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Show f, - ' 't; : - : I ' . vi ORVILLE GUNTHER Dear Fellow Citizens: For the next six weeks, I would like to discuss with you some of the problems that face the next session of the Utah State Legislature. Legis-lature. It has been any privilege to serve in this honorable body for some time, and I am keenly interested inter-ested in the welfare of this State and our people, as regards the services we require of our State government. Many citizens do not realize that our 1 Legislature meets only once every two years, and for a period of only 60 calendar days. This means that in less than 50 working days, the whole program of State Legislation must be accomplished. This is a tremendous challenge for the 64 members of the House and the 27 members of the Senate. Consider also the fact that all the House membei's are elected every ev-ery two years, which results in a large number of "freshmen" members mem-bers each session, with no previous experience. : This partially accounts for the faot that legislation is a slow process. pro-cess. Sometimes we become Impatient Impa-tient with the awkwardness of the legislative processes, tout there is great wisdom in them. Under the American Constitution system, we believe that all the rights of government gov-ernment are inherent in the people, that the people give of their rights to the government through their elected representatives, only those rights they wish the government to have, and they retain the rest for themselves. In a general way, it may be said that when our legislature leg-islature passes a law, it exacts something from the people, and often of-ten we would do better with fewer laws than more. Actually, one of the most important im-portant functions of the State Legislature, is not the enactment of new laws, but ithe providing of a balanced budget, to offset the tax revenues for the operation of all the State Departments, of government, gov-ernment, the institutions, the schools, etc. The total budget of Utah is now on the order of $137,000,000.00 per year. Isn't this a tremendous responsibility for such a few men to accomplish in such a short time? The lack of experience ex-perience and judgment here may cost the citizens of the State large sums of increased taxes, and often fewer actual services. It requires the utmost knowledge and skill, in the exercise of judgment among the many forces that vie for the tax dollar. Next week I will try to show how some of the State appropriations appropria-tions are made, and how the money mon-ey is raised to provide for them. In the meantime, may I call to your attention the need to study the political issues and to vote on November 4th. Sincerely, ORVILLE GUNTHER Republican Candidate for State Legislature (Pd. Pol. Adv. by ,S. A. Kirk) |