News Highlights

Deseret Morning News reports that John Swallow and Jim Matheson are starting to turn nasty  in their 2nd District race. UVSC could lose Michael Moore and still have to pay him $40,000 (Salt Lake Tribune). Speaking of Moore, a Utahn is in D.C. is exposing misleading footage from Moore s movie through his own film, "Fahrenhype 9/11," (Morning News). Salt Lake considers removing parking meters (Tribune and Morning News). A citizens group in Davis county wants fluoride out of drinking water (Standard-Examiner). Bob Bernick comments on complexity of Salt Lake County mayoral race (Morning News).

Quote of the Day

"Utah's proposed marriage amendment has made strange allies out of the far-right Accountability Utah lobbying group and the Don't Amend Alliance."

- Salt Lake Tribune story on why some liberals and some conservatives are opposing Amendment 3.

Huntsman Backs Amendment 2

Gubernatorial candidate Jon Huntsman announced in a press release that he supports Amendment 2, which will be on the Nov. 2 ballot. The amendment would change the Utah constitution to make it easier for state universities to transfer new technologies and innovations into commercial ventures.

Passing Amendment 2 will send a signal loud and clear to companies and innovators alike, both in and out of state, that Utah has an environment that facilitates economic development through more meaningful utilization of our premier research institutes,  Huntsman said. Passage will result in new industry and new jobs in Utah, he said.

What is Utah Policy Daily?

Publisher s Note: As we approach the 100th edition of Utah Policy Daily, I am still frequently asked about the purpose and future of this newsletter. It s a good question because e-newsletters are a relatively new phenomenon and there aren t many like this one.

First I d like to make clear that this newsletter is not an objective journalistic publication. We re not trying to be journalists. We are trying to provide a product that is valuable enough that Utah s policymakers and opinion leaders will read it frequently. Our niche is really being an aggregator of political information. We are attempting to put in one place every morning access to a day s worth of political news and information from all sources. The Daily is a one-stop location for all things related to Utah politics.

We do that by publishing the headline links and a comprehensive political calendar. And then we add periodic tips on communications, campaigning and leadership, plus a little commentary. We are planning new features.

The aggregation service is the basic product we re trying to sell,  and we think we ve got a good start at it. But we also think it can be a lot better. We now have readers all over Utah and in many other locations around the country. We need all these eyes and ears to be on the lookout for political stories and information that they think would be of interest to our readers, then e-mail the links (internet addresses) to us. This would include stories or information from newspapers, magazines, web logs (blogs), web sites, etc. Stories are frequently published in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere about Utahns and the Utah delegation that we may not see. Stories are published about people like Mitt Romney who have Utah ties. Send us the links. We also like to link to new postings on candidate and incumbent web sites, think tanks (like Utah Foundation or the Sutherland Institute) press releases, etc. If readers will send along these links, Utah Policy Daily can become a better aggregator, a one-stop center for Utah political information.

So what s the catch here? How does all this effort benefit the publisher and the Exoro Group, a political consulting firm in which he is a partner?

Well, that s pretty simple. If we have a direct, daily channel to policymakers, opinion leaders and the broader Utah political community that we own and control, then we have something pretty valuable. We can use our channel  to deliver messages on behalf of our clients and to market the services of the Exoro Group. To offset the newsletter costs, we also plan to offer paid advertorials  or advocacy essays to businesses, groups or associations who want to reach policymakers and the political community. We will also offer sponsorships of the headline links, calendar, and other features to entities who want to maintain a high profile in the political community.

Most of this is theoretical, of course, because we haven t done it yet and it might not work. This is all pretty new territory. But we ll find out over the next few months. We ve been doing all of this very much in our spare time. Taking the newsletter to a new level will require a more businesslike approach with dedicated resources.

I mentioned previously that this newsletter is not a journalistic undertaking. However, we think it s important to delineate between what is essentially paid advertising in the newsletter and other commentary and opinion. So we will clearly label or disclose advertorial and advocacy pieces that benefit clients or are paid for by other businesses or interest groups. Without sponsorships or advertising support the newsletter will not reach its full potential If you are interested in a sponsorship or advertising, let us know at agendautah@utahpolicy.com or 801 537-0900.

Traffic Reporters Strike Back

Todd Weiler, an attorney and Davis County Republican chair, passed along this response to a previous pet peeve about redundancy in traffic reporting. It’s from a friend of his who is a radio traffic reporter:

“After proper circulation of Mr. Webb’s message, the general consensus from us reporter types: 1: LaVar and Lou both have to much time on their hands. 2: How do I get the ‘Department of Redundancy Department’ tee shirt? That's priceless. Have a great day!”

