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Show Page 6 The UTAH INDEPENDENT February 18, 1972 How Your Representatives Voted CO V I Uf ah' Taxes Ms The Capitol building in Salt Lake City was the location of the legislature's 1972 budget session and also the special session called to solve the reapportionment problem. -- The 1972 budget session of the Utah state legislature considered many bills but passed only a few. The following analysis and tables show how the representatives and senators voted on a few important bills. Votes are listed in the tables as Y" for yes, N for no, and A for absent and not voting. According to the state constitution, budget sessions are for the purpose of considering the budget. An enabling resolution must receive at least a vote in each house before any bill can be considered. In the column of the is table labeled SER-HEa compilation1 of the votes on various enabling resolutions. The first number is the number of two-thir- non-budgeta- ds ry Y-N-- R A times the individual the resolutions. voted for The second number is the number of times the individual voted against the resolutions. The third is the number of times absent for the vote. Each vote for is a vote to depart from the proper business of the session. Not all the votes on the enabling resolutions were tabulated. STATE SUPPORT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS SJR-- 3 by Leavitt This act would propose an amendment to the state constitution allowing the state to levy and collect taxes for local government units and to dispense money from state funds to local government units. This bill would remove sharing from local officials their accountability to the voters for the taxes levied, but not for the tax money spent. Local officials could spend without regard to high costs because they couldnt be held directly responsible for high taxes. It would also bring revenue-- state and federal agencies even more into local government affairs because state guideline controls would be attached to the revenue-sharin- g The enabling funds. resolution passed in the senate but failed in the house. A no vote is right. (SJR-SER-- 3) SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS SUBDIVISIONS by Barnett and Jensen This act would amend the state constitution to remove school districts as subdivisions of the counties. This would then allow consolidation of school districts across county lines and facilitate removal of schools from local control. The enabling SJR-- 5 resolution the senate. A rect. (SJR-SER-- SB-- 5 failed in no vote is cor- 5) INCOME TAX REVISION by Harward and Jensen The sponsors of this act claim it would simplify the computation of state income tax returns by providing for computation of taxable income by reference to federal taxable income. This bill would raise taxes on middle-incom- e persons and give the rich all the loopholes in the Internal Revenue Code. Also, in tying the state tax to the federal system, the state tax would be determined largely in Washington and altered by changes in the Internal Revenue Code rather than by the state legislature. It would give the state tax commission powers forbidden by the Utah and U.S. constitutions. The tax commission would have the powers of prosecutor, judge, and jury all in one. Citizens would be assumed guilty until proven innocent. The only appeal would be the Utah Supreme Court, which does not have to listen to any appeal, but rather chooses which cases it will hear. The tax commission would be given power to issue warrants without a court seal and confiscate private property without due process of law. The bill also would require employers to serve the state as tax collectors. Admittedly, many of these problems are in the present law, but any new law should eliminate them rather than perpetuate and increase them. This bill was tabled in the senate after it passed on the second reading with a slight majority. The second reading vote is listed in the table. A no vote is right. TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR LOW INCOME PERSONS by HB-- 1 Marchant, Oberhansley, Buckner and Cockayne This bill would give yet another special consideration to people, encouraging them to remain in brackets. It also would be discriminatory against the middle income people by forcing them to pay an even larger share of the tax burden. The bill was defeated in the house after both houses passed the enabling resolution (IIER-1A no vote is correct. low-inco- low-inco- ). FREEDOM TO BUY AND SELL by Andersen This bill would allow any individual to buy or sell goods and HB-- 5 : |