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Show Under the Capitol Dome By James Conrad Members of the Utah Legislature will gather in Sail Lake City, August Aug-ust 5, to open their special session for the purpose of considering the presentation of four consitutional amendments to the electorate of the state in November. Responsing to a call by Governor Gover-nor Herbert B. Maw, the legislators legisla-tors will take up their duties knowing know-ing that the proposed amendments have the suport of the administration administra-tion and the State Tax Study Committee, Com-mittee, an interim legislative group. Governor Maw has proposed a constitutional amendment to endow en-dow the legislature with the right to determine the location of state institutions. This proposal is to facilitate fa-cilitate the acquisition of Bushnell General hospital at Brigham City where a center for all sate institutions insti-tutions Utah State Hospital at Provo, Sstate training school at American Fork, Industrial school at Ogden and a home for the indigent indi-gent aged, would be established. The Chief Executive points out that immediate action is necessary, necess-ary, not only to save two year's time, but also to eliminate constitution consti-tution provisions now determining the location of the institutions. Tins same line of reasoning is advanced by the Tax Study Committee Com-mittee which has recommended two constitutional amendments to revamp and re-establish a statewide state-wide tax program to finance district dist-rict school needs and a third a-mendment a-mendment to enable state taxation of oil and gas resources on the same basis as metal mines and minerals are assessed. The tax committee's program calls for a state - wide minimum school program based on $3000 per classroom unit to replace the present pres-ent rigid $25 per capita district school levy, the $5 per capita e-qualization e-qualization and .2 mill levy for high schools. The new program entails en-tails the abolishment of the latter three funds in favor of one uniform uni-form 75 percent of the cost on a property tax varying from 10 to 12 mills. The second amendment relating to the school program would make available for educational purposes all of the revenue derived from corporation and franchise and personal per-sonal tax collections. Under present pres-ent constitutional law, only 75 per cent of these taxes go to schools with the remaining 25 per cent allocated al-located to the state general fund. As yet, no visible opposition has appeared against amendments relating re-lating to the taxation of oil and gas resources or to the amendment diverting income tax receipts. However, How-ever, one the proposal providing for the 75 percent state participation participa-tion in school finance and the plan to consolidate state institutions at Bushnell, opponents already have stpped forward one with a counter coun-ter proposal on the school fund and the other asking the location of institutions remain unchanged. A committee representing indus-(Continued indus-(Continued on Page 8) CONTINUED from Page 1 try which has discussed its views with the tax study group, has announced an-nounced it will fight the proposal calling for 75 per cent state participation parti-cipation in the minimum school program and will, instead, submit a counter proposal in the form of an amendment wherein the state would underwrite only 50 percent of the program. M. H. Harris, executive ex-ecutive secretary, Utah State Taxpayers' Tax-payers' Association, and a member mem-ber of the committee only through his knowledge of tax matters and not as an association representative, representa-tive, said the amendment would be based on an original proposal from industry which was turned down by the tax study group. Industry's plan was rejected because be-cause it provides a minimum school program of only $2154 instead of $3000 per classroom unit as set up and approved by the general session ses-sion of the 1945 legislature. |