Show UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME Members of Utah's Legislature Legislature Legislature Legisla Legisla- ture moved Into the business of lawmaking this week on Capitol I IHm Hill Hm while mulling over In the back of their minds the broad legIslative legislative legislative leg leg- program outlined by Gov Herbert B B. B Maw in his general message mes mes- sage The Republican party for the I Ia first time In nearly a decade and anda a half halt Is holding a major position In the Utah Legislature and Its ov overwhelming majority In the House combined with a Democratic majority of only one vote in the Senate will determine the success successor or failure of the administrations administration's program Cognizant of or the fact Governor Maw in the opening paragraphs of his address declared The people through their votes votes' have divided the control of the two houses between their major maior political political political cal parties The responsibility for what is accomplished by this le legIslature legislature leg leg- therefore must be equally borne by both groups This divided control can prove to be highly beneficial beneficial beneficial ben ben- if the two houses will work harmoniously hl with each other for forthe forthe forthe the general good end and nd If It the legislature legislature legislature legis legis- lature will permit the executive of ot the government to cooperate cooperate coop coop- erate with it in all Instances where I cooperation will be helpful or beneficial beni ben ben- i On the whole the Governors Governor's message may be viewed as an ec economic economic ec- ec security program Major eC 1 proposals In this program included ed AGRICULTURE- AGRICULTURE First creation of ofa a partisan non-partisan board financed by bya a revolving fund to facilitate facilitate facilitate fac fac- construction of or small dams and reservoirs Secondly federal aid in construction of the Central Utah water and power project and an appropriation of to enable enable enable en en- able the state to employ experts to study and to protect the states state's water rights on the Green and Colorado Colorado Col Col- orado Rivers This latter program to be carried out In connection with the division of these river waters by Upper Basin States Compact Compact Compact Com Com- pact Commission LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY- INDUSTRY Addition Addition- Additional al financial support for livestock shows large scale research in poultry and livestock diseases control control control con con- of predatory animals agriculture agriculture agriculture ture research research into supplementary supplementary supplementary sup sup- i range grasses fire control control control con con- and soil conservation plus studies into the advis advisability Into the establishment of meat and wool processing plants in the state MINING AND MANUFACTURING Amend Utah's taxation and regulatory regulatory regulatory reg reg- laws to encourage manufacturing manufacturing manufacturing manu manu- enterprises to locate plants in Utah to process the states state's raw materials TOURIST INDUSTRY- INDUSTRY Retention I of the State Department of Publicity Publicity Publicity Pub Pub- I and Industrial Development for promotion of a more than 70 tourist industry in Utah ROADS- ROADS Increase from 4 to 6 cents per gallon in tax on gasoline gasoline gasoline gaso gaso- line for a period of five years to initiate a year 20 road program at a minimum rate of annually to include in federal funds This program outlined by federal and state engineers at the governors governor's request covers only construction reconstruction and maintenance of the state system In addition the governor urged amendment of present motor fuel tax laws so as to place same tax liability on Interstate truckers as asIs asis asis Is now borne by intrastate truck truck- ers WELFARE- WELFARE Repeal of county property taxes for welfare purposes to offset increased gasoline tax This would reduce assessments on homes farms and other real property property property pro pro- perty 5 mills In most counties and more than 3 mills in all counties Amendment of public welfare Jaw law whereby a welfare clients client's home owned and occupied by him anc and the lot on which it stands may maybe maybe maybe be the only real property disregarded disregarded ga ded in determining his public assistance grant To allow the state stale to take liens on mortgaged pr property perty where monthly Installments installments install install- m ments paid by the recipient are in included in state relief grants and andar andare andare ar are considered as capital expenditures expenditures expenditures expendi expendi- tures by the welfare department CENTENNIAL CENTENNIAL- Immediate appropriation appropriation ap ap- of to cover Centennial Commission budget of this amount would be beset beset beset set up in revolving fund and pro- pro y would be ret returnable fr from fees lees received at special centennial events Other recommendations by the governor favored approval of h State Veterans Advisory Council report to be submitted during the session urged great care be exercised exercised exercised exer exer- In deciding on advisability of purchasing Bushnell hospital property requested study of State Prison situation and suggested adoption of retirement plan for tor forstate forstate state county and city While the governor agreed with the Utah Association of County officials as to the need for eliminating eliminating eliminating count county property taxes for welfare purposes he failed to tor touch on the subject of city and county participation In state liquor liquor liquor profits a proposal urged by byboth byboth byboth both the county officials association association association tion and the Utah Municipal Lea Lea- gue The governor touched but briefly the State Tax Study Committees Committee's program which is expected to re receIve receive re- re a great deal of attention during during during dur dur- ing the session This committee will recommend a tax reduction to be attained through a reduction in the property proper proper- ty tax for roads and streets a reduction in property tax for welfare purposes as proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed by the governor and a 1 reduction reduction in the I ment compensation tax These reductions would offset I partially by to be paid through tax equalization for school purposes a shift of in I automobile registration fees from the publicity department to the B Band and C road fund and additional to be obtained through an increased markup in liquor prices A lengthy insurance code has Continued on page 4 |