The Coolidge examiner., 1941-03-21

felt that special session would
be inevitable if the state tax rate
is TO be prevented from 'skyrocket
ing from added costs occasioned
by the $65-S95 school bill and the
new law raising old age pensions
from $50 to $40 a month.
Adjournment of the 18th session
came after the lawmakers re-.
ceived a grim warning from the
governor that the "stranglehold
that the favored few have upon
the legislature must and will be
broken"
The weary lawmakers complet.
ed their work in the fourth day
of overtime" payless sessions fol-
lowing compromise agreement on
the controversial $65-s95 school
aid bill worked out by a confer
ence committee.
Once the school bill was finally
passed. bottle houses then placed
their stamp of approval on
the general appropriations bill for
the coming biennium and adjourn
ed amidst a minimum of cere-
mony and speech making.
Governor Osborn did not appear
before the lawmakers in person
TO make the customary closing re-
marks of the chief executive, but
dispatched to each house a brief
message chiding them for failure
TO enact a greater portion of the
peoples platform.
"As you return to youur homes"
the governor said, lit is my desire
that you take with you my per-
sonal good wishes; also do | want
you at all times TO bear in mind
that the battle for the peoples
program has only commenced, and
will be urged without cessation
until all of the measures demand
ed by the people, and by them ap-
proved. are enacted into law.
Then, In a more omin0us vein,
the governor added:
The strangle-hold that the ia
vored few have upon the govern
ernment of Arizona must and will
be broken"
1t was the third consecutive
message the governor has sent to
the lawmakers in which he has
blamed certain interests for block
ing his legislative program and
limited at reprisals, possibly with
a depletion tax on mines initia-
tive form at the next election.
Governor Osborn previously had
warned that he personally would
lead a crusade to the polls" to
enact any portion of the 1910 DEM
ocratic platform which the legis-
lature refused or failed to con-
slider
Despite the fact that it worked
four days overtime. the 18th leg
islature seemed destined to go
down into the states turbent po-
litical history as only a moderate
success.
The entire 64-day meeting was
troubled by petty alignments
which often resulted in the death
of bills that normally should have
provoked little controversy.
Time and again the house of
representatives split along lines
of its so-called administration"
and "anti-administration blocks
on issues which by on stretch OF
the imagination could be constru-
ued as the goveronr's.
.OsbmubmeGTpotonderio7SpO$--
Governor Osborn submitted to
the two houses Is proposals to
carry out his campaign pledges.
Five of the measures were enact
ed into law. The other 10 died
ingloriously, some in committee
and some from the effects of multi
alton by amendments.
Llost significant among the
measures LETT virtually untouched
was the governor SO-calied re
organization" bill in which he
sought permission to reshuffle ex-
listing state boards, departments
and commissions in the interests
of economy.
The bill was introduced in the
next to the last week of the ses-
sion. In both houses-the bill was
introduced simultaneously in each
chamber-the reorganization meas
ure went TO committee. There II
died, without even committee re-
ports.
Administration backed bills
which the legislature enacted into
law did the following:
Raised the maximum allowable
old age pensions from $50 to S4o
monthly.
Created a new state department
of health.
Appropriated funds for the the
long-discussed children's colony.
Abolished the board of directors