One More Debate Tip: Don't Talk Too Fast

People will grasp a message better if it’s spoken at a speed they can understand instead of feeding them a blur of words. You might think fast talk shows you have more to say and are more knowledgeable, but if listeners don't understand, your message is lost.

I am a closed captioner for several local television stations, and have closed captioned debates for several years. This year in the primaries I did one debate that averaged 195 words a minute over the course of an hour. This was not only difficult for me, but difficult for the deaf and hard of hearing audiences that tuned in to the debate. They lost an awful lot of what was going on. If you slow down it would certainly make my job easier and give more information to a certain audience (one that is many, many times overlooked), but other people also lose a lot if they can't follow the discussion because it is going by too fast.

I don't know how I got on your newsletter list, but I really enjoy it. Thanks a lot!

- Cecilee Wilson, President, Captions West, Inc., capswest@xmission.com

Rep. Bradley G. Last, District 71, September 24
Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard, District 25, September 25
Rep. Calvin G. Bird, District 65, September 25
Rep. Don E. Bush, District 14, September 26

Entire 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

Salt Lake Tribune
- Moore inspires UVSC petition
- Downwinders may get IOUs, not cash
- Right, left form an unlikely alliance on Amendment 3
- Time may expire for downtown parking meters
- Leaders, Workman huddle in private
- GOP leads in funds for state Senate races
- Lawmaker pushes Parker Jensen bill

Standard-Examiner
- Both candidates for governor support amendment
- Fluoride rivals rally at library
- Editorial: 'Greg Brady,' more than Moore, waste of funds

St. George Spectrum
- USF may receive $900,000

Daily Herald
- Group files complaint over political e-mail
- 10,000 anti-Moore signatures collected
- Candidate drops out of House race

Deseret Morning News
- Hatch bill on DNA may stall
- Utahn aims 'Fahrenhype' at Moore
- Rocky: Get rid of meters
- Kids' health care spurring debate
- Swallow, Matheson swapping brickbats
- A Workman withdrawal would be legal
- Property rights trump gun rights, Shurtleff says
- Bob Bernick Jr.: Salt Lake County election more complex this year

Please submit calendar items to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com

