News Highlights
Lawmakers make pleasant discovery: $122 million in unexpected revenue (Deseret Morning News, Standard-Examiner, and Salt Lake Tribune).

Traffic projections indicate serious congestion without mass transit, highway expansion (Morning News).

New bill passed from committee doesn’t tax IHC, but would require breakup (Morning News and Tribune). KSL says stop beating up on IHC (KSL Editorial).

Senators Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch to press Bush administration for continuation of F/A-22 Raptor jet program (Tribune and Standard-Examiner).

Quote of the Day
"They can't use that [sales tax] money to start building roads and expect transit to service their area without paying their fair share."

-- Sen. Dan Eastman, commenting on a growing rift between Utah County and other Wasatch Front counties over mass transit funding. Residents of other counties have been paying an extra .5 cent sales tax to fund commuter rail and light rail, but Utah County has not and wants to devote any such tax to highways, rather than transit (Tribune).

Wow. Utah’s economy has apparently roared back with a vengeance. The amount of new money available for the Legislature to spend (see links in Highlights above) this year is downright amazing, rivaling the boom days of the ‘90s. One year, of course, does not establish an ongoing trend, so lawmakers should be very careful with both tax cuts and spending.

Any tax cuts should be modest and a lot of the new money should go into expenditures that can be one-time, such as transportation and other capital projects, rather than being built into base budgets of on-going programs. That protects the state and taxpayers against future downturns. While the extra money will create new fights, it ought to make the last two weeks of the session rather pleasant and enable the governor and Legislature to both accomplish their budget priorities.

Blogger Watch

House Speaker Greg Curtis has made the first posting on the Utah House Majority blog on the new budget process . . . Rep. Steve Urquhart http://www.steveu.com/blog comments on No Child Left Behind and why a lot of Republican legislators are willing to oppose President Bush on the issue.

Good Graduation Rate

Utah’s high school graduation rate was 78% in 2002, according to a new study by Manhattan Institute scholars Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters, ranking the state 12th in the nation.

National Politics

Hillary Clinton is Smart and Capable

"Memo to the unwary: Hillary's comin,' and she's gonna get you if you don't watch out. (And maybe even if you do.) The junior senator from New York not only has star power, but as strategist and tactician she's miles ahead of the neutered old Democratic bulls in Congress who think the return to power lies through potholed streets trashed by recrimination and reproach. ... Hillary, in fact, is emerging as the bright light in a party of dim bulbs, a fading galaxy of has-beens reeking of halitosis and stale underwear. ... Hillary Clinton remains the most divisive figure in American politics. But she's also one of the smartest. We live in interesting times."

-- Wesley Pruden, editor in chief of the Washington Times (Source: The Federalist Patriot)

Houston Chronicle
- State wants its share in nuclear waste deal

Hearst News Service
- An overhaul is on the way

Deseret Morning News
- Utah coffers are bursting at seams
- Substitute bill doesn't include taxing IHC
- Credit union resolution sails to Senate
- Traffic projections look bleak
- Lawmakers pull plug on PhotoCop proposal
- Lawmakers seek to restrict the use of peyote
- Rocky says, 'Lick Global Warming'
- Senate panel OKs corporate-tax phaseout
- Op-ed: Parents have right to home-educate

Daily Herald
- Editorial: Bill aimed at stifling anti-LDS protesters is full of holes

St. George Spectrum
- Editorial: Compromise needed for roads, schools

KSL Editorial Board
- IHC in the crosshairs

Standard-Examiner
- Lawmakers find extra $100 million
- Through the nose
- Committee approves peyote bill
- Bennett says F/A-22 in Hill's future
- Senate approves $15 million to give Hill economic boost
- At the Capitol

Salt Lake Tribune
- Surprise! Revenue up
- Bennett, Hatch say F/A-22 Raptor jet program should be allowed to continue
- New-teacher pay raise is axed
- Adoption Council lobbies against surrogacy measure
- Mullen: Legislators take a hike for schools
- Senate switch a shock to IHC
- Parents, not teachers, would decide on drugs
- Bill to end sick leave perk goes to Senate
- Bills could change the face of redevelopment agencies
- Animal rights group aims for protest leeway
- Developments: Tuition subsidy for degree-seekers OK'd
- House designates pro-marriage week
- Senator: Spend tax hike on light rail
- Council proposal has Corroon talking veto
- BYU counsel renominated for D.C. post
- Editorial: Safer birthing

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- Feb 16:  Utah Information Technology Association legislative breakfast, 7 am, Marriott City Center, 220 S. State; $30 for UITA members; $60, non-UITA members. Register at: http://www.uita.org/events/021605.htm. Featuring Pres. John Valentine, Speaker Greg Curtis, Majority Leader Jeff Alexander. Co-sponsored by The Exoro Group.  

- Feb 16: Voice for Moderation meeting, 6 pm to 7:30 pm, Anderson/Foothill Library.  Guest speakers Jay Blain, a Granite School Administrator, and Dave Gessel, VP Utah Hospital Association, will discuss educational and medical issues being debated by the legislature. 
- Feb 18: Last day for legislators to prioritize bills and other programs with fiscal impact.
- Feb 23: Final meeting for the Executive Appropriations Committee on all budget matters.
- Feb 25: Massachusetts Gov. and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney speaks at Salt Lake County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, 7 pm, Little America Hotel. For ticket information see: www.lincolnclub.net.
- Feb 25: Bonding bill available to legislators by noon and final action taken on it by calendared closing time.
- Feb 25: Last day to pass bills with fiscal note of $10,000 or more.
- Feb 27: Last day to consider bills from own house.
- Feb 27: Last day for a motion to reconsider.
- Feb 28: General appropriations bill, supplemental appropriations bill, and school finance bill available to legislators by calendared floor time and final action taken on each bill by calendared closing time.
- Mar 2: Second supplemental appropriations bill available to legislators by calendared floor time and final action taken by noon.
- Mar 2:  2005 legislative session ends.
- Mar 12:  Davis County Democrats “No Host” breakfast/monthly food drive, 8:30 am, Grannie Annie’s restaurant, 286 N 400 W, Kaysville.  The public is invited and everyone is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the food banks in Davis County.
- Mar 22:  Last day governor may sign or veto bills.

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