Show Price Pric T l I The legislature of Utah will wUl convene next month and already already already al al- al- al ready there hero is a good deal of activity on the part of members members mem mem- bers hers regarding proposed legis legis- lation On the one hand pressure pressure pres pres- sure groups are re formulating new programs or expansion of the old at the same time taxpayers taxpayers taxpayers tax tax- payers generally are demanding demand ing that action be taken to limit and nd control the mounting cost of state and local government I What can be done to stop this continued increase in taxes WE NOTE THAT TIIA T the cost of government in Utah has been ballooning in recent years total total total to to- tal state and local expenditures raced from in 1954 to in 1964 an increase increase increase in in- crease of in just ten years All recognize that times are serious and that something must be done but the question is what What is needed is a lock on the door before beCore the horse is stolen After appropriations are made the money will be spent Too often when legislation is presented there is no particular idea as to what the costs will be We might well follow the experience of Wisconsin which found Cound a partial solution in Price Trig Tog Legislation WISCONSIN was the first state to enact Price caprice Tag LegIslation Legislation Legislation Leg Leg- in 19 1917 17 Since that i time similar b bills have been adopted in Missouri New J Jersey Jersey Jer Jer- ersey er- er sey Oklahoma Nebraska Colorado Colorado Colorado Col Col- orado Massachusetts and Tennessee Tennessee Ten Ten- and proposed in 17 other states This is the Wisconsin law all bills making sum sufficient appropriations or increasing or decreasing existing appropriations or fiscal liability except bills referred to the joint survey survey survey sur sur- vey committees on retirement systems and tax exemptions shall before any vote is taken thereon by either house of the legislature if the bill is not re re- to a standing committee or before any public hearing is held before beCore any standing committee committee committee com com- or if no public hearing is held before beCore any vote is taken taken taken tak tak- en by the committee incorporate ate as a note a reliable estimate estimate esti esti- mate of the amount thereof I Such estimate shall be made by the agency receiving the appropriation UNDER THIS TIllS modern method method meth meth- od of fiscal control each mease measure measure meas meas- ure introduced must have attacked attached attached at at- tacked to it an estimate of the proposals total present and future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture costs not merely the appropriation ap ap- appropriation needed for the coming corning com corn ing year Estimate must be validated by a responsible government government government gov gov- body The anticipated advantages of this type of law as advocated are varied but impressive as may be seen by the following analysis analysts a. a TilE THE adoption of Price Tag Legislation would largely substitute sound fiscal practices practices practices tices for the guesswork approach approach approach ap ap- in legislation b b. b Our recently elected law lawmakers lawmakers lawmakers makers could approach their new duties with a great deal more know-how know and professionalism professionalism professionalism profession profession- they would be required to know more about state government government gov gov- government operation and its fi financing financing ft fi- to responsibility ity for introducing and pricing their favorite proposals c. c PRICE TAG law Jaw would contribute to legislative efficiencies efficiencies effi eHi by the better utilization tion ion of the lawmakers time for deserving proposals The existence existence existence exis exis- tence of or the new law Jaw would eliminate many unimportant and extravagant bills which would more moro than likely never be reported out of committee with a price tag on them As illustrated by past performance performance performance per per- the 1961 legislature considered bills and resolutions resolutions resolutions reso reso- passing and in m 1963 they considered and d passed This is an exceedingly costly and wasteful procedure d. d VOTER AND taxpayer confidence in state stale government fiscal Ciscal responsibility and expenditure expenditure expenditure ex ex- control will b be e strengthened by adoption of this legislation e. e This TIlis law could mean existence existence existence exist exist- ence of a long term budgeting and nd expenditure plan for Cor the state rather than the wait and hope method now followed LEGISLATORS should take taketo to heart the thc advice given in an editorial from the November issue of Nations Business The new Congress and legislators legislators legislators legis legis- we say might well consider consider con con- sider a measure requiring every every every ev ev- ery law maker to spell out in clear and precise terms terme just exactly how much his proposal would cost the tho taxpayer Such Sucha a bill could be called Truth in m We call it Price Tag Tab legislation |