Show Candidate visits Sanpete airs airs court issue issue Joseph Elder candidate for forthe forthe forthe the post of ot Utah State Auditor was in Mantl Manti and Ephraim last week He reported on a suit which he has filed because of his dismissal from the post of deputy deputy dep dep- uty state auditor He said that the Utah Public Employees Association As Association Association As- As has given him Its complete complete com com- support The suit has been filed in the US U.S. District Court of Utah Mr Elder the plaintiff filed flied the suit as a test case for tor forthe forthe the Association in which he named his bis boss Sherman J. J the state auditor Utah Gov Calvin L. L Rampton Hampton Sec of or State Clyde L. L Miller At At- At Attorney Attorney torney General Romney Rom Rom- ney and Edward T. T Himstreet state personnel director He alleges that he submitted his application as a candidate for state auditor May 10 1972 and that Mr terminated Mr Elders Elder's employment Executive Director Rick Kinnersley said That the Association has taken this action because it believes itIs it itis itis is time to end policies and practices that continue to place public employees in the role of second-class second citizens believes that the present restrictions prohibiting state employees from running for political office are inequitable able and highly discriminatory discriminatory t tory Kinnersley said According to Mr Kinnersley Higher education employees public school personnel an and many mat ma- ma t ny others are allowed to continue continue continue con con- their employment until elected or in the case of legislators legislators leg- leg until called into ses- ses sion State employees must In effect resign their positions as soon as they file me for office he said We tWe We are not advocating allowing allowing al al- lowing public employees to use their positions to campaign for public office by the action has taken Kinnersley said Association officials are hopeful that courts will find in favor of Mr Elder The burden burden burh bur- bur h den of responsibility lies on the state to prove that it ismore Ismore is more important to deny an individual individual in- in his constitutional rights than to allow him to torun torun torun run for tor public office |