Washington Post The lines are being drawn for the sharpest test of the country's1 economic direction in two generations to take place in the presidential election next year. WASHINGTON Slowly and inexorably, President Ford and property tax collections returned an ihe Republicans unbudgeted $2.3 million. But a sepaand rate item is also a contributing complicating factor to the state tax picture. Congress, again after the Legislature adjourned last winter, cut 1975 federal income tax rates as a stimulant to the national economy. But it means Utahns can claim a smaller federal tax deduction on 1975 state income tax returns. Most state income tax payers, therefore, will owe more state income taxes next year, in additn to higher rates enacted by the 1975 Legislature. If this situation helps produce the $18 million surplus, Utah could and should reduce its state income tax rates. But circumstances may change again. $4 3 million, The federal income tax cuts were Based on these figures, Gov. only temporary, scheduled to expire Rampton has projected a possible Dec. 31. If that happens, Utah State fiscal 1976 surplus somewhere be- income tax payers will regain a tween $10 and $18 million. That led larger federal tax deduction and him, as well as the Republican revenues from state income taxes opposition, to suggest that state would drop in fiscal 1977. There is at income tax rates are now higher than least one other major budgetary they need be and probably can be cloud hovering on the horizon. reduced. Unless, other pieces fall into Utah has used its $12 million in place, however, no one can say federal revenue sharing for public definitely if this is anything more education, appropriating it to the than a probability. Uniform School Fund. Revenue sharThe larger than expected state ing is also approaching expiration surplus for fiscal 75 resulted largely and urban lobbyists are strenuously from unforeseen or difficult to predict attempting to have state governevents. Chiefly, Utah continues, ' ments dropped from any renewal facility very near downtown Salt Lake City, Jay oee Christmas Plan against the odds, avoiding serious funding. If that happened, Utah would and during my recovery there witnessed on more than one occasion the arrive effects of the nationwide recession. be compelled to find the $12 million, of Tribune: In a recent editorial Editor, ambulance crews to transport emergency Again, during the last fiscal year, by fiscal 78, from local revenue appearing in your paper, attention was vailed patients to the;r homes, other state sales taxes and income taxes sources. It would surely take a tuck in to the fact that the downtown Christmas recuperatingextended-care facilities, and other hospitals, could a Lake Salt decorations, Jaycee project, exceeded estimates. More than that, potential long term tax cuts. related destinations. It was quite disturbing to be a traffic hazard. The editorial further went welfare expenditures left that departtaxpayer, to see my If federal income tax reductions on to suggest that the newly constructed Main me, as a county tax money being spent in the ment with $2.3 million returnable to are made be beautification better Street might project scheduled transportation of permanent, if no large, decorated with tiny white lights on the trees in the general fund. to added the state are patients. expenditures the planter boxes. Iam informed that there exists in Salt Lake Mine occupation taxes came budget, if the state doesnt lose We are pleased to report that such a pi a a transportation' ambulance service, City if local sizable the a South be this from revenues, will than economy inaugurated expected, year figure higher at least according to my underand that, Mam on St. The to Third South that isnt precise until spring, after remains strong, state tax trimming is Temple it was this agencys role to provide standing. lighting will remain intact, but will the Legislature has adjourned, and a very much a happy prospect. But its intersection ambulance transportation be replaced with more suitable decor in the the area, and emergen'w service similar situation developed in the still only a possibility worth thinking near future as will most all of the downtown throughout w ithin Salt Lake City itself. Uniform School Fund, when larger about, not a reality that anyone lighting in the next four years. It confuses me, therefore, to have seen more than predicted local school district should immediately start banking on. The Main St. area will also, this year, be euiei gency firefighting peisuiuiei The Public Forum 1 hard-earne- decorated with a senes of festive, pole hanging banners (which will not extend across the A Question of Morale If someone other than the guilty serves the sentence or pays the fine, how is the theory of preventing wrongdoing by setting a stern example served? Its a matter Salt Lake City commissioners should ponder as they consider paying punitive damages assessed against two city policemen. The two lost a federal jury case brought against them by a man who alleged he was excessively beaten during an arrest. They were charged $2,000 in punitive damages. General damages were also assessed at $8,000 and while city insurance covers general damages, its commission discretion whether to assume responsibility for punitive costs. Commissioner Glen C. Greener is asking the commission to pay the entire bill. Mr. Greener says making the patrolmen pay would cause morale problems in the police department. Ilis point is limited in view and paradoxical in scope. It may be the two patrolmen and their friends in the department will be disappointed if the city doesn't stand by them and excuse them from liabilities acquired in the line of duty. But what about those officers w ho handle similar at rests without being accused of using excess force, or those policemen whose jobs become even more difficult when a cop is successfully sued for misconduct? Isnt their morale worth worrying about, too? The idea of punitive damages is to Tlu Grant Cartoon Forum Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writer's full name, signature and address. Names must be printed on political letters but may lie withheld for good reasons on others. Writers are limited to one letter every 10 days. Preference will be given to