|
what unclear, and quite frankly I would
prefer to go back to the language that came
out of Style and Drafting. Therefore I
move that we reconsider the vote by which
Amendment No. 1-b passed.
THE PRESIDENT: I assume you mean
Amendment No. 1 as amended by Amend-
ment 1-b.
DELEGATE BARRICK: That is cor-
rect.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Barrick
moves that the Convention reconsider the
vote by which Amendment No. 1 as amend-
ed by Amendment 1-b was adopted.
Is there a second.
(The motion wa's duly seconded.)
THE PRESIDENT: The motion is sec-
onded.
The Chair recognizes Delegate Barrick
to speak on the motion to reconsider. You
can address your remarks both to recon-
sider and to the main question. It will
save time to do so. Delegate Barrick.
DELEGATE BARRICK: Mr. President
and members of the Convention —
DELEGATE JOHNSON: Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Johnson.
DELEGATE JOHNSON: A point of
order.
THE PRESIDENT: State the point.
DELEGATE JOHNSON: Am I correct
or incorrect in assuming that a motion to
reconsider in Convention must lay over for
one day?
THE PRESIDENT: A motion to recon-
sider a final vote taken on any question, I
think is the language. That would not apply
to this. This was a vote on an amendment.
We have not yet voted on the committee
recommendation. You would be correct as
to reconsideration of a final vote.
DELEGATE JOHNSON: I did not seri-
ously disagree with it, but I did not want
to start a precedent that we would other-
wise be stuck with for the rest of the
Convention.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Barrick.
DELEGATE BARRICK: Mr. President,
I apologize for taking the time that it re-
quires, but this amendment is very im-
portant to the counties who have agricul-
ture as their main source of income. We
were the leading agricultural county, and
|
we were replaced by two other counties. It
is very important that farm assessment
classes be defined and understood by all.
I do not know what it means to own some-
thing as a farm. I do not think the lan-
guage is clear. I prefer to have the original
language that was adopted by this Com-
mittee of the Whole, but if we cannot have
that then I would prefer to go back to the
language that was adopted by the Com-
mittee on Style, Drafting and Arrange-
ment, and approved by the Committee on
Finance and Taxation.
THE PRESIDENT: Anything further?
DELEGATE BARRICK: Nothing fur-
ther.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Sherbow.
DELEGATE SHERBOW: I would urge
you to approve the motion to reconsider,
and the provision as it came out of Style
and Drafting. Believe me when I tell you
that this has been the subject of a great
deal of study and of thought and debate,
and it comes as close as we can come to
providing the machinery to protect the
State, protect the farm owner, the legiti-
mate farm owner, and also to prevent the
land speculator from getting away with
anything improper. I would like to see us
go back to what originally was submitted
to you, because then the legislature and the
State Tax Commission can then provide the
safeguards which are really needed.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate James.
DELEGATE JAMES: Mr. President and
fellow delegates. I would like to support
the motion. It seems to me that the original
committee language as amended by the
Style Committee has the virtue of clarity.
We have adopted an amendment which has
all the handicaps of nebulousness, and I
urge the support of the motion.
THE PRESIDENT: Are you ready for
the question?
Delegate Bennett.
DELEGATE BENNETT: Mr. President,
I hope the Convention will reject this mo-
tion to reconsider. We have gone through
this process. It is altogether possible for
the legislature to define what the words
Delegate Barrick is confused about. That
is what the legislation provides. What we
are trying to do is to knock the land specu-
lator out, and it seems to me we ought to
say it in so many words, and not hesitate,
and hope with vague language that the
courts somehow will come around to per-
|