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Show 6A The Salt Lake Tribune, Tuesday, January 21, lWi Hill Gramm-Kutlma- n Senior Citizens Warned Of Impending Cuts By Frank Brunsman Tribune Staff Writer bill points to The Gramm-Rudmafederal funding cuts of 2 fiscal 1986-8to 4 percent for agencies serving the elderly, Gov Norm Bangerter told a crowd at Seniors' standing-room-onlDay at the Legislature Monday. "In November 1985, the state legislative leadership requested me, as governor, to reduce fiscal year 1986 spending by 2 percent," he added. He said lawmakers told him the flood reserve should not be used to balance the state budget in the current fiscal year that ends Jun 30 or in the one that begins July 1. Gov. Bangerter said he would sign a bill for a state holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., but would prefer eliminating one of the other state holidays. He did not say which state holiday should be cut out. Gov. Bangerter also said: He supports a mandatory seat-belaw because of safety, the tax n y Day at the Legislature. The audience also heard from Gov. law. Bangerter, who said he favors mandatory seat-bel- t Pace addresses packed State Office Building Rep. Lorin auditorium, where senior citizens gathered for Seniors lt for accident vicpayer cost of caring seat belts are less because and tims than air bags. expensive "At age 65, one in five men and one in 12 women are still in the work force." "it is estimated that by 1990 the costs will raise elderly's health-carat a rate almost twice as fast as their income." net"Despite the nations vast work of services for the aged, 70 percent to 80 percent of home health care for persons 55 and over is still provided by their families, who pro. vide a wide range of services e . . "Thirty-sipercent of persons 65 or over lived with their children in 1956, but by 1985 that percentage had fallen to less than 18 percent. x "One of the major concerns of senior citizens is inadequate income. While many are fairly affluent, still over 12 percent of our seniors have incomes which are below the poverty line." Bill to Help Displaced Homemakers Breaks Through House Continued From A-- l wrong place," adding that any fee hike should be on divorce petitions ' where the problem begins. However, HB110 detractors were apparently failing to consider widows. "I don't think its the wife's fault that her husband died and didn't leave her a large estate." Rep. White said. Opposing the bill in prior years. Lake, said he Rep. Lorin Pace, now recognized the plight of dislt placed homemakers, pointing out to opponents that "its not a support grant: It's an education grant. While the Senate passed several House resolutions and advanced a few bills for possible final passage on Tuesday, most attention Monday was focused on a bill that was eventually circled. Senate Bill 44 would require hospitals to ask the survivors of a deceased patient for permission to donate vital organs for possible transplant. Its sponsor, Sen. William Barton, Valley City, circled the bill after questions concerning possible hospital liability threatened chances for the measure's passage Sen. Barton said the bill was need 1'n used Great Salt Lake Flood Funds ed because many hospital employees find it awkward to approach a grieving person about organ donations at the time a loved one dies. He said with SB44, the hospital representative can blame the law for bringing up the subject and it could provide a means to increase the supply of badly needed organs. But Sen. Warren Pugh. Lake, brought up the possibility of a hospital being sued if an employee fails to make the required request. lt He said if such a request was required by law and the hospital failed to follow the requirements, the fam ily of a person who dies for lack of a vital organ might be able to sue the hospital for violating the law and, therefore, negligently depriving the patient of that organ. Liability costs for hospitals are already skyrocketing," said Sen. Pugh, who is a member of the LDS Hospital board. "This is just an opportunity to make them skyrocket even higher." Sen. Pugh also questioned the need for the bill because doctors, who are paid well for each organ transplant operation they perform, already have a strong economic incentive to Eed Bv Douglas L. Parker Tribune Political Editor An ambitious $500 million Bear River water development project in northern Utah was outlined Monday before a legislative appropriations subcommittee. The concept is to deliver more water to Salt Lakers by the year 2C00, officials of the State Division of Water Resources explained to the joint subcommittee dealing with natural resources. Preliminary planning involves two to three dams in northern Utah, plus water conveyance structures and hydroelectric power plants, which could provide agricultural, municipal and industrial water. Although no source of funding has been identified for the project, at least $500,000 is proposed as neces- The Spotlight sary next fiscal year for advance planning. And yearly installments of at least that are planned for environmental impact and final design work over another half dozen years. Actual construction funds haven't been identified, but in looking for a start the focus has turned on any unused funds lying