Today's key developments and analysis for Utah policymakers

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Utah Policy.com

Tuesday Buzz

News Highlights:  Should public employees who are also state legislators receive interim day pay from both entities they work for? Check out the Tribune story. Both the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News cover the latest developments in the on-going saga of UTOPIA, the fiber-to-the-premises project. And the News features an interesting story on the LDS Church's interest in buying the Triad Center.

Point-Counter Point:
Beer, Politics & Howard Dean

Point: LaVarr Webb

Got to hand it to Peter Corroon. The guy’s no panderer. In prim and proper Republican-dominated Utah, he holds a Sunday fundraiser in a coffee shop with cousin Howard Dean, the world’s biggest (and loudest) liberal. Most Utah Democrats with political aspirations would run the other way at the mere mention of Dean’s name.

Then Corroon, who is running for county mayor against Nancy Workman, announced a “Politics and Beer” fundraiser, to be held tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. at Uinta Brewing Company, 1722 S. Fremont. Fifty bucks for “an evening of politics, hors d’oeuvres and beer.”

Corroon’s Rocky Anderson-like temerity is probably refreshing for Utah’s liberal wine-and-cheese crowd. But how will it play with the typical county voter, particularly the LDS voter?

Perhaps Corroon has done his math and concluded that Utah, and particularly Salt Lake County, are more diverse than their reputations would indicate. Utah and Salt Lake County have elected plenty of good and capable leaders who are not active LDS, who drink beer and coffee and don’t spend Sundays in church. (Although not many of them have used “politics and beer” to attract attendance at fundraisers.)

Consider this: Salt Lake County is only 56 percent LDS, according to an interesting study done by the American Religion Data Archive and published in the Deseret Morning News. Assuming 60 percent of LDS members are committed and active, that reduces the number of active LDS to only about 34 percent of overall county population. And given the high proportion of children in active LDS homes, the percentage of active LDS adults in Salt Lake County is smaller yet.

Still, Corroon’s “politics, beer and Howard Dean” approach has a couple of problems. First, even though active LDS are a minority overall, a majority of Salt Lake County voters, LDS or not, are fairly conservative. Second, when you look at the people who actually vote in elections, active LDS wield a disproportionate influence because they simply vote at much higher percentages than do others.

Bottom line: Activities like beer fundraisers and bar-hopping are, no doubt, honored and effective (in addition to fun and iconoclastic) political events in Salt Lake City, but I’m not so sure they’re great for a politician trying to win a county race. Better to stick to the guzzle-gate scandal.

Counter Point: Maura Carabello

LaVarr brings up some good points about keeping your audience in mind and the greater culture in which we all live, and I don’t disagree with his basic sentiment—but here are a few things other things to think about:

1) The basics—we are evaluating a guy who has only held TWO fundraisers (one of which was dictated by the guest’s schedule). Let’s see what’s ahead before we get too excited.

2) Let’s return to the point of knowing Salt Lake County and knowing your political audience. These are fundraisers, not direct mail pieces about positions. If Corroon were sending out brochures saying “do you know I drink beer” (by the way, I’m not sure if Peter drinks beer or not) I would question that. But the issue here is fundraising, and fundraisers are targeted to your political base, especially events seeking early money. Are these good events to raise some early money for his campaign? Well, the Dean event apparently raised around $15,000 so maybe it’s not a bad strategy this early.

3) Are LaVarr’s thoughts meant as a guide to best practices for campaigns by suggesting that the majority should feel comfortable at an event, the majority of the time? If so, then in order to not be a hypocrite, and to be fair with all constituents, should not candidates be expected to create an atmosphere in which the minority feels comfortable the minority of the time? What I’m saying is isn’t it only fair to criticize Jon Huntsman, Jr., if he doesn’t offer beer and wine at a minimum of 25% of his fundraisers?

4) My biggest worry about LaVarr’s sentiment is what it seems to be saying about how we as Utahns judge people. I, not being a drinker myself, but having been to fundraisers at the Uintah Brewery, would hope that I would decide it is more important to know what Corroon will do with the second-largest budget in the state, the morale after guzzle-gate, our open spaces and a variety of different issues that will affect my family, long before I care about whether he prefers dark or light beer. And, by the way, they give a great tour of the Brewery and have soda and water available if you do decide to attend Corroon’s event.

And, finally, I’m sure Corroon will be reading our comments about this part of his life with interest. But it does bring up a great point about impressions, judgments and opinion formation. Here’s what I know about Peter Corroon: Father of three young children and husband of a lovely wife. Some of his community work includes: President of the Salt Lake Vest Pocket Coalition; chair of his local community council; Advisory Committee member for the Utah Office of Child Care; he incorporated a local non-profit affordable housing builder, just to name a few things.

I think LaVarr has provided a good reminder that 56% of the people in the county really need to see that side of him.

Communications Tip:
Look for a News Peg

Minus a scandal or crisis, it’s sometimes very difficult for a local policymaker to attract the attention of the news media, even when you have a legitimate issue or story that needs to be aired.

Sometimes the best way to get an editor or a reporter to get interested in a story is to find a “news peg.”  A news peg is something that makes a story timely and relevant. Often, the news peg is a national or state event, issue or story that can be localized. A good reporter may want to localize a national story on crime statistics, for example. If crime is up or down nationally or statewide, what about your community or county?

