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Wednesday Buzz

News Highlights

Mitt Romney keeps up a high profile, with an article in the Weekly Standard and a Salt Lake Tribune story that discusses his obvious presidential ambitions. The Deseret Morning News' Lee Davidson writes a column about Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett losing their chairmanships in the next Congress, but they may pick up other leadership posts. Utah legislators hear an interesting presentation on the possibility of gas tax being charged per mile driven, rather than per gallon of gas in Standard Examiner story.


Prepared for all Eventualities

At a booth at the recent National Conference of State Legislatures meeting in Salt Lake City, workers for the National Rifle Association gave out Buck knives to credentialed legislators. Everyone else got a small first aid kit. It was reported that to be safe, some legislators took one of each.

Convention Quote

"The symbol for the Democratic Party isn't a donkey; it's a jackass. We're all jackasses. We don't take sh** from anybody, and we kick back."

- Oregon delegate and Everclear rock group front man Art Alexakis, at Tuesday's Youth Caucus at the Democratic National Convention. (Source: National Journal E-Mail Convention Alert)

Upcoming Birthdays

- Rep. Todd E. Kiser , District 41, July 28
- Rep. J. Morgan Philpot , District 45, July 30
- Rep. Katherine M. Bryson , District 60, August 6
Elected Officials Birthday List


Political Trivia

Utah has 237 incorporated cities and towns, including three first class cities (100,000 or more population: Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo), four second class cities (65,000 to 99,999 population: Sandy, West Jordan, Orem, Ogden), seven third class cities (30,000 to 64,999), 22 fourth class cities (10,000 to 29,999), 97 fifth class cities (1,000 to 9,999) and 104 towns (0-999). Utah's smallest municipality in population is Ophir Town, in Tooele County, with 23 residents.

- Source: 2004 Local Government Directory (a very handy book) published by the Utah League of Cities and Towns. More information at www.ulct.org.


Leadership Tip:
Compromise

"Choose your battles carefully. In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."

- Thomas Jefferson


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Wednesday
July 28, 2004

Today's Headlines

Weekly Standard
- Lunch with Romney

Davis County Clipper
- Second Wal-Mart hearing scheduled for Wednesday

Salt Lake Tribune
- Mexico-SLC flight blocked
- Lawmaker cleared in elk shooting
- Romney lobs barbs in memoir of 2002 Games
- Workman opens door to public for a chat
- GAO says carefully assess forest cutting
- Utahns pass a platform designed not to inflame
- Editorial: A grain of sand
- Editorial: Water politics

Daily Herald
- Presidential hopeful visits UVSC
- Lehi hearing to explain unusual taxation issue

Deseret Morning News
- Lee Benson: Tracking donkeys, elephants
- Labor leaders shun Rocky
- Tax notice law irks Lehi chiefs
- Group decries Amendment 3
- Democratic Convention reporter's notebook
- Taxpayers group opposes rec center
- Workman, visitors like 'open-door' session
- UTOPIA works to get pacts in place
- Walker kicks off justice meeting
- Lee Davidson: As Congress term limits taketh away, so do they give

Standard-Examiner
- Shrinking gas tax revenues pose problem
- UDOT wants rural communities to make transportation master plans
- Davis clerk/auditor gets a little more power
- Editorial: Davis County faces age-old problem


Political Calendar


Please submit calendar items to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com