dormant to control possible Great Salt Lake flood control. In that connection, the state division said it doesnt anticipate needing any of the $56 million reserve this year because of drier conditions that House Silently Honors King The Utah House of Representatives observed Martin Luther King Day with a moment of silence on the House floor Monday, while Democratic leadership introduced still another bill to formally recognize the King holiday in the state. There are now three bills before Utah legislators to officially honor the slain civil rights leader, plus another that would require the state to drop one of the 12 holidays it does s to make recognize with room for any additional day. House Minority Leader Mike Dmi-tricMinority Whip Blaze Lake (Tty, and Assis- Wharton, off-day- lt tant Minority W'hip Ted Lewis, House Lake City, are Bill 219, which would designate the third Monday in January as formal observance of Dr. King's birthday. The bill would supplant state workers' "personal preference" day in the process. Sen. Terry Williams, Lake, is sponsoring a like measure in the Utah Senate. His bill is awaiting floor action. Lake Rep. Robert Sykes, City, has introduced a bill that would eliminate the state's Abraham Lincoln holiday in February in lieu of the King holiday in January. lt lt LEGISLATIVE EH 8th Day HOUSE Bills Posscd HB40 (Stephens) Amend procedures for filling city mayor and council member vacant tes. By House 63 0. MB42 (Cromor) Correct inconsistent provisions ond other amendments in law regor prompt construction payments. Bv House HB52 (Hunter) Provide procedures for contesting ballot proposition elections in coses of close votes. By House HB54 (Chi Istensen) Repeal county authorbonuses. Bv House ity to giont 62 0. HB1 10 (White) Establish a pr ogrom for displaced homemakers. Bv House 46 27 Resolutions Passed HJW6 (Maxfield) Ask Congress to repeal . the nationwide 55 mph limit By House Bills Introduced HB214 (Dahl) Describe commercial hunting ai ea requirements and the duties of the Division of Wildlife Resources to enforce hern MB215 (Knowlton) Redevelopment amendment concerning election due to pr otest. HB216 (Brown) Property tux amendments tor time-sharunits and estates. HB217 (Dmltrlch) Delete mine props" os an item requiring proof of ownership In order to transport. HB210 (Fullmer) Give the Division of Youth Corrections full responsibility for juvenile detention facilities HB219 (Wharton, et ol) Declare the birth Dr. Martin L uther K Ing, Jr , as o legal date holiday In Utah In place of personal preference day. HB770 (Holllngshaus) Provide for the of real property use In violation of the controlled substances oct HB721 (Maxfield) Identify penalties for Oe fiuudlng Housing Authority Resolutions introduced HJR24 (Browning) Direct the Utah Arts Council to hold a contest to determine the official state song, are estimated to see the lake rise no higher than last year. But Larry Anderson, division director, cautioned the lake can rise quickly, should the climatic conditions change. "Our margin of safety is very small in the next few years because the lake is still relatively high," he said. Mr. Anderson predicted there isn't likely to be additional serious damage from a flooding lake until the level reached about 4,211 feet above sea level, a little more than a foot above it's current level. The Bear River water development isn't projected for any significant Great Salt Lake flood control since its estimated only about one inch of the lake level could be lowered with the upstream reservoirs in place, the division maintained. But the water project is designed to increase the water available along the Wasatch Front after the Central Utah Project water is used, explained Paul Summers, assistant division director. Still hanging is the question of financial participation to pay off the state water plan scheme. Mr. Summers said the state believes the projects will have to be paid "somewhat" by users, although the benefits to the state are multiple as well. These include recreation, wildlife, and some flood control, in addition to the commercial uses. The s'ate has an allocation of 385,000 acre feet of water from the Bear River by multistate compact, and nearly all of it is contemplated to be gain by the Bear River projects. Mr. Summers explained. The division has narrowed its dam candidates to sitos at Honcyville, Avon and Mill Crock in Box Elder and Cache counties, but no final decision has boon made, Mr. Summers said. SENATE Resolutions Passed Memorialize Spencer W. (Lewis) Kimball, the late president of the Church of Saints. By Senate Jesus Chr ist of Latter-da- v 28-- HCR? (lewis) Congratulate ond support for the new organization of the LDS first . presidency. Bv Senate HCR6 (Moss) Recognize the eftorls of Dr. Wilfred Griggs and other BriQhum Young University officials for Its Ramses II Exhibit Bv Senate 28 0. H( R8 (Reber, Lewis) E xpr ess condolences on the death of Richard P. Condie, former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir . By Senate HjK3 (Taylor) Commend Summum Form and volunteers for efforts In feeding needy . By Senate HJR10 (Tuttle) Commend Gus Paulos for his annual holiday antl-d- r unken dr lying ads . Bv Senate Bills Introduced SB 136 (Carling) Requlr e pei sons super