Show v By Harry Marlowe 1 With just two weeks remaining in its day 60 session the ninth Utah Legislature finds many of its controversial issues in the control of sifting committees and Gov J J. J Bracken Lees Lee's veto power poweL Consequently the tax structure of the state isn't likely to b be changed greatly and with the period period period per per- iod growing short in which any action ac action ac- ac tion lion can cnn be taken on an executive rejection of a bill bilI a number of other issues on which the governor and the legislature disagree may goby goby go goby by the boards Sifting committees came into power on the fortieth day last Friday with a a Senate group headed headed headed head head- ed by Sen Marl D. D Gibson CD- CD D- D Price first to appear It swept the calendar clear of bills but only after bills to provide for tax re refunds refunds refunds re- re funds on non highway gasoline had been removed and made a special order Other members of the conserva conserva- tive-powered tive Senate sifting committee committee committee com com- include Sens Sense Alonzo F. F Hopkin Hopkin Hopkin Hop- Hop I kin Woodruff D Donald T T. Adams Monticello D-Monticello J. J Harold Reese D-Bear D River City Elias L. L Day Dy Salt R-Salt Lake Grant Thorn R- R Springville and Vern B. B Muir R- R Logan The House committee also controlled controlled controlled con con- trolled by Democrats did not make its appearance until three days later Democrats gained control of the i imp m p i f r t tan a n t committee und under r terms of the horse trade which earlier in the session seated Rep Clifton G. G M. M Kerr Tremonton R-Tremonton as Speaker of the House The powerful sifting committee was the fourth of a group of special special cial l committees gained by Democrats Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- in return for giving up the to the Republicans Has lias Life or Death Control When the committee took over in the lower house it took over life or death control of some bills including many of the proposals proposals proposals pro pro- asked by Governor Lee in his measures to the Legislature including in including in- in eluding his tax reduction measures Included also in the group were the Senate-approved Senate bill for disposal disposal disposal dis dis- dis- dis of the Sugar House prison site sale of off the Governors Governor's Mansion Mansion Mansion Man Man- sion and the entire nine bill Legislative Legislative Legislative Leg Leg- Council highway program including a one-cent one per gallon in increase increase increase in- in crease in gasoline tax raise in trucking fees and the B and md C Croad Croad road rond fund Appropriations Being Pruned r Meanwhile the joint appropriations 1 lions was in the midst of its biennial biennial biennial bien bien- nial struggle to fit the requested appropriations of state money into the limited confines confines' of the anticipated anticipated anticipated antici antici- 53 1951 revenues a job that required pruning some som from tentative figures submitted by sub es The task proved too much for forthe forthe the entire committee so a six-man six 4 sub-committee sub three from each of the House and Senate took over the task and over last week end came out with the finished bill to tot t be submitted to each House i Should the big money measure 3 s. s be passed early next week it would still give Solons time to take action on any gubernatorial vetoes since Governor Lee is required by law to sign or veto a bill within five fiver days of receiving the measure during during during dur- dur r ing the the time the Legislature is in session Should the completed bill not nott li t r meet with the expectations of the i governor and it is certain to be I higher than the figures submitted by the chief executive in his bud bud- budI I get message some trimming can be expected from the gubernatorial blue pencil As has been the case for numerous numerous num num- erous years the biggest items in inthe inthe inthe the appropriations measure will be money money allocated to the educational institutions of the state Higher Learning Headaches In addition to the in increase increase increase in- in crease in the minimum minimum school fund an increase that must come from property taxes the appropriations requested by the institutions of higher learning have brought up some terrific headaches to the ap appropriations appropriations appropriations ap- ap committee Some relief relie to the state might come should legislators act on the latest suggestion of Governor Lee and turn three of the States State's junior junior junior jun jun- colleges Weber Snow and Dixie back to to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints which deeded the schools over to the ft s tat tf e back 1 in n 33 1932 u. u Under terms of the grant should the legislature repeal the sections section of law concerning use of these schools as state institutions the ed- ed plants would of necessity necessity necessity sity revert back to the Church Concerted opposition from leaders of these three schools to the plan together with the fact that the bills are in the hands of the sifting sifting sifting sift sift- ing committees might stall any ac action action action ac- ac tion on the proposal Should hould they pass it could mean meana a considerable saving to the state Appropriations t to tot o t the h e t h re me e schools cost the state over last biennium and temporary recommendations recommendations rec rec- rec-j rec t for the next two years are approximately 12 percent higher than the sum allocated for 1949 Weber eber College which lost its fight for year four-year status two years ago via the gubernatorial veto route in iu the 1949 session has a bill in ir again to grant that status status but the measure is given little chance of getting the green light from the sifting groups Conservatives In Saddle If the makeup of the two committees committees com com- mi shows nothing else it is indisputable proof of a trend ap apparent apparent apparent ap- ap parent early in the session that the conservatives were firmly in inthe inthe inthe the saddle in both houses There will be no further legislation legislation legis legis- lation brought out that was d tossed into the hopper merely to satisfy political promises Sponsors of these bills however can point to the fact that they tried although they put in the bills knowing they had no chance of passage Possibly the biggest sifting committee committee committee com com- casualty will be the reapportionment reapportionment m mea measures e a s sur u r e s. s Even the House-backed House bill which would giva give every county a senator will face tough sledding to get onto the Senate Senate Senate Sen Sen- ate floor and the other three reapportionment reapportionment reapportionment re- re apportionment proposals none of which have been acted on at all will have even rougher times Also apparently doomed n or i t UJ o. o lease due to be sidetracked a bit are the bills for a partisan non-partisan judiciary The Senate which passed passed passed pass pass- ed one bill only to have the House kill it will be in no hurry to act acton acton acton on another measure and the headless headless headless head head- less ballot proposal appears to beup be beup beup up against stiff opposition in th the House o Mrs Elda returned home last week end after spending two weeks in Logan with her daughter and son-in-law son Mr and Mrs Harry Bonnell Audrey S 4 |