The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-24
CONSTITUTION FIXED
Ali Three Amendments Adopted
at Recent Election.
SCHOOL TAX PROVISION
MAY COST SALT LAKE S26, 900
PER YEAR.

The voters of Utah adopted three
amendments to their state constitution
at the election on the 9Th of the pres
ent month. The complete votes on the
amendments are not yet obtainable,
but enough is known to be certain that
all three amendments carried.
The amendment that will have the
greatest immediate interest to the peo-
pie, especially of salt Lake. Provo, Og-
den and Logan, is the one that ap-
peared second on the official ballot, and
refers to the control and maintenance
of the schools in cities of the first and
second classes. Under the constitution
at present the schools of such cities
must be conducted and maintained sep
arate from the schools of the country
districts, and city property cannot be
taxed tor the maintenance of the coun-
try schools except by state levy. I'm
der the amendment the county school
tax can be made to apply TO city prop
erty, and the sum collected Will be
distributed pro rata among all the chill
Greu OF the city and county. Under this
system the city taxpayers will pay
much more than the city schools viii
receive by pro IA Ia distribution.
Cost to Salt Lake.
ne ElLCIN u LAAC cllA1ElAt4AAEAAi III Ills
county viii be to give to the county
outside OF Salt Lake City $4,000 of the
school money raised on the property
inside the city limits. This viii come
about in this way: The taxable value
of the property in the city is in round
figures So, 600 900; that OF the county
outside Of the city, 81, 600 600. The A.
mill county school tax assessed on this
basis would yield for school purposes
S156. 900. The school population of the
city is H. 26, while that of the county
outside of the city is 1926, and when
the S156,060 OF county school tax IS d.
vided on this basis of the school popu-
lation the country would get $4,000 OF
the amount, while the city would get
back but S102, 900 Of the money it had
paid, a loss of $21, 600. The taxpayers
of Weber, Utah and Cache counties
viii be effected in {. similar way If the
intent of the amendment IS carried into
law. It means that the city taxpayers
viii pay higher school taxes and get
no better schools.
It is the opinion Of some legal mlnoS
who have given the subject cOnsidera-
ton that the proponents OF this amend
ment viii find that the remedy sought
to be provided by amending the cOnsIl-
tuition viii be OF no effect whatever az
ter the supreme court has again passed
uDOn the question. There is no doubt
courts before the county school tax
question is settled. The point Will be
raised that any ia" passed IN puFSU-
ance of the amended constitution IS
class legislation and therefore void.
from the fact that none OF the pubic
schools in the counties outside Of salt
Lake. Weber, Cache and Utah VIII be
beuefitS5 by tilG. changed methods OF
taxing property for maintenance o.
schools.
Initiative and Referendum.
The amendment of next Importance
is that providing for the initiative and
referendum in state legislation. This
reform has been advocated tor some
years mast in this state By the Demo-
Gratis and Popuiists, but is opposed by
the Republican party and as the latter
has control of one branch of the legls-
Iature now, it is not thought that laws
will be enacted carrying the idea into
force The reform simply means that
the people of the state shall have the
right to demand the passage of a meas
ure by petition, and also of voting dI-
rect upon any important measure af-
ter it passes the legislature and before
il becomes a law. This amendment
carried in the state by good major
ity.
The other proposed amendment on
the official ballot carried by an over
whelming majority II provides for The
remission Of the taxes OF the lndlgen1
Door by some method provided by law
The idea of this amendment is to save
the property OF the very poor from be-
ing sold for taxes. The fear IS thai
the law. if enacted, win be abused, anC
thai the taxes of very many people
will be RENTED through favOriUsm and
not because OF poverty.