vising real estate closings to give wr itten notit e of requirements relating to liability arising under contractors bonds and mechanics liens. SH 13 (Williams) Describe the role of he Division and Board of Parks and Recreation with r espec t to winter r ec r euhonal par k mg SB 1)8 (Sowords) The to Commission may issue warrants tor the collection of de Unguent Hues. SB IV (Sowords) Remove the r equ" emrnt that the e be o special furl vehu pfu nut Um all vehicles using special fuel SB 140 (Sowar ds) Clar if v he motor font licensing statutes to apD only to distr ibut-- s, refiners, blenders nnd impmtms SB141 (Renstrom) Provide retention lections of Public Service Commissioners and set commissioners solar ies SB142 (Renstrom) Pmde for an elected tth a commisPublic Service Commission sioner elected at large from ru h congresr the sional district, dev equlr ements for candidates and set c o'nmKsinner s solar les C. 4 Persuaded by lobbyists for local governments and real estate agents, the House Education Standing Committee tabled a bill Monday that would impose an optional $250 fee on new residential-constructiounits to subsidize school buildings - a "new-hous- e tax" to many, rather than a "head tax " Hep Ray M Schmutz, Gooige, reluctantly sponsored the measure on behalf of Washington County education interests. He amended the impact fee downward from $500 to $250 before committee detiate began "I didn't like this bill, either," Rep S( burnt told committee members and the lobbyists still don't Hut to get a 10 mill school levy just try " 1 i also He said, "I just don t see any alternative We don't have enough school buildings or any source of revenue to build them " Hut on an 8 5 vote, the committee postured that there were too many potential snags in the 'public-educatioimpact lee" and abandoned any iccoiiuncndation Spokesmen for Utah's cities and Salt Lake County warned that local governments would be responsible for collecting the fees for those school Rep. Tom Christensen Hep. Tom Christensen, who is enjoying his fourth r term in the Utah House of Representatives, found a state law to do away with Monday two-yea- reversing the normal process. lit- - gained House passage of a bill repealing county government authority to grant a bonus to citizens for each tree planted and cultivated for four; years on the court house grounds or along public roads. "I was just reading the code books one morning, as I do occasionally, and came across the law that had been there since just after statehood," he said. "Nobody knows when it was last used and I figured nobody would use it now at that price." Hep. Christensen, 60, raises beef cattle and crops outside Richfield in Sevier County. His six children, all grown, have left the farm. "I told them there were better ways to make a living." districts imposing them and then draw the wrath of builders in the process The fee may be unconstitutional because it would raise money for a purpose unrelated to its origin and buyers. only apply to Bill Nichols of the Utah Association of Realtors said the education-impac- t fee would discriminate buyers against new-hom- e new-hom- House Approves Plea To Kill Speed Limit Ry a 54 15 vole, the Utah House has adopted a resolution urging Congress r to repeal the national 55 nules limit highway speed "Let's tell Washington to get off our backs, and let the states have then own speed limits," said the reso, lution's sponsor, Hep Richard per-liou- Max-field- R Irovo Meanwhile, the House Transportation and Public Safety Committee has revived a 55 mph "fuel conservation" bill it tabled last week That measure sponsored by Rep Lloyd Selleneit. R Bountiful - would allow motorists to get by with simply a minor fine lor wasting fuel if they drive up to 65 mph - ) I By Peter Scarlet Tribune Education Editor Creation of a superboard" to govern both public and higher education would lead only to an unnecessary-layeof government using limited tax funds, which would be better spent educating Utahns than administering their education systems. Thats the consensus of the chairman of the Utah State Board of Education, which governs the public school system, and the chairwoman of the state Board of Regents, which governs colleges and universities. The two were responding to Senate Joint Resolution 5, sponsored by Sen. William T. Barton, Valley, proposing to amend the education article of the Utah Constitution. Except for a paragraph in the senator's measure creating the state Commission of Education, the resolution is similar to one endorsed by the Constitutional Revision Commission to amend the education article. "I support the Constitutional Revision Commission recommendations. They've taken the best approach," said Keith Cheeketts, the state school board chairman. "The Joint Liaison Committee a body made up of several regents and state board members is working reasonably well. I think all it Sen. Barton's proposal does is add an extra layer of administration that I dont see the need for, he said. In addition to imposing more educational bureaucratization, Dr. Cheeketts said the Barton proposal also places dollars where we dont need them" by adding to administration expenses. "We need to put as much rubber as we can on the road," he said, referring to Utah's need to find