News Highlights

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals rules that Utah lacks authority to ban a nuclear reactor waste storage facility to be operated by Goshute Indians (The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News). Tribune editorializes against Utah 's restrictive voter initiative law. Mayor Anderson pushes for dorms downtown (Morning News).

Quote of the Day

“Utah lawmakers should not be importing bad ideas from other states. They are quite capable of coming up with bad ideas on their own.”
- Daily Herald editorial on a proposal to base Utah 's gas tax on miles driven, tracked through a GPS device in every vehicle.

National Attention on iProvo and UTOPIA

Utah 's two fiber-to-the-premises projects, iProvo and UTOPIA, are going to be the subject of an enormous amount of interest and scrutiny in the broadband telecommunications industry. iProvo, for example, was the subject of the lead story in the latest edition of Broadband Business Forecast, a twice-monthly newsletter that costs $997 annually to subscribe.

The story called iProvo “the largest municipally-owned broadband fiber-to-the-premises project so far attempted in the United States.”  Combined with UTOPIA, of course, the Utah fiber initiative is by far the largest such effort in the country. “The level of success of iProvo is going to provide a benchmark for literally the entire municipally-owned broadband industry,” the story says. “It's also going to be an object lesson for both incumbent phone carriers and cable companies.”

Thank Goodness for Water Projects

The ongoing drought has resulted in a lot of news media attention, and the state's network of dams, reservoirs, canals and other components of water projects are receiving the attention they deserve. Over the years, environmentalists have severely criticized the “water buffaloes,” the people who have promoted and constructed dams and other water projects. But today we'd be in big trouble without those projects.

Some reforms are obviously needed. We need market-based pricing. We need to preserve water for wildlife and recreation, and we to focus a whole lot more on using less water. But Duane Cardall expressed nicely in a recent KSL editorial what should be the sentiments of Utahns:

“Utah's many reservoirs are accomplishing what was intended when they were designed and built ... and we can all be grateful for that. Despite six years of drought, water, for the most part, remains available.  Indeed, times such as these prompt us to reflect on the visionary decisions made by earlier generations of Utahns. Vital reclamation efforts such as the Colorado River Storage Project and the Central Utah Project didn't happen easily. Funding and eventual construction came only after intense political battles, often in the face of bitter opposition. Yet, good judgment prevailed and the people of Utah now are the beneficiaries of decades of work. In deference to those who fought to build the region's water storage and distributions facilities, KSL encourages greater appreciation for what they gave us.”
- LaVarr Webb

I'm one of 3,500 state Republican delegates in Utah and I've been a little surprised that I haven't had more contact from candidates seeking grassroots organizational help. Smart candidates attempt to organize many, if not all, of the voting precincts in their political jurisdictions, recruiting precinct captains to do voter ID, distribute literature, make phone calls and neighborhood contacts, and help get-out-the-vote on election day.

It would seem that state delegates, who have demonstrated party commitment and been elected by their Republican peers in their neighborhoods, would be natural choices to assist candidates at the grassroots level. Candidates at county, legislative, congressional and statewide levels all need such help and could use the ready-made army of potential volunteers.

I have received a few mailings of campaign literature from candidates that included a generic volunteer card with little boxes to check off for various volunteer activities. But I have never received a letter addressed specifically to delegates or grassroots activists describing specifically the help needed at the precinct level and directly asking for my help.

It's not just state delegates who would make good grassroots workers, but also county delegates and voting precinct officers. Not all of them will want to get involved, of course, but with between five and 10 party activists in each precinct, at least one or two of them are likely to be effective workers.

It's not enough, however, to recruit grassroots workers and then give them vague instructions on what they are to accomplish with little follow up communications. Each precinct captain needs a clear and detailed campaign plan for that voting precinct, with a plan timeline, checklist, lists of precinct targeted voters (with names, addresses, phone numbers), walking maps, easy means (preferably on-line) to report voter ID and other results back to the campaign, sufficient amounts of campaign literature to distribute or mail (at the right time), and so forth.

With modern campaign tools and sophisticated political data available, I'm surprised more campaigns don't get better organized at the grassroots level. Sure, if you try to prepare these precinct packets/campaign plans by hand, it's going to be a enormous job. But much of it can be automated today using powerful technological tools.

Campaigns are part art and part science. The science part, at least, ought to be done well. It's just a matter of organization, use of the right tools, and effective execution.
- LaVarr Webb

Leadership Tips

"A leader is a dealer in hope." 
- Napoleon Bonaparte

"All leaders face the challenge of overcoming resistance to change. Some try to do this by the simple exercise of power and control, but effective leaders learn that there are better ways to overcome resistance to change. This involves the achievement of voluntary commitment to shared values."
- Warren Bennis

"The leader's job is to help people, not judge them; he is not a leader unless he knows when people need special help and provides it."
- W. Edwards Deming

Upcoming Birthdays

- Rep. Katherine M. Bryson, District 60, August 6
- Rep. Joseph G. Murray, District 8, August 8
- Rep. Scott Daniels, District 25, August 12

Elected Officials Birthday List

Agenda Utah is a service
of Utah Policy.com

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

Christian Science Monitor
- Same-sex marriage takes a hit

Washington Post
- Gay marriage ban in Mo. may resonate nationwide

Salt Lake Tribune
- Not everyone is sold on Rocky's diversity theories
- Court rules against Utah in nuke fight
- Corroon offers economic plan
- Editorial: Initiative upstarts

Daily Herald
- Editorial: Wacky idea for Utah gas tax

Standard-Examiner
- Bond vote surprises mayors

Deseret Morning News
- Rocky's dream: dorms downtown
- West Valley pushes city-center upgrade
- Utah's effort to regulate Nuclear waste hits snag
- Gay vote doesn't surprise Utahns
- Corroon, Cook offer plans for Salt Lake County
- Davis RAP tax advocates now coming out in force
- Cannon, colleague doubt energy bill will pass this year

Please submit calendar items to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com

- Aug 2-11: Hinckley Institute of Politics holds annual Huntsman Seminar in Constitutional Government for Teachers. Info: jnelson@hinkley.utah.edu.

