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Show Under The Capitol Dome blow on the chin when the house killed a bill by Representatives Grant Midgley (D), Salt Lake, and Fred J. Milliman (D), Juab, to eliminate the 2 per cent sales tax on food and food products. Despite an $800,000 increase in sales tax revenues during the July 1942-January 1943 period, Representative A. Sorenson, outstanding out-standing welfare exponent in the house, arose against the measure and shed "crocodile tears" while saying that passage of the measure would completely wipe out the $3,-000,000 $3,-000,000 reserve fund of the welfare department. The vote on the tax reduction measure follows: For: Representatives Representa-tives Bell (D), Salt Lake; Duvall (D), Salt Lake; Elliott D), Utah; Grotegut (D), Utah; Halladay (D), Tooele; Hatch (D), Cache; Holt (D), Salt Lake; Jenkins (D), Weber: We-ber: Larsen (R). Duchesne: Mea- Despi'te the possible unconstitutionality unconstitu-tionality of their actions, members jf the Utah house of representa-.ives representa-.ives from 25 of the state's 29 counties coun-ties have successfully stopped an effort by representatives from Utah, Weber, Davis and Salt Lake counties coun-ties to enact legislation providing ior a reapportionment of seats in the house. The "big four" counties had a population in excess of 340,000 in 1940, according to federal census figures, while the remaining 25 counties had 210,000 residents. Representing Rep-resenting this 340,000 population in the lower house are 30 representatives, representa-tives, while the remaining 10,000 Utahns are represented by an equal number of house members. That is where politics enters the picture. Under the present repre- sentation, the 25 counties, standing stand-ing together, can defeat any legislation legis-lation desired by the other four counties. If the reapportionment bill had passed, the four counties would have 35 votes against 30 votes from the 25 outlying counties. Statutory law provides that the people of the state shall be represented repre-sented in the lower house on the basis of one representative for each . J.000 inhabitants or major portion iheerof, but each county, regardless of population, shall be entitled to at least one representative. The constitutionality con-stitutionality of the lawmakers' actions ac-tions was questioned because of a mandatory section in the state constitution con-stitution which in effect says that the legislature "shall" provide for reapportionment following each de-cenenial de-cenenial U. S. census, if the census shows the need for such reapportionment. reappor-tionment. Representative J. Walton Ward, Box Elder, states on the house floor that he was forced to vote in favor in the measure because he regarded a "No" vote as a violation of his constitutional oath Other members from outlying counties who voted in favor of the bill were Susan Alice Smith R), Daggett, and Amos B.' Robinson tD),.Rich. Several clays later Representative James L. Niel-son Niel-son (R), San pete, stated on the house 'floor that he would favor ;he measure if it came before the jody again as he had decided that his constitutional oath made it nandatory for him to vote for the Mil. Defeat of the measure can be ". ai'tlaliy blamed on three Salt Lake nd Weber county representatives .. ho were absent at the time of the : nal vote. With the result showing :. 28-28 tie, the additional three ' ates would have meant success in-: in-: ead of failure for the proposed ; -X. During arguments on the mea-: mea-: tre, proponents of the reappor-tionment reappor-tionment pointed out that under '. -.e present setup the counties of . iggett, Grand, Rich and Piute, v ith a total population of only 6800 dor (D), Grand; Midgley (D), Salt Lake; Milliman (D) Juab; Noble (D), Cache; Pedersen (D), Weber; Roberts (D), Utah; Robinson (D), Rich; Ward (D), Box Elder. Against: Representatives Anderson Ander-son D), Utah; Brinkerhoff (R), Wayne; Cannon (R), Salt Lake; Christensen (R), Sanpete; Durham (D), Washington; Hale (D), Salt Lake; Hintze (R), Salt Lake; Ingle-by Ingle-by (D), Salt Lake; Jack (D) Salt Lake; Jensen (D), Emery; Jones (R), San Juan; Kerr R), Box Elder; Loveridge (D), Utah; Mabey (R), Salt Lake; Marsden (R), Iron; Merrill (D), Salt Lake; Murdock (R), Beaver; Murdock (D), Davis; Myers (R), Garfield; Neilson R), S'anpete; Penrose (D), Salt Lake; Rasmussen (D), Summit; Reed (D), Salt Lake; Rees (R), Morgan; Rees (R), Morgan; Rees (D), Salt Lake; Schenk (D), Cache; Smith (R), Daggett; Sorenson (D), Salt Lake; Staples (R), Sevier; Stevens (R), Wasatch; Stringham (R), Uintah; Walker (D), Salt Lake; Whittaker (R), Piute, and White (D), Weber. Absent and not voting: Representatives Represen-tatives Cowles tD), Carbon; Greenwood Green-wood (D), Salt Lake; Jensen (D), Weber; Mozleyl tR), Salt Lake; Pax ton R), Millard, and S'abiii (D), Carbon. Addtional house action included: Pasted S. B. 40, 41 and 42 to encourage mine leasing in Utah by relieving mine owners of the cost of social security, workmen's compensation com-pensation and occupational disease disabiity insurance. Passed: H. B. 1 by Cowles (D), Carbon, to prevent legislators from accepting remuneration for any office of-fice filled by gubernatorial appointment. appoint-ment. Passed: H. B. 95 by Stringham (R), Uintah, and others, to levy a tax of 25 mills on all sheep and 10 mills on all turkeys to be paid into the state bounty fund to be used to pay bounties of $15 on mountain lion, cougar, grey, black or timber wolf; $10 on bear and $6 on coyote, lynx or bobcat. : .e represented by four members : the house, while the 57,300 resi-('.-"n'cs of Utah county are allowed nly five house votes. Even under t -.e proposed reapportionment, Utah ' ainty would be allowed only six i ?mbers in the lower house. Utah taxpayers, already suffer-: suffer-: from a badly bruised and dls-i dls-i ilored tax jaw, suffered another |