short, typewritten (double spaced) letters permitting use of the writer's true name. All letters are subject to condensation. paradox. ctreet). The decorations are similar to those utilized in Chicago during the Christmas season. We hope that these decorations will be more in keepuig with the new look of our new downtown and add much to the enjoyment of the Christmas season by all of the valleys residents and visitors. We commend The Tribune on your efforts to assist during the Christmas season with your Community Christmas Tree. THE SALT LAKE JAYCEES Policemen and law enforcement spokesmen are fond of saying one reason crime increases is that judges and courts are too lenient on offenders. Now, here, two city policemen are assessed $1,000 each and the public safety commissioner, explaining he represents sentiment in the police department, claims these offenders should not have to suffer h a judgment. Apparently Quoliouabie Compulsion because society would be the loser in Editor, Tribune: I believe that compulsory damaged police morale. Interesting. membership to an organization should be Almost every lawbreaker, among opposed for the following reasons: those faceless thousands that contriCompulsory membership or monetary levy bute annually to crime statistics, who by a civic, religious, business or labor however worthy their objective, is pleads for a lighter sentence, a organization not m harmony with the principle of sell reduced fine, usually argues that government and the preservation of individual anything stiffer will surely ruin his freedom Freedom of the individual versus future, harm his family and. as a concentration of power which destroys individual freedom should be the constant concern consequence, not be in the best of all freedom-lovinpeople. interest ol society. Individual freedom as bequeathed in the answering to scheduled appointments than those personnel who, in my understanding, should be employed in this work. I also am at a loss to understand how, in all good conscience, the County Fire Dept, can send an ambulance or paramedic unit into Sait Lake City to answer a emergency, as 1 have actually seen happen. Recently, a bus rollover at the Kennecott mine area left some 40 victims injured. I can only wonder how well our emergency fire department ambulances would respond to another disaster ol this or more intense a scale, if they are this busy with the accomplishment cf appointments and emergency needs outside their area of firefighting jurisdiction. It would anpear to me that some serious appraisal of the intent of the Salt Lake ambulance County Fire Dept, emergency sort ice is in order. I am more than wilting to assist, through my taxes, my neighbor in an emergency requiring emergency ambulance or paramedic aid, but I can do more productive spending in other needed areas than in trying o interfere with the business of a private enterprise in providing nonemergency transportation to the area citizenry. WILLIAM M. KELLER Murray - - On the same day, a succession of Democratic presidential hopefuls were pledging their support to what might be considered tne 1 ultimate piece of New Deal the Humphrey-Hawkin- s Equal legislation Opportunity and Full Employment Act. pump-priming- In Dallas, Ford was warning that unless the growth of social programs is halted, it would literally threaten our whole economy, by making half of America dependent for jobs and welfare on the taxes of the other half. f Meantime, in Minneapolis, liberal Democrats were falling over each other in their eagerness to embrace a bill that would make the government the employer of iast resort for every American willing and able to work. Most Important Act Single Rep. Morris K. Udall of Arizona, one of 119 cosponsors of the legislation m the House, called it the single most important act Id like to see put on the law books. It is certainly the most sweeping. The legislation, developed by Rep. Augustus F. and cosponsored by Sen. Hawkins, would require Hubert II. Humphrey, the President to present within 60 days a new budget which would reduce unemployment in. the next 13 months from its present 8.4 percent to below 3 percent and keep it there. The scope of this promise is breathtaking, for the current projections of administration economic officials,, like presidential assistant L. William Seidman, are that even if the recovery continues, unemployment is not likely to drop below 7 percent in 1976. And what the Congressional Budget Office considers an expansionaiy fiscal monetary strategy, would not reduce that figure by much over 1 percent. No such trifling gains are considered adequate by the backers of the Hawkins bill. Their legislation would authorize, an immediate $15 billion m spending to subsidize jobs in private industry and create jobs in government. It would , allow every eligible citizen to sue the government if it fails to provide the job which this law guarantees. , Plans Series of Hearings Although little publicized so far, the legislation is certain to become more prominent as election time approaches. Humphrey, the principal Senate cosponsor, plans a series of regional hearings, starting next month, on the failure to achieve the goais of the Full Employment Act of 1946. His project will climax with a national conference in Washington just two weeks before the New Hampshire primary next Febuary. Already there is talk among House Demoof the political auvantage of sending the bill to Ford next spring for a certain veto just to sharpen the jobs issue. crats Whether this happens is speculative. Many Democrats might be nervous about voting for a measure that Library of Congress analysts say is almost certain to bring double-dig- it inflation in its wake, even for the sport of twitting the President. But less sweeping moves to stimulate the. economy and add to the stock of government-finance- d jobs are certain in coming months. (Copyright! loo-hars- Hill V aujilians Constitution should not he sacrificed in an quest for collective security. Quality legislative propositions should rise or fail on their own merits. Likewise, qualify" organizational propositions should rise or fall on their own merits. Good organizations shouldnt need compulsory membership and bad ones don't deserve it. Free loaders are found in ail organizations. (A poor man