Arizona state miner., 1927-03-26
\ \ WAY BILL IS
UNSOUND SAYS
COVE ERNOR HUNT
Bill Would Increase Taxes
And Some Provisions Are
Contrary to Law, Says
Governor In His Veto
Message.

|
five different angles, Governor Hunt
at II o'clock Friday delivered to the
reconvened Eighth Legislature a mes
sage vetoing the measure.
Governor Hunt opposes the bill on
the following grounds:
Because every tenet of parlia-
mentary procedure was violated in it's
passage.
because it would increase taxes.
3-Because some of its provisions
are contrary to the letter and spirit
of the state constitution.
because the bill does not carry
out the avowed purpose of the act
to provide for the systematic and or
derby construction of highways.
5-Because it provides for a ashigh-
way commission which would wreck
| the department.
Going into the matter Of alleged
| irregularities in the passage of the
bill the message declares:
| "The members of the house had
| no opportunity to read or study the
| bill because it was suddenly called up
and placed on the first order of bust
ness on the committee of the whole
on the day it was reported out OF the
committee. The only discussion that
occurred in the committee of the whole
was upon few amendments offered
| by the committee on highways and
bridges. On third reading several
readers were appointed and placed
! in different parts of the house and
different parts of the bill were read
| simultaneously. The roll was then
called and the bill was passed by the
house without having been really read.
Bill Buffetted About
| 'tThe bill was then sent to the SEN
ate, where after the usual prelimi-
| naries it was referred to the commit
tee on highway and bridges. That
committee proceeded to draft an en-
tirely new BILL including the title, and
| inserted the name as an amendment to
H. B. 127. All that was left of H B. 127
as it passed the house was the number
and name of the committee that intro
kduced it.
81 direct your attention to the fact
that the bill which the house voted on
by ayes and nays was an entirely differ
ent bill than the bill now on my desk.
The al the senate passed by two
thirds majority was also different
bill than the bill now on my desk.
The message goes on to recite that
the house refusing to concur in the
senate amendments, the bill was re-
ferred to joint conference committee
which recommended further amend :
ments, which were inserted in the bill.
The conference committee report was
adopted by both houses, but the bill
} as amended was never placed on fin
al passage, and an aye and nay vote
was not taken as required by the
| constitution.
81 am not a clairvoyant, nor able
| to read the minds of those who are
guiding the destinies of the legisla-
ture," continues the governor. "But
it is my opinion that the reason it
was not voted upon by an aye and
nay vote is because a two thirds vote
| (required for an emergency measure)
could not be secured, as it is required
by our constitution to enact meas
ure with an emergency clause, which
| deprives the people of this state the
right to invoke referendum.
"As long as l am governor of this
state, no measure, passed by any such
| procedure, by the legislature, will re-
ceive my approval. The people of this
| state when they reserved the right
| to referendum did not intend that they
| should be juggled out of this right by
| any parliamentary tactics by the leg
| islature.
Second Attack
81 am disappearing this bill on
| the second ground that it does not
outline comprehensive highway pro-
| gram, even when supplemented by the
separate bills which were passed which
| require appropriations in the amount of
over a million dollars.
"It does not provide for several i'm
pertant state arteries which are not
on the seven per cent system, which
would be financed without an increase
| in taxes as outlined in the bills sub
mitted by the highway department"
The message then details some IA
major projects, benefiting every coun-
| ty in the state, for which no provision
is made.
The highway bill in connection with
| the special DlllS Will create a tax rate
for highway purposes of % cents, it
| is pointed out" and in spite of this
heavy direct tax upon the people the
highway department is still left on
the same basis it has been in previous
years, of living from hand to mouth"
| Referring to the motor vehicle di-
| vision transfer from the secretary
of state to the highway department,
the veto message points out that if
this work is to be carried on in the
| highway building as directed in the
Land Department, Water Department
and State Board of Directors, will
have to be moved out into the street,
as no provisions have been made for
other offices.
The same thing would apply to
the highway commission, it is stated,
with the additional comment: "There
does not seem to be any restriction
on the part of the legislature in ere
i