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Show The Responsibility is Ours A study of legislative pay in Utah brings out some very interesting information. It reveals that the pay of legislators as of today is just at the rate that was received at the turn of the century, almost fifty years, ago. The 'rate of legislative pay as it prevails in the state today was fixed 'in the Utah Constitution as drawn up of the. present legislative pay one but needs to compare salary stipulation for lawmakers in Utah was listed as follows: The members sf the legislature shall receive such per diem and mileage as the Legislature may provide pro-vide not exceeding $4.00 per day and 10c per mile for the distance necessarily traveled going to 'and returning return-ing from the place of meeting on the most usual route, and they shall receive no other pay or perquisite." Thus prevails today the same salary status that was in operation practically fifty years ago when living costs were so much lower than they are currently, so much lower than they were even in that period immediately preceding the present war. To appreciate the injustice in 1895. In article 6, Section 9 of that document the costs in terms of the value of the dollar .-in purchase quality today as compared with that fifty years ago. Utah needs to revamp its legislative pay setup. That is a responsibility of the citizens of the state, it is a responsibility which should not be merely recognized by simple acknowledgement but should be -; acted upon by immediate action directed toward a new schedule : which will increase the pay of those who serve as our lawmakers. |