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Show — SUN NOVEMBER1, 1996 The Salt Lake Tribune CHANGING GOVERNMENT SECTION J IN UTAH Maybe Yes %« Maybe No | ay & ELECTION | Ballot propositions rangefrom routine to re-writing local government BY SHIA KAPOS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE As Americans becomedisillusioned with politicians, it’s no surprisethatballotinitiatives have more voterinterest than campaignsfor office in this off-year election. Utahnsare nodifferent. There are six statewide propositions on the ballot. Of those, two are gaining the mostattention. If passed, Prop 5 would makeit harderto pass initiatives having to do with huntingorwildlife. Right now,it takes 51 percentapprovalto pass an initiative. Prop 5 would increase the number to 67 percent on the hunting/wildlife issues. Prop 4 denies inmates who committed a felony theright to vote. The remaining propositionsare largely technical. Oneindication of Prop 4 and 5's interestis “there are pro and con arguments submitted with the ballot language,” said MatthewBur- bank a political science professor at the Univer- sity of Utah, cious of changeand takean if-it’s-not-broke- don't-fix-it attitude. “Theylookat the proposi- The successof ballotinitiatives statewide and in Utahis mixed. “One argumentis that people support proposi- tion and unless theyhave been informed, then theirbias is in favorof the status quo.” The four remaining ballot measures maketech tions becausetheballot languageis written in a waythatusually doesn’t make clear what the nical changestothe constitution. They are so non controversial that the ballots do notlist informa- implications are,” said Burbank. “It’s written in a legalistic tone, so you misunderstandthe iimportance and say‘It looks OKto me, andcheck ye: tion foror against them, as do Props 4 and 5. Following is a breakdown of the six propositions: Onthe other hand,hesaid, voterscanbes See PROPOSITIONS,on J-5 Prapesition 3 esition 5 Initiatives on wildlife Schoolfunding The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake ballet sal CT Library bone ‘Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune ad Bway SNNN Utah voters asked to decide onfundingfor schools, libraries, jails BY DAVID NOYCE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Voters across Utah will be deciding a number oflocal propositions. Besides the usual bonding for schools,jails and libraries, there are ballot questions seeking to change the form of governmentin three counties and a groundbreaking proposal to preserve open cpace. Here is a look at the pros and cons ofsix local- ballot propositions along the Wasatch Front: Salt Lake County voters will be asked to select a COPY new form of county government. The ballot proposal would split the legisla. tive and executive functions byreplacing the The county auditor estimatesstart-up costs finances,policy-making and administration of a countywith a half-billion-dollar budget and associated with the newsystem would range from $543,000 to $1.1 million for equipment and remodeling of the County Government Center. three-member commission with a nine-member, part-time council and a fulltime elected mayor. Ongoing costs for salaries and such would add They would be elected Nov. 7, 2000, and take $380,000 to $3.1 million to the commission's $1 nearly a million people. And with just two votes needed to approve budgets, overturn planning decisions or award contracts,it is too easyfor developers andother special-interests to influ office Jan. 1, 2001 Six of the nine council members would be elected bydistrict every four years. The other million annual budget. Regardless ofthe ballot outcome, voters would be stuck with their decision for sometime. State three countywide council positions carry a six lawprecludes the commission or council from proposing anotherstructural change for four year term, The mayor,also elected at-large, would serve four years. The county's other elect. ed offices — clerk, sheriff, treasurer, ete. — would be unaffected. i years. Byhaving a county council make the laws and a mayorcarry them out, power would be distributed more evenly. And commissioners, act ing as legislators, no longer would be able to rat. ify their own decisions. Having a council to approvethe budget, and a mayor to administer What proponents Three comuutasioners should not controi the : ence public policy. See BALLOTS, on J-5 ‘ | |