- July 26-29: 27 Utah delegates attend the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Mass.
- July 28:
Vice President Dick Cheney will appear at fundraiser for John Swallow at Little American Hotel, 500 S. Main. VIP reception, photo op and luncheon, 11:30 am, $2,000 per person. Noon luncheon, $250 per person. Allow sufficient time for security. Call 466-8865.
- July 28: Jon Huntsman speaks to Payson Kiwanis Club, noon, Mountain View Hospital, 1000 E. Hwy 6, W, Payson.
- July 28-31: Huntsman campaign at Utah County Fair, Thanksgiving Point, noon-midnight.
- July 30: Sen. Bob Bennett invites supporters to an Ogden Raptors baseball game at Lindquist Field, 2350 Lincoln Ave., Ogden. 5:30 p.m., hotdogs, drinks and politics; 7 .pm, ballgame. Reserve tickets: 575-6355 or cfrodsham@bobbennett2004.com.
- July 31: Scott Matheson at International Days Parade and Festival, 10 am, Price; and Emery County Lamb Fry, Castledale, 5 pm.
- July 31: “Latin Night with Mark Shurtleff,” 7pm-midnight, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 279 S. 300 W., Salt Lake City. An evening of food, music and dancing to celebrate ethnic diversity and garner election support for Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. 801.746.3030 info@markshurtleff.com.
- Aug 3: Jon Huntsman at Park City Rotary Club, 12:30 pm.
- August 3: Utah Log Cabin Republicans Monthly Meeting, 7:30 pm, Room N4010, Salt Lake County Government Center, 2001 South State Street, SLC.
- August 4: Utah Stonewall Democrats at GLCCU, 359 North 300 West, SLC, multi-purpose room, 5:30 pm.
- Aug 5:
GOP Campaign School - A Winning Score in 2004! Co-sponsored by the Utah Federation of Republican Women and the Professional Republican Women. Keynote speaker Fred Lampropolous, Pres. & CEO of Merit Medical, “Lessons Learned on a Cross-the-State Gubernatorial Campaign Trail.” Noon to 6 pm at Merit Medical, 1660 W. Merit Parkway (9800 S.), South Jordan. Cost $45, Contact PRW 801-270-0802.
- August 5: Progressive Democratic Caucus Meeting, 6:30-8:00 pm, 455 South 300 East, Suite 102, SLC. Contact Craig Axford (801) 918-6017.
- Aug 6: Huntsman campaign at Carbon County Fair in Price, Tooele County Fair in Tooele, and Wasatch County Fair in Heber City.
- Aug 6-7: Boot Camp of Politics at the University of Utah. The Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership intense two-day political training course where conservatives are taught how to organize grass roots youth efforts on the college campus. Top trainers from around the country. Details.
- Aug 7: Huntsman campaign at Emery County Fair, 10 am.
- Aug 10: Scott Matheson at Vernal Chamber of Commerce, noon, Vernal Golden Corral, $8.
- August 14: Davis County Democrats No-Host Breakfast, 8:30-10:00 am, Joanie's Restaurant, 286 North 400 West, Kaysville. Contact Richard Watson (801) 292-6772.
- Aug 17: Jon Huntsman at Vernal Chamber of Commerce, noon, Vernal Golden Corral, $8.
- August 24: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting, 12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East just past 2100 South, SLC. Contact 486-2558.
- Aug 26: Jon Huntsman at Park City Sunrise Rotary Club, 7:45 am.
- Aug 30-Sept 2: Jon Huntsman attends Republican National Convention, New York City.
- September 2: Progressive Democratic Caucus Meeting, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, 455 South 300 East, Suite 102, Salt Lake City. Contact: Craig Axford (801) 918-6017.
- Sept 3: Huntsman campaign at Midway Swiss Days.
- Sept 3-4: Huntsman campaign at Iron County Fair, Cedar City.
- September 7:
Utah Log Cabin Republicans Monthly Meeting, 7:30 pm, Room N4010, Salt Lake County Building, 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake.
- September 11: 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.
- Sept. 15: Attorney General Mark Shurtleff’s annual “Wasatch Challenge.” Trap, skeet and target shooting, Western entertainment and down-home cooking. 801.746.3030 or info@markshurtleff.com.
- Sept 16: Jon Huntsman at the Salt Lake Women’s Republican Club Meet and Mingle Night, 6:30 pm, Bicentennial Park, Sandy.
- Sept 17:
Jon Huntsman at Salt Lake County Republican Barbecue, 6 pm, Murray Park.
- Sept. 17:
Salt Lake County Republican Party Constitution Day Picnic, 6 pm, Murray Park. Meet the candidates.
- September 23:
USACCC Annual Conference, Homestead Resort, Midway.
- September 25: Republican Central Committee Meeting.
- September 28: 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.


- See the entire calendar