Show Local Government Needs Strengthening Concerted efforts to solve the growing problems of local government constitute one of the more notable developments developments developments develop develop- ments of the past year in Utah and across the nation according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to a study by Utah Foundation released this week MUCH MUCK OF the acceleration of interest and activity in the local government field can be traced to growing concern over the proliferation of Federal Federal Federal Fed Fed- eral aid programs and corresponding corresponding corresponding cor cor- responding increase in Federal Federal Federal Fed Fed- eral influence at the grass grassroots grassroots grassroots roots level it was reported I by the Foundation a private profit non-profit public service agenA agen- agen A recent national study by the Committee for Economic Development noted that all American communities face urgent problems requiring competent governmental action action action ac ac- tion and that many local governments are unequal to the challenge because of basic faults in the structure of local government the Foundation reported IN UTAH local governments have accelerated efforts to improve efficiency through voluntary voluntary voluntary vol vol- vol- vol cooperative action under legislative authorizations of 1965 and 1967 notably the In- In Cooperation Act In addition citizen committees are actively working for improvement improvement improvement im im- provement of local government government government govern govern- ment and the State of Utah is currently proposing the establishment establishment establishment es es- es- es of a state agency agency agency agen agen- cy for local affairs to assist local government units in meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing their problems and in dealing with the Federal Gov Gov- More 1 than 20 stales states now have such agencies a dozen of them being established in 1967 according to lo the Foundation report The state local problem problem problem lem is illustrated by the fact that more than Federal assistance programs more than by some methods of count counting ng are now operative many of them passing by-passing the states and dealing with local governments directly Utah Foundation found that many local ocal governments consider themselves inadequately equipped equip equip- ped to analyze available pr pro pro- H grams AN OFFICIAL of one Utah community reported that Federal Federal Federal Fed eral representatives are coming around to city offices every week pushing their programs programs programs pro pro- grams many of which we donot donot do donot not need or want The reaction of local governments governments governments gov gov- to the proposal for fora a state local affairs agency appears generally favorable although there is some or opposition opposition op- op position based on fear that the state stale will infringe on areas of local authority It is recognized recognized recognized that this attitude is tra AI i and to some extent un However it is js I noted that this is not a parallel to the concern over states' states in the rights state-Federal state relationship relationship re re- because local governments governments governments gov gov- are creatures of the state whose powers are t strictly limited by state constitutions constitutions constitutions con con- and legislative en en- |