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Show - I i 3-V kZi"Si 81101 CITY J r SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Utah Attorney General's Office Proposes Bill to Deter Shoplifters Utah Attorney General Vernon Romney has proposed a bill to the upcoming Legislature that will sharply serve as a deterrent to the shoplifter in the state. Getting cause will have more of a civil effect on those convicted than a criminal effect if the bill is passed. The bill provides that any shoplifter is civilly liable for the retail vaue of the merchandise taken plus three times that value up to $,1000, cost of the suit and reasonable attorneys fees. Thus the meaning of the proposed bill is that after the person is caught shoplifting and taken to court for the sentence or fine the person can have a civil suit brought against him by the store for the recovery cf up to $1,000 for the stolen merchandise. The bill also provides that the parents or legal guardians of minors caught are civilly liable for the retail value of the merchandise taken and the reasonable attorney fees for the plaintiffs attorney. The proposal also says that the court may award the plaintiff usually the merchandise frof whom the items were stolen three times the retail price for the merchandise but no parent or guardian will be held liable if the person reports the theft to authorities. three-cent-a-gall- on t I U Jf Performance Budgets A Real Possibility Board Member Says J. Lynn Dougan a member of the State Board of Regents said this week that performance budgeting tying appropriation to specific programs may be the future for Utahs state supported Universities and Colleges. Mr. Dougan said that he felt that the Utah higher education move toward system should program budgeting. The suggestion of moving toward budgeting arose during discussion of a new programs proposad by various schools during the regent meeting. The other regents on the board felt also that the programmed budgeting would give the regents more control over proposed expansions. The regents in committee actions which almost certainly will be affirmed their official meeting suggested, rejection of a tie vote Utah Technical College at Provos request that it be permitted to offer a program leading to the Assccciatc of Applied Sciences degree for legal assistant. Approved the Universitay of Utahs request that they offer a Master of Science in Community Vernon Romney In addition, a merchant may request any individual to display any merchandise the person may have removed from the store. No merchant shall be criminally or civilly liable on account of having made such a Degree. request, the Attorney General Medicine Followed the lead of the state said. Board of Vocational Education Shoplifting is the largest con- for the ruling that Utah Techtributor of higher prices to nical College at Provo cease cover the lost merchandise. Millions of dollars are lost each awarding the Associated of Science Drugs generally considered year, retailers report. an academic degree. Energy Conservation, Revenue Down; Gas Tax Hike Needed Coming to the surface of a meeting this past week the Utah Highway Department proposed a tax hike during the budget talks this week. The increase was not openly recommended by the road officials nor threatened by Governor Rampton but officials did reveal one bleak cost increase or revenue decline after another. The decline in part is considered to be part of the fuel conservation w'hich the public has been told to handle. But the revenue from the declining gas sales was more than expected. State Highway Director Blaine Kay outlined a $108.1 million budget request including $56.8 million in federal construction funds and said the budget is spartan even after some outback already imposed are taken into account. If a gas tax increase is recommended it will be the governors task but he indicated the upcoming Legislature will be reluctant to impose tax increases. Revenues had dropped about 8 percent behind expectations now standing about equal to last NOVEMBER 29, 1974 FRIDAY, Former Attorney General Grover A. Giles, Dies At 82 Grover A. Giles, former Utah attorney general and Salt Lake county attorney died this past week of natural causes at his home, he was 82. Mr. Giles was elected as Salt Lake County Attorney in 1956. a position he held for eight years. He was attorney general and fer two terms from 1941-4assistant attorney general eight years, being appointed to that post in 1933. During that time, Mr. Giles was instrumental in obtaining water rights for Utah in the Colorado River negotiations. He represented Utah before congressional hearings in Washington, D.C. and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was secretary of the Upper Colorado River Basin Commission When the compact was signed, and earlier had served as secretary Colorado River "f a seven-stat- e year and inflatipn has cut into remaining funds. The departments request asks $3.3 million for new heavy equipment to what was received last year. The $1.8 million was less than the $2.5 million that had been asked and inflation decreased its buying power between the time it was appropriated and was sought for use. The governor said every state is eyeing gas tax increases some are thinking of up to 10 cents per gallon. increase would A one-ceraise from $5.7 million in net revenue to the department during fiscal 1975 and three cents would raise about' $16 million that the department predicts will result as a deficit from continued operation at present levels of service to the public. Commission. He graduated from the Uniof Utah law department The wild turkey hen nests on versity 1917 and was admitted t3 the ground. Her nest is most in e before the Utah always well obscured with some practice While Court thesame form of thick, low growing veg- still a law student,year.he was etation. Egg laying begins in elected as Millard County at,- -I early spring, often before snow torney, a post he held for three terms. is entirely gone. 9, nt Suo-rem- Unified Court Services Seminar Dec. 4, Judge Banks Speaker Third District Judge Jay E. Banks will be keynote speaker at a seminor Wednesday, Dec. 4, concerning the usefulness of a unified court services program leading to a turn around or rehabilitation of misdemeanants. The seminar, sponsored by the Peoples Free Way, an intercity community organization, will be held at the Deseret Inn, 60 West 5th South, Salt Lake City. Stanley W. Stevenson, Director, Department of Court Services for Salt Lake County, will be moderator of the program. According to Dorothy E. Pulley, Peoples Free Way, too often a misdemeanant finds himself enmeshed in overlapping court procedures and judicial decisions. The courts, in turn, have problems in placing the misdemeanant with the proper social or volunteer agency. Also appearing on the program will be a representative from one of the states largest and employers cf a In addition, simple parolees. device will be distributed, Mrs. Puley stated. to Judge Banks was District of Conn Third the Judge during recent elections. He was appointed to this position in 1973 after having served several terms as District Attorney. wr ex-convi- cts anti-pover- ty re-elect- ed Judge Jay Elmer Banks Individuals wishing to attend the Unified Court Services Seminar should contact Mrs. Pulley at Peoples Free Way, 568 South 300 West, telephone 328-470. TODAYS EDITORIAL Railroads And Inflation U.S. railroads, more than most other industries, lave a great stake in the success of efforts now being nade to fight inflation. As the president of the Associ-io- n of American Railroads puts it, Unlike most of the est of industry, much of the transportation industry is Hitler price control today. Railroad rates are controlled ly the government through the Interstate Commerce Commission . . . Oil the other hand, railroad costs are not mder control and have escalated and are escalating at in alarming rate. Diesel fuel, the prife energy source for the nation's ail system, has increased in cost over the past 12 months y 152 percent adding some $54-- million to the operat-n- g overhead of America's railroads. A ton of rail has ncreased in price hv 30 percent. Ties are up 40 percent. As the rail spokesman summed it up, . . . In general terms, the total annual capital requirements of the have been increased by inflation over the past 12 months by some $1.5 billion to the range of $5.5 billion I Continued on page 4) in-lust- ry . I |