OCR Text |
Show UNIVERSAL 2603 BOX CITY SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH City Auditor Lawrence Jones this week said Salt Lake City could hire 100 additional policemen if the f cent sales tax increase is voted by the Utah Legislature. Mr. Jones made the report to Vee J. Sharp, research analyst, Utah Legislative Council, who had asked for financial informa- 18-2- 1 Administrative Agency and the number must be increased 100 more if the citys law enforcement body is beefed up to meet national requirements. The letter said the financial sheets showed an urgent need for new revenue of $2,748,209 to fund all deficiencies. It noted tion. that $1,608,709 is needed to give The sales tax increase is one salary increases to city employes of the items on a special Legis- recommended by the Citizens lative session set to open on Au- Advisory Committee on Wages and Salaries. gust 2. In a letter Mr. Jones enclosed Mr. Jones said the Utah Trantwo pages of information, one sit Authority is asking a subsidy ananalysis of revenue deficiency from the city of $289,500 for in the general fund budget that 1971-7- 2 operations, and noted was adopted June 24 for fiscal there is revenue needed to pro1971-7and a statement show- duce $300,000 for salary merit ing the dollar amount of direct increases for fiscal 1972-7The report showed the city charges for individual services. Not included in the financial collects $1,104,895 a year in the statements is the critical need sewer service charges. Mr. Sharp said that because for additional police officers, said Mr. Jones. Public Safety of the urgency of developing the Commissioner James L. Barker, information before the special Jr., currently is hiring 21 new session of the legislature, he patrolmen through financial as- desired the information sistance of the Law Enforcement Two City Commissioners Promise Employees Wage Increase as good as those behind it. Mr. sioners this week asserted that Garn. said, no commission ever city employees would get pay has been more united in attempts increases without help from the to raise employee pay. Teamsters Union and whether or not the legislature provides cent sales tax the the one-ha- lf is city seeking. Meeting with about 125 water department employees in the utilitys shop, Commissioners 2, 3. County Clerk W. Sterling Evans Salt Lake County Clerk Ster ling W. Evans expressed his opinion about the 18 year olds obtaining the right to vote as I am very happy that the re quired 38 states ratified the amendment and it will help to involve the 18 to 21 year old people become more involved in politics. Mr. Evans outlined the qualifications and areas on who can register in 1971. These requirements are: anyone who will be 18 years old by election day, or pality unincorporated county who has been a resident of Utah area where the tax was col- for 6 months, Salt Lake County lected. 60 days, providing they live in Revenue from the state im the incorporated limits of the posed four percent goes into the following cities: Salt Lake City, states general fund and is the Murray Midvale, South Salt major contributor to that fund. Lake, Sandy, West Jordan, So. Committee staff researcher. Jordan, Riverton, and Bingham Vee Sharp, noted that at least Canyon. three attorney generals have If a person will be 18 years issued opinions stating that it old by October 19, 1971, he may would be unconstitutional to register for the primary in Salt alter the collection method state Lake City and Murray. There wide to permit the tax return on is a primary in Midvale, by or- Legislative Committee Drafts Bill For V2 Cent Sales Tax crease in the sales tax was reported this week by a legislative committee studying local government financing. The committee, after the vote, concurred that its staff should seek an opinion from the attorney general on whether such a proposal would be legal. Rep. Milly Oberhansley, offered the proposal to draft the bill. However, she said a proposal to increase the sales tax would be soundly defeated in a county wide referendum. A poll of eight advisory representatives of municipal and county government, conducted by the committee chairman, Sen. Dixie Leavitt of Cedar City, indicated they overwhelmingly believed citizens would support a local sales tax hike in a referendum vote. Commissioner Conrad B. Harrison, Salt Lake City representative, said he believed Salt Lake County residents will vote yes. The committees proposal permits county government to raise the tax only with referendum approval. Then the entire county would be deemed the point of sale and be directed to distribute tax