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BEAVER COUNTY NEWSMILFORD. UTA1ITHURS . NOV. 2, 1972ANT. The task of revision is thus undertaken in significant segments, but not all at once. Successful efforts to amend oui( constitution in this moderateMy NeighborsTheyWant Control of Unlimited Powermanner in 1968 and 1970, will hopefully, be followed by a similar supportive response n 1972.Several- additional amendments will be presented in 1974 and 1976. By 1976 the m6st significant changes that need toEd's Note: This is another of the chapters from Jody Elder's Journal, which points out the pitfalls of lhe proposed changes In the Utah Constitution. If lh-propositions on the ballot Nov^ 7 arc all passed. Mr. Elder was a candidate for State Auditor In the Democratic Primary, but was defeated.by Joseph ElderOne of the most corrupt lt;tate governments in the history of America came into being because the apathetic and| uninformed people of Loutsana1 gave soverign powers to their chief executive and legislature; This resulted in a political dictatorship with Huey Kingfish Long as Governor. The King-1 fish destroyed the Independent process of the people's government so completely that, in 1935, when he had supreme power and control of Louisana’s government, he was shot and killed in the State Capitol at Baton Rouge.History has proved, time and time again, that when th(S rights and liberties or the people are sacrificed, and the cen-l ter of power is concentrated in any one man. a group of men. or a division of government, and when governments hnva become so perverted that all other means of redress have failed. ASSASSINATION. REVOLUTION of WAR have been\ the inevitable result.It all gets started in the same simple way: honest and sincere men convince the people, that only they can best SERVE the people, and consequently, get elected. It doesn't take long, however, before they are pressured by friends, selfish individuals. and groups of power seeking opportunists — until they themselves, our honest saviors — become obsessed with the age old desire to DOMINATE AND CONTROL. Longevity in office Seems to be the chief contributing factor.Much of the dialogue we hear in the present campaign is not what certain candidates can or will do for the benefit| of the people, but that a poli-y tical party must CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE, that the chief executive must CONTROL THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS. and in turn, that, the Legislature must CONTROL THE STATES AUDIT AND LEGAL SERVICES.POWER TO CONTROL gains momentum when State officials and Legislators ignore mandates of the people. For example, Neal A. Maxwell. Chairman of the Constitutional Revision Commission, a political arm of the Legislature, said on October 10. 1972 before the Salt Lake Rotary Club:Instead of a wide-open constitutional convention to revise our State Constitution (which Utahns declined to use) (5 to 11, Utah has opted (made a choicei for a middle-of-the-road approach, a Constitutional Revision Commission. (Brackets and capital letters added for emphasis) This Commission presents to the Legislature, end subsequently to the people, each two years those amendments which appear to be both NECESSARY AND IMPORT-;e made in Utah's constitution should have been made — and without the probable difficulties of a wide-open constitutional convention.Well, what are these proposed changes the people told the Constitutional Revision Commission and the Legislators — FIVE TO ONE — that: they didn't want? The first two are on the 1972 ballot, and if passed, will open the door for the ultimate implementation of the recommendations of the Little Hoover Commission, namely:1. To change the position of State Auditor from election by the People to appointment by the Legislature.”“Er...Hrumph...could I speak lo you a moment,Hacgney?”2. To eliminate the Attorney General as an elective official by the people to appointment by the legislature.The other organizational changes affecting State Offic-\ ials will appear on the 1973and 1972 ballots, namely, to:3. Abolish the Board of Examiners.4. Change the position otl Treasurer from election by the people to appointment by the Governor.5. Change from public election of the State Board of Education to appointment by the Governor.Under the present Constitution the people now elect:The Governor. Secretary of State. Attorney General (these three make up the Board of Examiners): State Auditor.Slate Treasurer. Legislators.Judiciary and the State and local B ards of Education.If the proposed Constitutional amendments are passed in 1972, 1974 and 1976, the people will tied only after 1976: The Legislature. The Judiciary and the Governor and his selected running male, a Lieutenant Governor.Enadiog Proposition (l1 as recommended by the Constitus tionai Revision Commission, a| political arm of the Legislature, staffed by the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, will surely provide more responsible and representative government. BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHOM? Will it be for the benefit of the people of the State of Utah?The new system may work a* long as the Governor and the Legislature are not at odds, but what happens when they are? The Legislative Auditor is .not compelled to inform the Governor what is going on in the various institutions, agencies and departments for which the Governor is responsible, nor is the Legislature complell-cd to give the Governor and his department heads legal service and counsel.If the professional independent status of the Auditor and Legal Counsel is to be effective these State Officials must beelected by th people with duel responsibilities to the Legislature and to THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF UTAH which is already provided for in (he present Constitution and the present Legislative Law on a mandatory fulltime basis.iCopies of present Utah Constitutional Articles and andalso organizational charts be lose and after proposed amend ments, are now available from Talents, Inc . 