Show Legislative Report Editors Editor's note The following following following follow follow- ing article was submitted by bythe bythe bythe the Rocky Mountain Review in Salt Lake It is printed not because this paper endorses endorses endorses en en- all ideas contained therein but butt because a good insight is given of the problems problems problems lems facing the Legislature SALT LAKE CITY Utah CITY Utah has been sitting in the shadow of the mountains for too long said one well-informed well observer observer observer ob ob- ob- ob server but this year something something something some some- thing will have to be done The favorite state house house- activity ac ac- activity activity as a new legislature convened convened con con- this week was mental doodling over that body's aims ambitions and ability to cope with an n list of crucial decisions Twelve of the 24 state Senators Senators Sen Sen- are newcomers to the legislature as are nearly half of the members of the state stateHouse stateHouse statehouse House of Representatives Legislative Leg Leg- Legislative routine requires a bit bitof bitof bitof of learning and with a variety variety variety var var- of complex problems to tobe tobe tobe be studied the lack of legislative legislative legislative legis legis- experience could prove a serious handicap for all but the most diligent Formal leadership of both houses was decided last No No- vember Where the informal mal power will lie is emerging this week With a new party paty in inthe inthe inthe the majority familiar patterns patterns patterns pat pat- terns of alignment will wiH disappear disappear pear and therein lies the fascination of this years year's ses ses- sion Only one thing is certain it will be a historic year Money of course will be he bethe bethe hethe the principal issue and with the education problem On education the intention of the new administration is isto isto to hammer out a single bill from data in the Governors Governor's Governors Governor's Governors Governor's Gover Gover- nors nor's study committee report instead of the hodgepodge of conflicting recommendations which have plagued past legislatures The see-saw see between be be- tween state and local school administrators teachers teacher's organizations organizations organizations or or- and taxpayers taxpayer's groups could result in another awkward compromise unless a strongly lead administration bill can blast through both houses One goal is a plan to simplify simplify simplify sim sim- the distribution of school funds Although some legislators legislators legislators legisla legisla- tors pretend to understand the pres present nt system its it's a fact that only a handful of men in the state really comprehends comprehends comprehends compre compre- how school money money is spread around Reapportionment with all its political ramifications will be the subject of feverish debate along with revision of Congressional districts A program to attract new industry holds a warm spot spat in the heart of the new governor governor governor gov gov- and with it it will hang implementation of a freeport freeport freeport free port amendment Although little has been heard about it so far urban renewal is expected to gain its share of attention Th The success suc success cess of an urban renewal bill to take advantage of federal federal federal fed fed- eral funds earmarked to spruce up communities will depend on what protections can be built in for the private property owner Another sleeper is civil rights legislation to tie in with the new federal bill bilI Attorney General Phil L. L Hansen has firmly said Utah must provide statutory provisions to protect the rights of minorities These are the maj major or topics which will hold the spotlight during the next 60 days But hovering just hovering just slightly off the stage is a proposition which might have even greater long- long range impact than anything which can be accomplished Inthe in inthe inthe the areas of taxation reapportionment reapportionment reapportionment reap- reap or boosting the economy This is a proposed little Hoover commission a factfinding factfinding factfinding fact- fact finding operation to slash waste and unnecessary The idea is that while attention attention attention atten atten- tion is centered on four or five prime problem areas there are 62 other branches of government which haven't been touched Nobody knows for sure but there might be enough fat in the more obscure obscure obscure ob ob- state agencies to nourish nourish nourish nour nour- ish Utah's crisis areas The idea has popped up before be be- before fore crash diving before it hardly left the ground round Now however Utah h has c a new administration administration administration ad ad- ministration for the first time in 16 years New men are sitting in positions of power who wont won't hesitate to criticize past GOP regimes if they find the opportunity Governor Cal Rampton's Hampton's actions actions actions ac ac- ac- ac his first day in office might be a clue to the strength strength- of a new little Hoover bill biU The jollity of the previous evenings evening's inaugural ball ban faded abruptly as he adamantly called a halt to a favorite practice of the past From now on he said lobbyIng lobbying lobbying lobby lobby- ing by department heads in behalf of their individual agencies is prohibited The new governor explained the legislature will have a at busy session and much to ac- ac t Continued on on page three H REPORT Continued from page one He call d on department department department de de- de- de heads to td cooperate with the legislature in supplying supplying supply supply- ing any and all information about their operations to be frank and to freely express their honest opinion even when it might differ from his own But for the next four years elbowing the legislature for extra funds and favor will not be permitted It was a vivid indication of Governor Rampton's non no sense approach to state gov gov- If the vicissitudes of the times create great men he surely has the opportunity to be recorded as one of themore the themore themore more impressive governors But it wont won't be an easy chore and the new governors governor's court room training may already already already al al- al- al ready be peeking out from behind behind behind be be- hind his veneer of confidence Some interested spectators say hes he's stepping out fast to eliminate minor trouble spots within the before before before be be- fore leaping into the main arena |