Show Utah Ranks Low In Legislative Pay LUtah L Utah ranks among the fifty states in total compensation compensation com- com salary plus expense allowance paid to its legis- legis TillS THIS FACT was pointed out by ay Utah Foundation the private private private vate research organization in their analysis of proposition number the 2 proposed constitutional constitutional constitutional con con- amendment to increase increase increase in in- crease the pay and expense allowances of legislators The study notes that in the 1967 1966 period legislators in Utah received 1415 1000 salary plus expenses in including including including in- in payment for special sessions in addition to a travel allowance of ten cents per mile This compares with compensation compensation compensation com com- of in the eight Mountain States and for all of the United States ACCORDING TO the report the present compensation rates for legislators in Utah have been in effect since 1951 following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing approval of a constitutional constitutional constitutional amendment at the 1950 general election Subsequent Subsequent Subsequent quent attempts to boost legislators legislators legislators leg leg- pay or and-or expense allowances were made in 1958 1962 and 1966 when proposed constitutional e n t s were submitted to the elector elector- ate All of these attempts failed failed failed fail fail- ed to receive the necessary approval of the voters amendment amendment amendment amend amend- Even if this years year's ment providing for increased compensations approved by the electorate in November Utah still will not equal the Mountain Mountain Mountain Moun Moun- tain States or the U. U S. S average average average aver aver- age in total legislative com com- PROPOSITION number 2 would increase legislative pay from the present per year to 25 per day while actually in session It would also raise the expense allowance from the present 5 per day to 15 per day On the basis of the 83 days that the Utah legislature legislature legislature legis legis- lature was in session during the 1967 1966 year two-year period total compensation sala salary ry PI nil expenses would This sum amount still t be only about would two thirds ds th the Mountain 1 States average less than and third one-third the n p U. U S S. S average Foundation analysts an J note that several t studies have o observed that the the present ceiling celin on leg legs f I compensation i im Imposes substantial financial bude bUrdenS on persons elected to o the le S t leg In in Utah it is t charged charge that able i e many citizens citizen g dissuaded from s ar re F becoming dilates for the legislate c can can leg legislature or r are induced to limit t their heir self servy se ice to one or two terms term b cause of the severe financial sacrifice that legislative ser ice entails ser I ON THE OTHER hand while most citizens recognize th ilia t legislators should t be co com sated for t time times me spent pent compe in n legis n service there is S som fear t that at c compensation placed cej too high could lead to prO P o o of f the 1 legiS s. s t lature It is also argued b by some that the holding Of f a legislative office honor that should represents represent 5 entail element som soni a I of personal sacrifice as a matter of public semi ce The Utah tion indicates that there has analysis bee feS feSa been r a definite trend toward hi higher gher f pay and more adequate ez expense ex- ex ei pense allowances for slate state I leg lef ur across th the e country dui dur dS legi i I ing recent years In the 1966 1965 1967 period for example I leg i i- i dative compensation 4 w was raised in twenty five or halt half of the states in the nation 1 |