News Highlights

Sen. Orrin Hatch proposes creation of U.S. property ombudsman (Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News).

Environmentalists sue to protect the Deseret milk-vetch (Morning News and Tribune).

Standard-Examiner editorial chides Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon for voting against Rep. Jim Matheson’s motion to force a vote on congressional pay hike.

Quote of the Day

"People think you're going on vacation. I'd much rather be in Gary, Ind., or something."

-- SL County chief administrative officer Doug Willmore, complaining about the Hawaii location of this year’s National Association of Counties convention (Tribune).

Blog Watch
Power Lunch Details Revealed
So this is how the buzz circulates: Rep. Steve Urquhart sent me an e-mail Tuesday night, saying, “I blogged about your blog on my blog. Thanks for the mention.” So now I’m writing about his blog about my blog on his blog. Anyway, he was referring to the UPD item last Friday about him possibly running for the U.S. Senate against Orrin Hatch, and having lunch with Pete Ashdown, the Democratic candidate. In his most recent post, Urquhart quotes from my piece and says that since it ran, “People have been calling nonstop for more details. Okay. I had a cheese sandwich and bean soup.”

Urquhart also has a long post about how environmental extremists are ruining the rangeland. Meanwhile, Rep. John Dougall seems to still be at Scout camp. We might need to send a search party. Also good reading at State of the Beehive and SLCSPIN.

Media Watch
Dueling Business E-Mail Newsletters
Connect magazine and Digital IQ magazine compete head-to-head in covering high-tech business in Utah. Now they also compete with free daily e-mail newsletters featuring links to high-tech business news and events. The Connect newsletter can be sampled here. To subscribe, click here. The Digital IQ newsletter can be sampled here. To subscribe, click here. Neither newsletter is really comprehensive, but they are worth a look.

Washington Watch
Hatch Irked by Proposed Program Cut
A White House plan to cut the budget for "High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area" programs by 56 percent has Sen. Orrin Hatch and other Republicans carping, says a Denver Post syndicated column. “It's no secret that I'm very disappointed in our current drug czar's recommendation," Hatch said. The Rocky Mountain program, which serves Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Montana, would not likely withstand the budget cuts, according to the column.

Small Scale Oil Shale
Rep. Chris Cannon says the Department of Interior is contemplating 160-acre research and development leases of oil-shale lands, which is too small a scale to provide a lot of information. Cannon was interviewed by the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. “Squeezing oil from oil shale will take up large chunks of land and pose some environmental hurdles,” said Cannon.

Still Dreamin’
The Washington Times kindly mentions Sen. Hatch’s “Dream Act” legislation in a story about illegal alien Marie Gonzalez, 19, whose deportation order was delayed for a year while her parents were deported yesterday to Costa Rica. Rep. Cannon, who proposed a House version of the bill said, “The real tragic thing is, of course, that you have these children who had nothing to do with coming here and breaking the law in the first place and are some of our brightest students, and down the line they get sent back."

Meanwhile, Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney drew fire in a related story dreams out of the Boston Globe—a young, talented girl (illegal immigrant) attending high school in Massachusetts excelled, so Romney awarded her with the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, only to rescind the scholarship because the girl is an illegal immigrant.

Reader Response
Now I Feel Just Like a Libertarian
J. Robert Latham, chair, Libertarian Party of Utah: “I enjoyed reading your commentary on the Newspaper Agency Corporation's refusal to run ads from Utah Policy Daily. The anti-competitive nature of the NAC's Joint Operating Agreement hurts news consumers and advertisers alike in Utah. Perhaps this experience will give you some sense of what it’s like for Libertarians faced with an electoral system that gives only two parties a realistic chance of winning election, or what we feel when we see a weekly column in a newspaper or public affairs program on television featuring the viewpoints of only Republicans and Democrats, or when our candidates are excluded from political debates. Cheers.”

Mr. Latham also mentioned that he has a blog called "Liberty for Utahns" that can be found at the Libertarian Web site.

Thanks to Those Who Serve Without Fanfare
Rep. Steve Mascaro: “Before I shoot off for the holiday weekend, I wanted to thank you and your staff for UPD. I read it every morning. It is extremely useful to me as a Legislator as well as humorous and insightful. Despite the fact that I sometime receive mail or other correspondence to Steve "Jones-Mascaro" I have a wife of 38 years who is an elementary school teacher with 25 years of experience. As a Legislator her insights have been invaluable to me and, I believe, make us one of those unheralded political couples that impact our political process. I work hard to try and do the right things for my constituents in West Jordan and Midvale. I truly believe there are so many more public servants like myself at the local and state level that just quietly go our way trying to do the right thing without a lot of fanfare. I mean no disrespect for those who seek higher office or the limelight. Nor do I expect you to try and identify the hundreds of public servants the public hardly ever hears of, but I personally appreciate those who simply agree to serve, do their best and go home. That is what I intend to do, and I think what most of my public servant colleagues intend to do. My hat is off to them. Thank you for UPD. It is a GREAT way to start the day.”