- Sept 20-24: Legislators Back to School Week.
- Sept 20-25: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Davis County. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Sept 24: Corroon for County Mayor walks Redwood Road in West Valley City – 6pm 801-328-2208
- Sept 25: Cache Democrats Meeting, 8-10 am, Cabin Fever Restaurant, Highway 89 and 12th S, Logan. Everyone welcome.
- Sept 25: Republican Central Committee Meeting.
- Sept 25: Peter Corroon walks precincts in SLC and Taylorsville. 801-328-2208.
- Sept 25: Peter Corroon at the South Jordan Country Fest Parade, Salt Lake County Equestrian Park, South Jordan 801-328-2208
- Sept 27: Utah Foundation & Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Utah‘s Water Supply: Where Will it Come From?” Panel discussion. Noon, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 27: Mark Shurtleff at the NAACP Meet the Candidate Night, 6-7 pm, Law and Justice Center, 645 S. 200 E. SLC.
- Sept 27-Oct 2: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Weber and Morgan Counties. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Sept 28: Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors, 7:30 a.m., Chamber Board Room, featuring candidates Scott Matheson, John Swallow, Greg Skordas
- Sept 28: Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Every Student a Politician: The Importance of the 18 to 24 Vote”. Featuring Lt. Governor Gayle McKeachnie, Dan Jones, and Frank Pignanelli. 11 am, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 28: Mark Shurtleff at the Davis County Senior Citizens Meet the Candidate Event, 11:30-12:30 pm, 140 E. Center St, Clearfield.
- 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.
- Sept 28-Oct 1: Constitution Party's Presidential Candidate Michael Peroutka tours Utah. Tickets: www.cputah.org
- Sept 28: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, 7:30 pm, Western Regional Park, Vernal.
- Sept 29: Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Middle East Watches the U.S. Presidential Election” Panel discussion. Noon, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 29: Salt Lake County Mayoral Candidate Debate, 7:30 pm, Westminster College, 1840 S 1300 E, SLC.
- Sept 29: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, Snow College, 150 E College Ave, Ephraim. Also at Canyon View HS, 7:30 pm, 166 W 1925 N, Cedar City.
- Sept 30: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, 7:30 pm, UVSC, Sorenson Student Center, Grand Ballroom, 800 W University Parkway, Orem.
- Oct 1: Gubernatorial debate at Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce, 12 noon, Provo Marriott.
- Oct 1: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, 7 pm, Ben Lomond HS, 800 Jackson Ave, Ogden.
- Oct 2: Women's Democratic Club Luncheon, 12 pm to 2 pm, Sheraton City Center, VIP 2 Room, 150 West 500 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: Sheryl Ivey (801) 942-2312.
- Oct 2: Libertarian Party meet/greet/eat fundraiser, 11 am-10 pm, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, 911 East Fort Union Blvd, Midvale. 15% of purchase donated to Libertarian Party if you identify yourself as a Libertarian.
- Oct 2: Peter Corroon walk s precincts in Sandy and West Jordan. 801-328-2208.
- Oct 4: Mark Shurtleff at Orrin Hatch's Women's Conference, 10:30 am, Salt Palace. 801-910-9463.
- Oct 4-9: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Salt Lake County. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Oct 5: Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee meets, 9 am, State Capitol, Rm W135.
- Oct 5: Utah Log Cabin Republicans Monthly Meeting, 7:30 pm, Room N4010, Salt Lake County Building, 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake.
- Oct 5: Eminent Domain Conference, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Red Lion downtown SLC, register 801-731-5399.
- Oct 6: Attorney General Candidates debate, 6-8 pm, Dixie State College, Dunford Auditorium, TV KCSG 4, Radio KDXU 890 AM.
- Oct 6: Utah Stonewall Democrats monthly meeting, 5:30 pm, GLBTCCU, 359 N 300 W.
- Oct 6: Utah Land Use Institute, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Red Lion downtown, SLC, register 801-731-5399.
- Oct 7: Progressive Democratic Caucus Meeting, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, 455 South 300 East, Suite 102, Salt Lake City. Contact: Craig Axford (801) 918-6017.
- Oct 9: Davis County Democrats No-Host Breakfast, 8:30 am to 10 am, Joanie's Restaurant, 286 North 400 West, Kaysville. Contact: Richard Watson (801) 292-6772.
- Oct 9: Mark Shurtleff at Utah County GOP Women's Fundraiser, 5 pm, Provo Marriott. 801-910-9463.
- Oct 9: Peter Corroon walks precincts in the East Benches. 801-328-2208.
- Oct 11: Utah Foundation & Hinckley Institute of Politics lecture on Utah‘s Economy-The Challenges and Benefits of Growth, Noon, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Oct 11: Meet the Cache County and School Board Candidates Night, 7-9 pm, Whittier Community Center, 290 N. 400 E, Logan. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the PTA.
- Oct 11-16: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Weber County. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Oct 12: Open Forum with the Gubernatorial Candidates, 7:30 pm, New Davis Conference Center in Layton, 801-510-1221.
- Oct 13: Gubernatorial Debate, KSL Radio 1160 with Doug Wright, 10 am, KSL studios.
- Oct 14: Sutherland Institute seminar "Ethical Fitness--Being an Authentic Leader," 8:30-11:30 am, 6th Floor 150 E Social Hall Ave, SLC. Register: 801-355-1272.
- Oct 14: Mark Shurtleff speaks at the Minority Community Event, 9 am, SLC. 801-910-9463.
- Oct 16: Peter Corroon will walk the precincts in Midvale and WVC. 801-328-2208.
- Oct 17: Civic Dialogue presents a moderated debate on the Open Space Initiative, 5:30 pm, KUED Channel 7.
- Oct 18: Jon Huntsman Jr. at Tooele Valley Rotary Club luncheon, 12 pm, Best Western Inn Tooele.
- Oct 18: Gubernatorial Debate, KUTV Take Two with Rod Decker, 6:30 pm, airs live outside KUTV studios on Main Street.
- Oct 19: Gubernatorial Debate at Salt Lake Rotary Club, 12 noon, Marriott Hotel 75 S W Temple, SLC.
- Oct 19: First District Candidates Rob Bishop and Steve Thompson debate, 7 pm, KUED Channel 7.
- Oct 20: Salt Lake Chamber’s Business Friendly Legislators Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Little America
- Oct 20: Attorney General Candidates debate, 12:30 pm, Sutherland Moot Court Room, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Univ. of Utah.
- Oct 20: Mark Shurtleff holds Meet the Candidate Night, 6 pm, Brigham City. 801-910-9463.

- See the entire calendar