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Show JPP Igli By Harry Marlowe With the big emphasis on revenue . . . lack of it and how to raise it . . . the 31st Utah Legislature swung into session this week. As the legislators started their preliminary probings into the state's law-making machinery and legislative needs, it became more and more apparent that Gov. J. Bracken Lee will hold the whip hand when it comes to money matters. Unless, that Is, legislators kick over the traces. Gov. Lee has shown no signs of relaxing his stand that there will a good portion of the Republican be no tax Increase if he can help it. And, with a powerful veto weapon, he can help it. The legislative lineup, studied dispassionately, does not show much signs of being united in support of my tax raise, although al-though there may be many proposed. pro-posed. Against Tax Increase The governor, unless he changes chan-ges his mind, seemingly stands committed at present to veto any tax increase the legislature might pass. Only if the Legislators find themselves convinced that the state must have more revenue to operate on, and if it appears that the whole Increase will fall on property tax, does it appear from advance indications that a veto might be over ridden. The biggest majority (it appears ap-pears of each house) seems not to want any property tax Increase. In-crease. Yet, the s.ate obviously needs more money or else the state agencies are way out of line asking for much more than they need . . . even further out of line than usual. Any Source Will Do The tax proposals which are being proposed are not singling out any specific tax field to hit. Significantly, the proposals are carefully steering clear of property prop-erty tax. The suggestions of the Utah Legislative Council on taxation taxa-tion are being cautiously offered of-fered as possible methods in case the legislators decide they must find a new revenue source. It is very doubful If Gov. Lee will go for an increase In corporate cor-porate franchise taxes, as is proposed. pro-posed. And, it is also doubtful If a veto could be over-ridden on this matter. He might go for changing the income tax laws to close up a few loopholes and which would rrwlde the state with some Sl.000,000 income without affecting the big majority major-ity of the people. Revenue Possibilities Extension of sales tax to beer, oleomargarine and cigarettes might (and this is doubtful, too) get gubernatorial support. The same goes for extension of the mine occupation tax to oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, it seems that Salt Lake City is giving up the proposal propos-al for a municipal sales tax. Instead, In-stead, the city i? trying to get the special 4 mill water and sewage sew-age levy without a special election. elec-tion. The city is the only one in the state which cannot levy this special tax without an election (a condition imposed by Gov. Lee on Salt Lake clone) and the city fathers are hopinr legislators legislat-ors will be m ro sympathetic than the governor. Most legislators feel they will get some inkling of the way i things may go as soon as tho governor gives out with his biennial bi-ennial budget message during the second week of the session. |