Utah Hosts International Broadband Conference
Utah’s municipal broadband initiatives UTOPIA and iProvo will be in the spotlight when the International Broadband Cities conference comes to Utah Sept. 19-21 at the E-Center in West Valley City. See Digital IQ story. This annual conference will bring in mayors, council members and other municipal leaders from around the world to focus on bringing ultra-broadband into communities. It is sponsored by the Smart Community International Network. For conference details, click here.

Campaign Tip
Financial Reporting Laws
(From How to Win a Local Election by Judge Lawrence Grey)
The money you get or the money you spend in your campaign that violates the financial reporting requirements of your state can be fatal for you as a candidate. Basically, financial reporting laws are do-gooder legislation, an attempt by social scientists to eliminate the political advantage people with money have over the people without money. The simple fact is that people with money always have the advantage—in food, housing, education, health care, but above all in politics. If this seems a bit cynical, it is because these laws, like most laws adopted by reformers, tend to go overboard. Although robbers and rapists are entitled to a presumption of innocence, financial reporting laws are premised on the presumption of guilt—that anyone who runs for public office must be either a liar or a thief. While there is no doubt that large amounts of money can affect the outcome of an election, in many small local races the financial reporting laws are little more than pitfalls for the inexperienced candidate. These requirements are something you have to find out for yourself. You cannot rely on what someone tells you. Nor can you rely on what was done in the past, because the financial reporting laws are often amended. You have to get a copy of the campaign finance reporting law, read it, understand it, and follow it exactly.

National Media Watch

Utahns in the Administration
National Journal Weekly (subscription required) recently published a 215-page special report profiling the top “decision-makers” in the Bush administration – 367 of them. It’s quite a journalistic achievement, doing profiles of 367 people in the White House, Cabinet departments, and federal agencies and commissions. I didn’t go through every page to see what Utahns are included, but the usual suspects are there: HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, his chief of staff Rich McKeown, and BLM Director Kathleen Clarke. All three got nice photos in the publication.

Leavitt is described as “a Bush administration loyalist who closely tracks White House policy . . . Leavitt is usually . . . careful and controlled in his public comments. He’s always in search of the perfect anecdote to make his case as part of a finely tuned public-relations plan. He is considered a focused, corporate-style manager who doesn’t spread himself too thin.” Mckeown describes his role as being “the offensive coordinator for (Leavitt’s) agenda.” He is portrayed as “clearly the secretary’s most trusted advisor. He knows what the secretary wants to get done.” Clarke is the “manager of over 260 million acres of Western public lands.” She said she has a good understanding of westerners’ “values and their interests and their reliance on public lands.”

Local Headlines

Deseret Morning News

- Are a million Utahns at risk from an attack?

- Endangered Utah flower gets its very own lawsuit

- Hatch backs property rights

- Is O'Connor resignation a boon to Bush?

- Editorial: Fund treatment of predators
- Utah's U.S. judges show wide-ranging wealth ranges
- Meth arrests soar--highest increase in nation
- Four finalists for Dixie State president
- Kaysville OKs turning library over to county

Standard-Examiner

- Mixed reaction expected on same-sex marriage vote

- Editorial: Purchasing power

Salt Lake Tribune

- Hatch seeks U.S. property ombudsman

- Greens sue to protect rare wildflower

- Tropical convention catches flak

- Editorial: Sandy Referendum: Council should place development on November ballot
- New SLC transit hub is dedicated
- Low-rent housing threatened? SLC poised to demolish hotels
- Kaysville Council votes for library merger
- Four are finalists for president of Dixie State College