- Aug 5: Washington County GOP Women's meeting, 11:30 am, Bloomington Country Club, RSVP Claire Lefkow 435-688-0777.

- Aug 5: Progressive Democratic Caucus Meeting, 6:30-8 pm, 455 South 300 East, Suite 102, Salt Lake City. Contact: Craig Axford (801) 918-6017.

- 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 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.

- Aug 5: Fundraising event for Rep . Ernest Istook , R-OK. 9 am , Grand America Hotel, Milano Room. Suggested contribution: $1,000. RSVSP: 680-5884 or 328-5070.

- 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! The Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership intense two-day political training course where conservatives are taught how to organize grass roots youth efforts on college campus. The Leadership Institute flies in top trainers from around the country. Held at the U of U. Cost: $60 for campaign staff and others Republican volunteers. $30 for members of College or Teenage Republicans groups. Details.

- Aug 7: Hometown Days Parade, Kearns , 9 am, Gubernatorial Candidates Scott Matheson, Jr. and Jon Huntsman Jr. appearing.

- Aug 7: Harvest Days Parade, Midvale City , 10 am, Lt. Governor Candidate Karen Hale appearing.

- Aug 7: Huntsman campaign at Emery County Fair, 10 am.

- Aug 7: Wasatch County Parade, Heber, 5 pm, Gubernatorial Candidate Scott Matheson Jr. appearing.

- Aug 12: Sutherland Institute monthly seminar .The Unavoidable Rule of Law . 8:30-11:30 am, 6th Floor 50 E Social Hall Avenue, SLC. Register: 801-355-1272.

- Aug 13-14: Atlas Economic Research Foundation, the Sutherland Institute, and International Freedom Educational Foundation host .Communicating the Ideal of Liberty ., Little America Hotel, SLC. Register: 703-934-6969.

- Aug 14: 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.

- Aug 17: Jon Huntsman at Vernal Chamber of Commerce, noon, Vernal Golden Corral, $8.

- Aug 17-18: Constitution Party starts 12-week history of Constitution course taught by Jim Brown. Class A is Tuesday nights starting Aug 17. Class B is Wednesday nights starting Aug 18. 7-8:30 pm. 801-557-9225.

- Aug 18: Voice for Moderation Meet the Candidates night. Meet Democratic candidate for Governor Scott Matheson, and Salt Lake County Auditor candidates Sean Thomas and Peter Stevens at 6 pm at the Anderson/Foothill Library located at 1135 So. 2100 East in Salt Lake City.

- Aug 18-21: Davis County Democrats looking for volunteers for their Davis County Fair booth, call Pat Herrera 801-546-0283.

- Aug 20: Matheson for Congress Fundraiser, Open House sponsored by Iron County Democrats, 7-9 pm. Call 435-865-7482 for location.

- Aug 20: Box Elder County GOP Summer BBQ, 6 pm, Marble Park, 435-723-7410.

- Aug 24: Greg Skordas for Attorney General Fundraiser, 5:30 pm, Em's Restaurant, 271 N Center St, SLC, $100 suggested contribution.

- Aug 24: Attorney General debate on KRCL radio, 90.9 FM, Noon - 1 pm, at 1971 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT.

- Aug 24: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting, 12 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.

- Aug 26: Jon Huntsman at Park City Sunrise Rotary Club, 7:45 am.

- Aug 26: Davis County Democrats Picnic, 6 pm, Barnes Park, West on 200 N in Kaysville.

- Aug 26: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party monthly meeting, 7 pm, Bohemian Brewery & Grill, 94 E 7200 S Midvale.

- Aug: 27: Jon Huntsman, Jr. , fundraiser at Delta Center , $100 for single ticket up to $5,000 for platinum table. Call 737-1811.

- Aug 30-Sept 2: Jon Huntsman attends Republican National Convention, New York City.

- Sept 2: Professional Republican Women monthly meeting, 11:45 am, Panini's restaurant, Wells Fargo Building , 299 S Main , SLC, $20 RSVP call 801-270-0802.

- Sept 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.

- Sept 7: Utah Log Cabin Republicans Monthly Meeting, 7:30 pm, Room N4010, Salt Lake County Building, 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake.

- Sept 9: Sutherland Institute seminar .The Rules of the Game-Applications in Boundaries and Procedures . 8:30-11:30 am, 6th Floor 150 E Social Hall Ave, SLC. Register: 801-355-1272.

- Sept 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. Call 801.746.3030 or email info@markshurtleff.com for more details.

- 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 BBQ, 6 pm, Murray Park.

- Sept. 17: Salt Lake County Republican Party's Constitution Day Picnic, 6 pm, Murray Park. Come meet the candidates!

- Sept 23: USACCC Annual Conference, Homestead Resort, Midway.

- Sept 25: Republican Central Committee Meeting.

- Sept 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