money to finance the education of the state's growing student population. Similar sentiments were expressed by Sue Marie Young, chairwoman of the regents. "We find ourselves with enormous responsibilities just overseeing our respective systems now," she said. Each board meets monthly and the agenda for each hoard's monthly meeting is often an inch thick. "Both boards are inundated with a phenomenal workload," said Mrs. Young, who suggested that the proposed board would have so much work due to centralization of power that it would become ineffective. "1 think education would suffer. Lay boards have limited time for work. Our tasks now are enormous and I think this would spread governance too thin, said the chairwoman and Richfield mayor. With just the higher education system nine colleges and universities regents have seven or eight full days of work each month, said Mrs. st Panel Rejects New - House Tax HCR1 A doctor can't perform the operation without a donor organ, he said, "so the economic incentive is there for the doctor to bring it up. We don't have to make this a requirement under state law. Sen. Karl Swan, asked what parties were backing the bill because of the purported need, which then prompted Sen. Barton, seeing support for his bill gradually slipping away, to make a motion to circle the measure. Circling a bill simply delays any action on it until the Senate votes to remove the circle. In other action, the Senate unanimously passed resolutions earlier approved by House which honors the late LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball; pledges support for the new First Presidency of the LDS Church; expresses admiration for the Ramses II exhibit at Brigham Young University; shows support for the Summum Churchs program; expresses condolences to the family of former Mormon Tabernacle Choir Director Richard P. Condie, who recently passed away; and commends Gus Paulos Chevrolet for its anti-drunk- driving commercials during the Christmas holidays. Education Officials Assail Superboard Proposal Legislator In Appropriations Panel Hears Details Of $500 Million Bear River Project broach the subject of a donor organ with the grieving relatives. i is needed to coordinate educational activities in Utah. "I look at our education system as one complete system," said the West Valley City senator. The CRC recommendation would give it two heads by giving the regents equal status in the constitution. The lawmaker said the need for a central educational authority is especially necessary if regents also get their authority legitimized in the constitution. In 1983, Idaho education officials told Utah lawmakers their states single governing board for both public and higher education caused more problems than good because it shortchanged both public and higher education due to the immensity of the governing task before it. Sen. Bartons measure is expected to be discussed later this week by the Legislatures Senate Education Standing Committee. Panel Approves Budgets for State Schools Budgets for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the State Training School in American Fork were approved Monday by the Legislatures Joint Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee. The committee also defeated an attempt by one legislator to reopen a decision made last Friday and appropriate an additional $18,000 for the Utah Symphony Orchestra. For the deaf and blind schools, lawmakers allocated $8,053,800 for the school year. upcoming 1986-8The figure, higher than the $7.8 million recommended by the governors analyst and the $7.6 million recommended by the legislative analyst, included $296,900 to help finance a t program and to absorb additional students expected in the schools programs. On the training school, which was transferred to Utah State Board of Education control last year from the state's Division of Social Services along with $1 6 million to educate school-agchildren at the school, lawmakers appropriated $1,438,100. The $1 4 million appropriation was the recommendation of the governors analyst and was $77,800 higher than the figure recommended by the legislative analyst. Bruce Griffin, an associate state superintendent in the State Office of Education, said the governor's budget recommendation was necessary if the school was to operate at the level necessary to train students. Young Near the end of the meeting, comShe said the liaison committee of mittee members defeated a motion the two boards is working "extremely by Rep. Robert B. Sykes, Lake, to reopen their decision last well" and has been effective in ironFriday to appropriate $437,400 to the Utah ing out incipient disputes and in deSymphony for taking music to Utah's veloping joint policy so educational local schools. efforts if the two boards are complementary and don't overlap. Rep. Sykes argued that the orches"Nationally, the superboard has tra needed an additional $18,000 to been an unmitigated disaster," said maintain the ratio it enMrs Young joyed last year. Sen Barton said there has been 77 percent of the program's some "bickering nnd intimidation" in costs for the symphony was paid for the past between the state school in the fine arts by the state hoard and regents, and that an entity 7 teacher-consultan- e state-funde- d |
