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Show STATEHOUSE REPORTS Surplus Predicted for State Coffers Despite Slowdown in Sales Tax Yields The engineer's estimate for building this 28.7 miles of four-lane divided roadbed was $7.42 million. Morrison Knud-sen Knud-sen Co., and Nevada Rock & Sand Co. bid $1.07 million and $5.1 million, respectively. This was scheduled to have been the largest road contract awarded in Utah, but fell short of a previous $5.92 million record contract. LAST BULLFROG LINK The Highway Department will open bids July 5 for building the last section of Economic Development Administration-financed road to Bullfrog Basin in Garfield County. Utah will complete the current cur-rent two-year fiscal period June 30 with a substantial surplus, State Finance Director Herbert F. Smart predicts after studying the June 1 tax collection col-lection report. Sales tax collections have sliped the most below estimates estim-ates made for the 1967 Legislature. Legisl-ature. The state sales tax for the 11 months ended May 31 yielded $55.73 million or 4.4 per cent ahead of collections for the corresponding period a year ago. Gov. Calvin L, Rampton had estimated a 6.5 per cent increase incr-ease in sales tax collections for the fiscal year to end June 30. This 10 mile section will extend from Del Monte Mine to Trachyte Wash. It is to be completed in 330 calendar days. Gov. Hampton is scheduled to spend June 12-16 addressing address-ing meetings and visiting county and city leaders in Southern Utah. RAMPTON ITINERARY His itinerary includes Eureka, Eur-eka, Nephi, Levan, Fillmore, j Delta, Milford, Beaver, Parowan, Paro-wan, Cedar City, St. George, Hurricane, Kanab, Panguitch, Junction, Richfield, and Sal-Tma. Sal-Tma. The Senate will meet in special session June 19 to consider con-sider confirming approximately approximat-ely 175 of Gov. Rampton's appointments ap-pointments to reorganized and old state agencies. i WITHHOLDS PREDICTION Mr. Smart declined to predict pre-dict what will happen if sales tax collections do not surge upward during the next two years to achieve estimates used us-ed by the Legislature of 6.5 per cent ahead of each preceding prece-ding year. Fortunately, state income tax collections are holding up well. Income and withholding tax collections for the last 11 months total $41.46 million. But out of this must come an estimated $1.4 million in refunds re-funds yet to be mailed to taxpayers. tax-payers. The income tax yield had been estimated at $40.2 million. Mr. Smart said he hopes to have $4 to $5 million left in the general fund June 30. He must have $5.5 million July 1 for repayment of Dond principal princi-pal and interest. If he has less than this, including inc-luding funds lapsed by departments, depart-ments, the transfer to the uniform uni-form school fund will be reduced re-duced accordingly. Saltair Inc., still is struggling strug-gling hard using volunteer labor to try to restore the once spic and span beach resort, high and dry and deserted de-serted during most of a decade. de-cade. The State Board of Examiners Exam-iners June 1 forbade the restoration res-toration group from reopening reopen-ing the resort to the public until and unless it provides a $25,000 bond to protect the state against damage suits should visitors be injured. Sheldon R- Brewster, president pres-ident of Saltair Inc., said ho hoped to provide a bond promptly. GRAND COUNTY LANDS REVALUED Grand County is one of five counties in which land values have been reappraised by the State Tax Commission during the past four years. The others are Millard, Kane, Piute, and Juab. Part of the land in Salt Lake and Utah counties has been reappraised re-appraised during the past year, causing many protests from property owners. The Tax Commission reports that except in rapidly changing chang-ing areas, land values are reappraised at intervals considerably con-siderably longer than the five years fixed by law. Appropriations Appro-priations have not been sufficient suf-ficient for more frequent go-arounds, go-arounds, the commission says. A building revaluation program pro-gram based on assessment sales ratios is scheduled to reach 20 percent of fair cash values by 1971. GOOD SCHOOL CARRYOVER He also anticipates a carryover carry-over of from $3 to $4 million in the uniform school fund as of July 1. "This will enable the state to hold its property tax levy for support of schools at least down to the 7.3 mills ($7.30 per $1,000 assessed valuation) planned by the Legislature," he said. Gasoline tax collections for the 11 months netted $21.74 million or 3.9 per cent ahead of last year. Cigarette tax collections are running slightly less than a year ago, Indicating a reduction red-uction in the number of cigarettes cigar-ettes sold in Utah. HAPPY ENGINEERS State Highway Department engineers were goggle-eyed and happy when they opened a bid May 31 which ran $3.3 million below their estimate. "Maybe they plan to install belt conveyers," one engineer speculated. He was referring to the $4,0-91,051 $4,0-91,051 joint bid of S. A. Healy of McCook, 111., and Tom M. Hess Construction Co., Sacramento, Sacra-mento, California. They must place six million tons of gravel grav-el on the new roadbed for 1-80 from the east edge of Bonneville Bonne-ville Salt Flats to Knolls, 'ooele County. |