On a daily basis, all sorts of national and statewide stories come out about transportation and traffic, education, water, land use, finances, health, and so forth. Reporters are interested in local angles to many of these matters, and if you have the information, you can get a story placed. When international, national or statewide news breaks, when legislation passes or a court decision is handed down, it’s time to think how the story might be localized and how it might impact you and your areas of responsibility. Sometimes being proactive in suggesting a story can help you manage how it is framed and whether it ends up being positive or negative.

If you have a particular local story you want placed, try to put it in perspective with state or national events and you’ll have a better chance. 

LaVarr Webb

Agenda Utah is a service of Utah Policy.com

Publisher: LaVarr Webb
Editor: Bart Barker
News: Golden Webb
Subscriptions: Paul Hollingshead

Please send your comments and suggestions to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com.

Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Today's Headlines

New York Times
- Trouble in private U.S. jails preceded job fixing Iraq's

KSL
- Senator Bennett visits Iraq

Daily Herald
- Mayors ask for more info on plans for Interstate 15
- Presidential race gets reality check
- Mayor receives positive reaction from public on Eagle Mountain rec center

Standard-Examiner
- GOP primary could be name game
- Bennett bullish on Iraq
- Editorial: Telling tall tales about Utah's Legacy Highway

Deseret Morning News
- LDS Church eyeing Triad Center
- UTOPIA may face tough test
- Editorial: Calm Utah's raging drivers

Salt Lake Tribune
- Hatch urges Bush to back stem cell research
- Walker told of law's flaws?
- Lawmakers paid twice for one day
- OHV group drops suit over roads
- Bennett expects 100,000 fewer GIs in Iraq in '05
- UTOPIA alters a timetable

Political Calendar

Please submit calendar items to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com

- June 7-8: Innovations in Education Conference 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastmont Middle School, 10100 South 1300 East, Sandy. $30 registration, including 2 box lunches and breaks. www.iie-edu.org.
- June 8: Peter Corroon for County Mayor fundraiser, 7-10pm, Uintah Brewing Company, 1722 S. Fremont Drive (2375 West), SLC. $50 contribution per person. RSVP by June 4.
- June 8: Richard Mack launches "American Candidate" bid, 6 pm, Elks Lodge, 1000 South University Avenue, Provo.
- June 9: Kitchen Table Talk with Nolan Karras, 5:30-7:00pm, home of Lew & Patrice Swain, 1688 North Canyon Circle, Farmington.
- June 10: Gubernatorial debate, Huntsman vs. Karras, 9-10 a.m., SLC Library Auditorium. Sponsored by the Salt Lake Chamber, co-sponsored by the Utah Foundation and KCPW Radio. Broadcast live on KCPW 88.3 and 105.3 FM. Space is limited so arrive early.
- June 10: Kitchen Table Talk with Enid Greene, 8-9:30 pm, home of Brett Graham, 2227 Lauri Kay Dr, Holladay. (Correction)
- June 10: Fundraiser for Salt Lake County Council candidate Jenny Wilson, 7:30-9 a.m., Alta Club, 100 East South Temple. $100 individual, $250 business, $500 sponsorship. RSVP to 801-201-8442 or lashman@xmission.com. (Correction)
- June 10-11: Government Affairs Advisory Committee of the Salt Lake Chamber 11am, Eccles Board Room, Salt Lake Chamber.
- June 12: Utah House Democrats Fundraiser, Barbeque & Stingers Baseball, 5:30-9:30pm, Franklin Covey Field, SLC. RSVP by June 2, 3620 South 6000 West, West Valley City, UT 84120. For info call 801-328-2208.
- June 12: Davis County Democrats No-Host Breakfast 8:30 am to 10:00 am, Joanie's Restaurant, 286 North 400 West, Kaysville. Contact: Richard Watson (801) 292-6772.
- June 13: Gubernatorial Debate: Take Two with Rod Decker Live on KUTV Channel 2 at 5:30 pm, Contact Rod Decker, (801) 973-3000.
- June 14: Lt. Governor Debate: KCSG and Bonneville Radio in St. George Live at 7:00 pm, Contact: Dan Matheson, (435) 467-7452
- June 15: Gubernatorial Debate: KCSG and Bonneville Radio in St. George Live at 7:00 pm, Contact: Dan Matheson, (435) 467-7452.
- June 16: Ogden Rotary Gubernatorial Debate, noon at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center.
- June 16: Greg Skordas for Attorney General Fundraiser, 5-7pm, Urban Bistro, 216 East 500 South, SLC. Suggested Donation $50/person.
- June 18: Meet Nolan Karras, 6-7pm, Lehi City Council Chambers, Lehi Administration Bldg., 153 N 100 E, Lehi.
- June 18: Kitchen Table Talk with Nolan Karras, 8-9:30 pm, home of Jeanette Hales Beckham, 1260 E. Oak Crest Circle, Provo.
- June 21: Gubernatorial Debate: KUED Channel 7 Live at 9:00 pm.
- June 22: Utah Primary Election 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
- June 22: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting 12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.
- June 24: Legislative Golf Tournament Thanksgiving Point. 533-9777.
- June 26: Republican Central Committee Meeting.
- June 27: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting 12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.
- July 19-23: National Conference of State Legislatures  Salt Lake City.

See the entire calendar.