has poor ways.) Unfortunately, actively devoted members are a minority in any organization, and all members share the fruit of their labors. Organizational efforts to combat society's prevailing and destructive philosophy of "something for nothing should lie applauded. The methodolgy, however, should be open lor an organization that question and evaluation can t be questioned is a questionable organization. REP. JOHN E SMITH Legislative District 63 over-zealo- Orbiting Paragraphs The fat friend says he defines convenience that's at the front of the food as anything refrigerator. The mind has a powerful effect on the body. A lot of people arc too ill to work because they think theyre not paid enough. trade rncer-soundin- g to a word is found nay come The stamp will Us delayed until after Christmas. This little extra jab will add to nt the gladsome task of paying the holiday bills. The economy reduces the number of Americans who are moving horn one house to another. There are even reported to be cases on record where people know their neighbors names. hisiod of a broken heoii, the sor.g today would say theres an unpaid bill for every light mi old Broadway 2x - discipline the party directly responsible for misdeeds, not those for whom he works or may represent, or with whom he associates. Mr. Greener argues the two patrolmen werent malicious. Nonetheless, the court decided their actions obligated them to dig $1,000 apiece from their own pockets. And this introduces the U.S. international standstill until a for bribery." Idiot Kill- d v- aie moving to the right on the issue of the governments role in the economy. And just as surely, the Democrats are leaning leftward on . the central question. The ; result could be the clear- Hest polarization on the pocketbook issue since the early years of the Mr. Broder New Deal ; In a speech to a Republican rally a week ago, Ford stood one of Franklin Roosevelt9 famous phrases on its head, vowing again and again and again to use his veto power to end 25 yefs of ri ekless Democratic spending. In moments of peril it is advisable to mase some unusual noise, tike keeping quet, which is bound to attract attention among the citys scretms. sirens awl whittles. Emerjreneiess Only Editor, Tribune. As a resident of th!s area, I have witnessed the tremendous improvements mde during the past few years in ine area of emergency medical services available to local residents f have been very glad to know that an eroeigeney ambulant e and paramedic crew was provided ioi tov by the Salt Lake County Fire Dept. The funds allocated for the provision of this emergency serv.ee have been to say the least. However, I was recently hospitalized a' a well-spen- t, 'II hum lore Ionti White House Sure Lonely Now President Ford likes his job. All Presidents do, even those who have complained about the terrible loneliness of their high office. The loneliness is unevoida- - jr Me, for a president is not like olher men. He is & chief of state, head of comman- government, til - r of the armed forces. He wields cncrm- - l A ous power. And, ai- - jy; though this is a govern- ment of checks and the responsibility of making final decisions der-in-ehi- bal-ance- s, - ,f If - It), 't V ' ot enormous consequence is often his alone. But there are compensations as well. The President, living symbol of the nation, is provided with the best of everything. The 20th Century presidency has acquired imperial trappings. Some critics would even say, imperial attitudes, too. And whatever the validity of this comment, it is obvious that the office, by emphasizing the leadership principle, engenders hatred as well as admiration and respect. Ytou t Be Intimidated The attempt on Mr. Fords life in Sacramento was followed by the inevitable demand that he make fewer public appearances and stop plunging so recklessly into c.xvwds. To which Mr. Ford replied that he did not intend to be intimidated. In his view, close contact between President and public is of great benefit to both. The President gets a first-han- d reading of the mood of the people, and the people see the President dose up as a warm, human personality. It is an attractive idea of consider able merit; a president who becomes in effect the prisoner of the White House is not an cftective president. On the ether hand, how iron h presidential travel is really necessary9 ' Mr Ford is constantly cn the go, sometimes in the national interest, sometimes for reasons peculiarly his own. He has been to Japan, the Soviet Union, South Korea and half a dozen European countries on high missions of state, He visits various American cities to enunciate or promote policies of his administt a lion. And he crisscrosses the United States as busily as if this were already late summer, 1976, and Ihe voters would soon be going to the polls. Entail Risks Unfortunately, his travels entail dangerous risks. The President is aware of them. So are his advisers. But, says George E. Reedy, who once was Lyndon B. Johnsons press secretary, There is only one man who can do anything about presidential assassination and that is the President himself. The chances are that very nttle will be done that has not already been done. Mr. Ford continues to demonstrate the accuracy of Mr. Reedy's diagnosis. After the near miss m Sacramento, the President was in New Hampshire campaigning for the Republican candidate in a special U.S. Senate election. Thn he went to Texas to address a convention of Republican women. Last week he was again in California which just happens to be the home state of Ronald Reagan, a possible challenger for the Republican nomination. Is politics involved? Yes, but only in a general sense, say White House aides who explain that at this time the President is interested solely in promoting the interests of his political party. Active promotion of personal political interests, attested to by his announcement that he would like four more years in office, can presumably be left until election year. And Democratic members of the House and Senate tempted to sneer, Part-timPresident," should remember that Mr. Ford has stopped mennonirig their own frequent absences from Washington. Meanwaile, let the rest of us consider the terrible burdens of the presidency, often called fu!!y as formidable a the terrible lonehnes. e |
