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Show At Meeting D6R Amendments Supported; Two Initiatives Panned HUMTCR By NANCY LYNN KRZTON mercy of the Legislature with regard ' to reimStaff Writer bursement. BOUNTIFUL A Utah Constitutional Revision Memmott admitted it was possible the Legislature Commission representative has strongly criticized would not make up the revenue loss but pointed out d . two tax initiatives to be considered legislators were meant to be responsive to the needs by voters in November. of their people and could be expected to assist local Commission member Jon Memmott of East Layton g.overnments hurt by the property tax relief panned the proposals during a town amendment. meeting in Bountiful held last week to explain four The proposed constitutional change in property tax proposed constitutional amendments also on the assessment comes from concern over the November ballot. revaluation of homes, he said, maintaining that Initiative proposal B, is word for word the Jarvis property tax has fallen into disfavor over the amendment propoposition 13 in California, Mem- years. mott said. However, it is simply a proposed change in Other provisions of the tax article revision would Utah law, not an amendment to the constitution as it give the Legislature the authority to tax government was in California. property located outside its legislative boundaries, Memmott was less than enthusiastic about the exempt from taxes all property (not just lots with proposal, saying, You just cant take a California buildings on them) of nonprofit organizations used for ' law and superimpose it on Utah with its different charitable and other purposes, allow the sharing of constitution. revenue between local governments, remove the 73 Even the Utah Taxpayers Association, famous for percent limit on the states contribution to the its insistence on lower taxes, is opposed to proposal B, Minimum School Program, and exempt all livestock he said. from taxation. If adopted, the initiative would establish the The provision concerning the taxing of government maximum amount of property tax at 1 percent of the property by local governments was prepared with the fair market value. The act states fair market value Intermountain Power Project in mind, Memmott would be defined as that shown on everyones 1977 tax said, indicating IPP would be worth about $8 billion bill under market value. when completed, or 20 percent of Utahs total Property sold or constructed after passage of the property value. initiative would be assessed at the fair market value The revised tax article would allow local governon the date of purchase, establishing a two-timents to tax IPP, even though it is being built with system of taxation, according to some opponents. municipal bonds issued by cities parPassage of the law would result in an estimated ticipating in the massive power project. 5 revenue loss of between million during the Another proposed constitutional amendment on 1982-8- 3 fiscal year, or about 30 percent of local Novembers ballot, the executive article revision, would give the governor explicit executive powers, something not clearly granted in the present constitution. It would constitutionally establish the office of lieutenant governor and abolish the office of . secretary of state. The lieutenant governor would be required to run on the same ticket as the governor and would have increased power but would not, as is presently required of the Secretary of State, become the governor when the governor leaves Utah. property taxes, Memmott said. The majority of that The revised executive article also would establish goes to the schools, so it would hurt them the most. who succeeds the governor should he become unable . The proposal would limit the increase in fair to the duties of his office, and states that ; market valuation due to inflation to 2 percent in any thedischarge Court is to determine if the governor is Supreme ; given year and would require any changes in state indeed incapable of performing his job. tax laws to receive approval of of the It increases the time allowed the governor to House and Senate, instead of the majority vote now consider bills both during the legislative session and r required in each house. after it has been adjourned. The proposed revision ' of extends the time In addition, proposal B would require period from five to 10 days during a the qualified voters in a district to vote yes before a session and from 10 to 20 days after adjournment. h city, county or special district could impose special The amendment would allow the Legislature, upon taxes on real property. of of the members of each house, approval A number of the proposals features are probably to reconvene for five days after a session has been Memmott said, echoing the unconstitutional, adjourned if it wishes to reconsider bills which the opinion of Utahs Legislative General Counsel. has vetoed. governor of r Memmott was also critical Initiative Proposal A, Presently, the Legislature is allowed to reconvene, which would eliminate the states 4 percent sales tax the governor has the power to reconvene it, but only on food. he is unlikely to do if the Legislature will The revenue from the food tax this coming year is something to override his veto. try . estimated to be about $63 million, or 16 percent of the The prisoner Work Release Amendment proposed total sales tax the state expects to collect. the Constitutional Revision Commission would by We would have to raise income taxes about 20 to 25 allow inmates to work outside the prison grounds on percent to get that income back, Memmott said. both public and private projects, according to Elimination of the state food tax would reduce Utahs Memmott. general fund but would not directly affect the income The Department of Corrections has estimated that of local governments, according to Memmott. about 200 of 800 state prisoners are low-ris- k inmates The measure would indirectly hurt local govern- - who could be released for outside work and could ments, he said, because the general fund sup-- t earn about $950,000 a year. Part of their earnings plements the running of school systems and the would go to taxes, some to the state to reimburse it construction of highways. for lodging the prisoners, part to family support Memmott was far more positive about the four payments, and part to restitution of victims. The inmates would be allowed to save some of their in- constitutional amendments drafted by the 1 Utah Constitutional Revision Commission to which he come. The Legislative Compensation Amendment would Z belongs. increase compensation to state legislators from $25 to One amendment, the proposed tax article revision, would give the Legislature the authority to exempt $40 a day, pay for mileage, and allow up to $40 per day T primary residences and tangible personal property for expenses. The legislators now receive $15 a day in expense money. from property taxes, he explained. Utah is ranked 49th in legislative pay among all 50 The Legislature would be permitted, but not "required, to reimburse local governments and school states, Memmott said, and would move up to 48th if districts suffering a revenue loss from such exemp- -' the amendment is adopted. Only nine people attended the Bountiful town tions or tax reductions. r Kaysville City Administrator John Thacker asked meeting, five of them members of the Syracuse City Memmott if that would, in effect, leave cities at the Council. rJ , citizen-sponsore- HELP! is . here Full power, 40 Channel Citizens Band Radio System comes complete with magnetic antenna, cigarette lighter adapter, Transceiver unit and rugged case Easy to install and operate for emergencies or road information Compact unit can be easily kept hidden like but handy emergency flares Antenna is visible only when system is in use er tax-exem- pt 97 $95-$10- Property tax has fallen into disfavor FIRST AID PROTECTION Amoy From Home over the years FIRST 4ID KIT Travel FIRST AID KIT CO2 design POWER LINE", MODEL 1200 BB pistol Custom targef Reliable, efficient operation $2S PRtt-d-DRIM- K INSULATED CONTAINERS ONE GALLON CAPACITY PUMP DISPENSER GUARANTEED RELIABLE Reg. 8109 two-thir- CLOSEOUT PRICE $6.76 two-thir- two-thir- . 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