1418 East 3900 South. Sait Lake City, {T? 84117. Cost, including sales taxS200?6 8nd handlln8 charSes'.Olpin Mortuaryand AMBULANCE SERVICEBEAVER COUNTY’S ONLY HOME-OWNED AMD OPERATED FUNERAL HOMEBefore Need Funeral Plans Available438-265150 West, 100 NorthBeaver. UtahProposed ChanConstitutionState of UtahOFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATESalt lake Citt September 7,1972Dear Fellow Citizens :The Legislature of the State of Utah has entrusted me with the responsibility for publishing the following Propositions, which relate to changes in the Constitution of the State of Utah.In the beginning of the body of each Proposition we have set forth the Ballot Title of the Proposition as it will appear on the General Election Ballot on November 7,1972. Because of the very serious nature of these Propositions which your State Legislature has caused to be placed before, you, I urge that each of you study the text of the Propositions in full./ urge you to consult with your friends, neighbors and local civic leaders in order that you 7nay gain all information necessary to render a just and wise decision.Sincerely,CLYDE L. MILLER Secretary of StateSec. 7. No member of the Legislature, during the term for which he was elected, shall be appointed or elected lo any civil office of profit under this State, which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased, during the term for which he was elected.Sec. 8. Members of the Legislature, in all cases except treason, felony or breach of the peace, shall be privileged from arrest during each session of the Legislature. for fifteen days next preceding each session, and in returning therefrom; and for words used in any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.Sec. 9. The members of the Legislature shall receive compensation of $25 per diem while actually in session, expenses of $15 per diem while actually in session. and mileage as provided by law.Sec. 10. Each house shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members, and may punish them for disorderly conduct, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of all members elected, expel a member for cause.Sec. 11. A majority of theother State and Judicial officers, except justices of the peace, shall be liable to impeachment for high crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office; bui judgment in such cases shall extend only to removal from oflice and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit in the State. The party, whether convicted or acquitted, shall nevertheless, be liable to prosecution, trial and punishment according to law.Sec. 20. No person shall be tried on impeachment, unless he shall have been served with a copy of the articles thereof, at least ten days before the trial, and after such service he shall not exercise the duties of his office until he shall have been acquitted.Sec. 21. All officers not liable to impeachment shall be removed for any of the offenses specified in this article, in such manner as may be provided by law.Sec. 22. Every bill shall be read by title three separate times in each house except in cases where two-thirds of the house where such bill is pending Buspend this requirement Except general appropriation bills and hills for the codificationgraph or other private individual or corporate enterprise or undertaking.Sec. 30. Notwithstanding any general or special provisions of the Constitution, the Legislature in order to insure continuity of state and local government operations in periods of emergency resulting from disaster caused by enemy attack shall have the power and immediate duty (1) to provide for prompt and temporary succession to the powers and duties of public offices of whatever nature and whether filled by election or appointment, the incumbents of which may become unavailable for carrying on the powers and duties of such offices, and (2) to adopt such measures as may be necessary and proper for insuring the continuity of governmental operations including, but not limited to, the financing thereof; but subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall not permit the public officers so appointed to act or the measures so adopted to be in contravention of the Constitution and applicable law.Sec. 31. For attendance at meetings of interim committees established by law to function between legislative sessions, members of the Leg- ----- n :___ -aa;eties, except for capital of fenses when the proof is evident or the presumption strong or where a person is accused of the commission of a felony while on probation or parole, or while free on bail awaiting trial on a previous felony charge, and where the proof is evident or the presumption strong.Section 2. The Secretary of State is directed to submit this proposed amendment to the electors of the State of Utah at the next general election in the manner provided by law.Section 3. If adopted by the electors of this state, this amendment shall take effect on January 1, 1973.PROPOSITION NO. 3 CITY SCHOOL SYSTEMS SHALL SECTION G OF ARTICLE X OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION BE REPEALED. REMOVING THE MANDATORY REQUIREMENT THAT CITIES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND CLASS HAVE THEIR OWN SCHOOL DISTRICT.Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Utah, two-thirds of all members eluded to each of the twoCAC!H(-VO'S silo
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Beaver County News
Milford, Utah, US
Thu, Nov 02, 1972
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