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- July 7: Privately Owned Health Care Organization Task Force, 9 am, room W135.
- July 7: Washington County Republican Women Luncheon, 12 pm, Bloomington Country Club.
- July 8: Green Party of Utah free movie screening of Unconstitutional, 7:30 pm, Free Speech Zone, 2144 South Highland Drive, Suite 130, Salt Lake City.  For more information call 801-502-8556 or gpu@gput.org.
- July 9: Davis County Democrats Monthly Breakfast, 8:30 am, Grannie Annie's Restaurant, 286 N. 400 West, Kaysville. Held the 2nd Saturday every month. Bring an item of food (non-perishable) for the Davis County Food Bank.
- July 11:  Legislative Process Committee meeting, 2 pm, room W125.
- July 12: Utah Technology Commission, 9 am, room W110.
- July 12: Sage Greens Local Meeting, 7 pm, Coffee Club, 4879 South Redwood Road.
- July 12: "Meet the Candidates" night for the new Kearns Community Council, 7 pm, Kearns Olympic Oval, second floor. 
- July 13:  Several legislative meetings scheduled today.  See legislative calendar for details. 
- July 14:  Washington County Republican Party Summer Leadership Appreciation Social
at Vernon Worthen Park. 
- July 14: 2005 Sutherland Transcend Series,"Civility, Integrity and Politics - Being an Authentic Citizen," breakfast and morning seminar begins at 8:30 am.  For more information contact Lisa Montgomery at 801-355-1272 or email si@sutherlandinstitute.org.
- July 14:  Davis County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, 1617 North 350 East, Layton. 
- July 15: Southern Utah Democrats Social Action Committee meeting, 10 am, JB's Restaurant.
- July 15: Tax Review Commission, 1 pm, room W125.
- July 15-Aug 15: Candidates wishing to run for a municipal office this year need to file a Declaration of Candidacy with their municipal clerk.
- July 18: Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel, 1 pm, room W020.
- July 18: Southern Utah Democrats Executive Committee meeting, 6:15 pm, Santa Clara Library.
- July 19:  Utah County Planning Commission meeting, Utah County Administration building, 100 East Center, Commission Chambers. 
- July 19: Executive Appropriations Committee meeting, 12:30 pm, room W135, House building. 
- July 19: State Senate Democratic Caucus A Midsummer Night's Dream, 5 pm to 7 pm, Baci Trattoria, 134 W. Pierpont Ave (250 S), Salt Lake City. Contact Sen. Gene Davis at 801-573-6672 or wgdavis@msn.com
- July 19: Utah House Republicans Third Annual Bowler's Ball, 6:30 pm, Shepherd's All Star Lanes in West Jordan.  Interested parties should contact Kat Dayton at 801-580-4743.
- July 20: Legislative Interim Committee Day.
- July 21: Weber County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, Etched in Stone Design, 2031 Lincoln Avenue, Ogden.
- July 27-29:  Utah Association of Counties 2005 Recorders Summer Workshop, Cache Administration Building, 179 North Main, Logan. Contact Calleen Peshell for more details at 435-843-3180 or cpeshell@co.tooele.ut.us
- July 29: Filing Deadline for Candidates, Platform Amendments, and Resolution Amendments to the State Organizing Convention, 5 pm.
- Aug 2: Second "Meet the Candidates" night for the new Kearns Community Council.  More information to follow.
- Aug 4: Legislative Golf Tournament. Thanksgiving Point at Lehi, Utah.

- Aug 4: Washington County Republican Women Luncheon, 12 pm, Bloomington Country Club.
- Aug 5: Utah Hispanic Democratic Caucus Summer Fundraiser, 5:30 to 8 pm, Greenstreet at Trolley Square, 602 East 500 South, Salt Lake City.  Suggested contribution is $20.00 and food will be provided.  For more information contact Clayton A. Simms at 359-0404 or Clayton960@qwest.net.
- Aug 6: Utah County Libertarian Party meeting, 10 am, Golden Corral, 225 West University Parkway, Orem.
- Aug 11: 2005 Sutherland Transcend Series,"Contours of the Rule of Law - Understanding Legal Frameworks," breakfast and morning seminar begins at 8:30 am.  For more information contact Lisa Montgomery at 801-355-1272 or email si@sutherlandinstitute.org.
- Aug 11: Davis County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, 1617 North 350 East, Layton. 
- Aug 12: Deadline for Republican County Parties to certify their state delegates to State Party Offices.
- Aug 13: Davis County Democrats Monthly Breakfast, 8:30 am, Grannie Annie's Restaurant, 286 N. 400 West, Kaysville. Held the 2nd Saturday every month. Bring an item of food (non-perishable) for the Davis County Food Bank.
- Aug 18:  Weber County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, Etched in Stone Design, 2031 Lincoln Avenue, Ogden.
- Aug 20: Special Initiatives Office fundraiser held by Gov. Jon Huntsman. 6:30 p.m. at the USANA Amphitheater. James Taylor will perform after dinner. Call 521-8500, or e-mail: tara@farbmanhopkins.com.

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Utah Policy Daily is a service
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Publisher: LaVarr Webb
Editor: Paul Hollingshead
News: Golden Webb
Calendar and Subscriptions: Luci Webb