OCR Text |
Show (J Letters IfM Editor The editor welcomes letters to be written in this public forum, from any and all parties. Letters should be concise and to the point as possible. Type-written double-spaced letters are preferred but hand written letters will be accepted. All letters should be signed, but names will be withheld if a specified reason is stated. No unsigned letters will be published. Writers should keep all letters under 250 words if possible, longer letters will be subject to possible editing. In general, all letters will be published as they are written. No libelous, obscene or malicious copy will be accepted. Editor: The League of Women Voters of Cedar City would like to take this opportunity to inform Mr. Garth Jones (see Iron County Record 5 Oct. 1978) concerning the petition drive that is currently concluding in Iron County. This state wide petition, organized by COST-OFF (a coalition of people opposed to the sales tax on food), is essentially a request to the Utah State Legislature asking that the sales tax on food be eliminated. COST-OFF has been working unsuccessfully un-successfully for approximately six" years to get such a bill before the legislature. However, they have now collected enough petition signatures so that, by law, the legislature must consider this issue. If the legislature does not act in 1979, enough signatures are being gathered to place a question on the ballot in 1980. The question will be placed on the ballot only if the legislature fails to act in 1979. Response to this petition has been very positive in Iron County. In gathering petition signatures our workers have been pleased that so many people have been willing to sign this petition. Those who have wanted more information before signing have asked intelligent questions, and the vast majority have signed once their questions were answered by our people. In most counties in Utah this petition drive has been spear headed by senior citizens, many of whom live on fixed incomes and are the most directly affected by the food tax. In Iron County the League of Women Voters became involved in organizing the petition drive in cooperation with COST-OFF after studying Utah's tax structure in a study prepared by the State League entitled "Making Sense of Your Tax Dolalrs". From this study the League concluded con-cluded that "the most important criteria for evaluating taxes are adequacy and equity. A major consideration con-sideration from the standpoint of government is adequacy, or whether the tax produced the necessary amount of revenue. From the point of view of the taxpayer it is important that taxes should be fair and equitable, both for those in similar economic circumstances and those at different economic levels." The main strength of the Utah tax structure is that it is broadly based and well balanced. The main weakness is the regressiveness of the sales tax on food, which places an undue burden on low income and elderly people. The state sales tax on food should be eliminated or reduced gradually until it is eliminated. Replacement for the loss in revenue could come from increases in-creases in the individual and corporate cor-porate incomes taxes or an increased sales tax on non-food items. If small increases should be needed for replacement of revenue for the food tax, an increase in the cigarette tax or a tax on luxury items and soft drinks could be used depending on the need. These suggestions and those proposed by COST -OFF to replace the revenue in the state budget are not the only possible alternatives. More should be offered as research continues. con-tinues. The legislature will have to determine which combination would be best for Utah. We do not feel that any of the alternatives listed above would penalize any specific group as much as the present tax on food penalizes the elderly and other low income people. We can understand those who are in favor of fighting UNFAIR taxation. However, it is UNFAIR to burden the lowest income seghment of our population with a higher percentage of the revenue gained by taxing food. It doesn't take too much figuring to see that if a family earning $5,000 per year pays as much as 40 percent of their income for food and if a family earning $22,100 pays 18 percent of their income for food, that lower income people are paying proportionately propor-tionately more in food taxes than does the average person. Or should we say they are paying more than their FAIR share? Each family and each individual inevitably makes choices as to where to spend their money, but we all have to eat. That is one choice which cannot be eliminated. The League of Women Voters of Cedar City would like to thank all those who have signed the petition to have the sales tax removed from food, and hope that the 1979 legislature will take action on this issue. Sincerely, Daphne C. Dalley President League of Women Voters of Cedar City (Editor's Note: Inquiries as to the author of last week's letter to the editor, referred to above, have been received in this office. Contrary to many the letter was not written by S. Garth Jones, Republican incumbent to the Utah State Legislature, but rather by A. Garth Jones, who resides at 45 South Ridge Road in Cedar City.) Editor: Through the office of U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch I have recently learned that Paul Howard, Director of the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, has written to Cecil Andrus, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, denying that use of public lands by private mining operators, mineral lessees and ranchers has been impaired or denied by the BLM. This denial from Paul Howard is in direct conflect with input which I have received from Private citizens in our area who have been hampered in their use of public lands. The impending im-pending wilderness studies of the land in Utah and across the nation impose a considerable threat of access and use of both state and private land in the checkerboard pattern of BLM management. I would appreciate receiving information in-formation from people in this area who have had problems with the BLM regarding mineral leasing, mining, or grazing rights which seem unreasonable. I must furnish Senator Orrin Hatch's office with proof from individuals who have been undulv oppressed by the BLM, and I must do this as soon as possible. I would appreciate receiving these letters in duplicate so that I might submit one copy to the State Director of the Bureau of Land Management and one copy to the Secretary of the Department Depart-ment of the Interior. Ivan M. Matheson State Senator |