collections to municipalities within the county on a population ratio. The existing half cent local option sales tax is returned to the point of sale the munici 4-- 1 ns, a population ratio. dinance Registration has only. Committee members believed not to Midvales primary applied the proposed bills method might before as they are a 3rd Class bypass this situation. Members City. The days there are no regnoted that Cache and Weber istration in the County Clerks counties already distribute sales Office are, Saturday, Sunday, tax revenue on the basis out Holidays, registration days in lined in the proposal. the voting districts, and 10 days before the primary (Oct. 19) 10 Ogden Dinner Will Honor McKay; Rep. Mills Speaker 3.71 Two Salt Lake City Commis- Model Cities, but the one-hal- Drafting of a bill permitting a county option half cent in- 81101 73 FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1971 Year Olds Can Now Vote City Auditor Jones Says Tax Equals More Policemen KICROFIIHING CCP.P. days before municipal election (Nov. 2). MARTIN TO A $50.00 a plate dinner will JERADEEN honor Rep. G. Gunn McKay in ATTEND CONVENTION Mrs. Jeradean Martin, county Ogden. The dinner is scheduled for recorder, will attend the Nation at Weber al Association of County Offi July 16. It will be held " State College. cials convention in Milwaukee, Chief speaker at the gathering Wis., July will be Rep. Wilbur Mills, Dem The Salt Lake County Comocrat of Arkansas. Rep. Mills is mission approved expenses tochairman of the powerful House taling $483. Ways and Means Committee. Rep. McKay is serving his first term in Congress. He represents These days, a child who knows Utahs First Congressional the value of a dollar must be 18-2- mighty discouraged. E. J. Garn and Conrad B. Harrison indicated the governing bodys feeling no longer ties $2.1 million in pay raises to a half cent increase in the local option sales tax. But, like Streets Commissioner George B. Cutmull, who later agreed, something must be done to halt the flow of trained city workers to higher paying jobs, the commissioners are not ready to say just how needed money might be raised if legislators deny the proposed sales tax in- crease. Choices under current law seem limited to increased prop erty taxes, garbage collection fees and the always controversial sewer tax, Commissioner Garn noted. Mayor J. Bracken Lee said he will not vote for an increase in axes under any circumstances. Public Safety Commissioner Barker was not available for comment. Commissioners also agree no single group, including teamsters will be recognized bargaining Any employee or group can come in and talk, Mr. Garn said. Noting that any group is only I dont know what the teamsters can do for you that the commission cant. If the teamsters really want to help, theyd come here and say, men, youve got a union (Utah Public Employees Assn.) Why dont you get off your cans and support it? He again termed Teamster efforts to organize the water department as a raid and naked grab for power. What about a contract and binding arbitration, the water department employees asked? Both commissioners agreed city workers some day may have a contract and both predicted the workers would gain some benefits and lose others. Because 'employees are paid from tax dollars, binding arbitration is unacceptable, Commissioner Garn said. He compared this with 'giving some negotiator who is not elected nor responsible to the people the authority to set the tax levy. Commissioner Harrison, who called for unity and cooperation to replace rumors and pickets, agreed the city could raise the property taxes to meet the salary demands. But this would be barely enough after severe budget cuts. He agreed with Mr. Garn that the higher property tax would serve only to scare off industry and hasten the move to the TODAYS EDITORIAL Trim Medical Care Costs Americans spend more than $60 billion yearly on medical care or an average of about $300 per person. In times of soaring medical costs and lowered income, one way for families to economize is by cutting down on unnecessary medical expenditures. In a recent issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, Dr. Odin Anderson, associate director of the University of Chicago's Center for Health Administration offers this advice: Be sure to choose your family doctor carefully, since he will be responsible for 70 percent of personal health expenditures. When selecting a family doctor, be candid about your own income and dont hesitate to inquire about his fees. Dont consult a specialist for treatment on your own (Continued on page four) |