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(The Exoro Group is sponsoring a series of Issue Essays on public policy topics of importance to us and our clients.) |
Issue Focus: Utah’s Transportation Vision
By LaVarr Webb |
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An historic opportunity awaits Utah’s policymakers to build out a transportation infrastructure that will serve the state’s needs for decades to come. See sponsored essay below.
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News
Highlights
Tooele Mayor Charlie Roberts to resign, take job with State Tax Commission (Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News).
S.L. County Council, Weber County Commission approve new electronic voting machines (Morning News and Tribune).
In wake of high gas prices, commuter rail can’t come soon enough, says Morning News editorial that encourages use of mass transit.
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Quote of the Day
“This year, the Utah State Fair is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The fair is the largest single yearly event in Utah. And you and your family couldn't get more value for your dollar.”
-- Lorin L. Moench Jr., chairman of the board of the Utah State Fairpark, inviting Utahns to attend the fair in a Morning News op-ed piece.
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Wednesday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates |
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Washington Watch
Hatch Readies for Roberts’ Confirmation
Sen. Orrin Hatch released a statement
Monday, saying Judge John Roberts will make an exceptional Chief Justice, succeeding William Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court:
"Judge Roberts knows the Supreme Court as well as anyone in America, having argued 39 cases before it and having clerked for the late Chief Justice Rehnquist himself. I trust Judge Roberts to guide the Court as soundly as did his mentor, and I hope and expect my colleagues will treat his nomination as Chief Justice with the respect and dignity it deserves."
Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Bennett released a statement
expressing his gratitude for Rehnquist’s “outstanding service to our nation.”
State GOP Senators Raise $50,000
Utah’s GOP Senate majority raised about $50,000 Tuesday during its 5th annual golf tournament at Thanksgiving Point. About 34 foursomes competed for $1,700 in cash prizes. The tourney is a fundraiser for GOP candidates, but Sen. Dan Eastman said part of this year’s proceeds (approximately $5,000 to $6,000) will go directly to hurricane Katrina evacuees living at Camp Williams.
With a senator stationed at every hole, tourney participants could talk golf or politics or whatever burning issues were on their minds. And just to show that Republicans know how to have fun, a light-hearted auction was held at the tournament’s end. With Eastman as auctioneer, top bidder/lobbyist Doug Foxley paid $500 to see what is on Sen. Pete Knudson’s mind (literally). Knudson was a good sport and uncovered his bald head beneath the shag.
Political Tip
Learn From Losing
In politics, no one wins every single battle they engage in. Columnist George Will once said that politics is much more like baseball than football. Football has relatively few games and if you lose a half dozen the season is lost. Baseball has over 160 games and even the best teams lose several dozen.
In politics there are many votes to make, many battles to fight, many opponents to deal with. Along the way there will be losses. The trick is to learn from those losses and emerge a better leader and policymaker over the long run.
In a Campaigns & Elections magazine article, Matt Lewis wrote, “Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln all lost political campaigns before achieving their destiny. Reagan lost in 1976, but won in 1980. Churchill (who was turned out as prime minister after defeating the Nazis) persevered and became prime minister again. And every schoolchild knows the story of all the losses and hardships endured by Abraham Lincoln. These men became great because they had to endure what Churchill vividly referred to as his ‘wilderness years.’
“On a lighter note, basketball coach Rick Pitino puts it this way: ‘Everything I’ve learned about coaching I’ve learned from making mistakes.’ What makes the person is not whether you fail, but rather it’s how you handle adversity and what you learn from it that counts.”
Reader Participation
How Do You Stay Informed?
UPD reader Dana Dickson, a Republican activist, made this suggestion: “I noticed a reference to Campaign & Elections magazine in one of your Utah Policy newsletters and it brought a question to mind. Have you ever asked your readers for websites and publications that they know of that help them with campaigns and candidates? This would be great information for all of us and especially for anyone considering running for an elected position any time soon.”
So, readers, how about helping Dana out by shooting a quick e-mail to daily@utahpolicy.com, listing a few favorite books, magazines, newspapers, Web sites, etc., that help you stay up-to-speed on politics and campaigns. We’ll pass on your suggestions to the UPD readership.
Now You Know
The town of Stockton in Tooele County was founded by General Patrick Connor, who arrived in the area in 1862. He named the area Stockton, it is told, because he loved Stockton, California so much. In 1865, a find of lead and silver was the beginning for the Great Basin Mine and the Honorine Mine, making this the first mining town in Utah. One of Utah’s most famous and unique geological features is the Stockton Sand Bar located northwest of town. It is a flat topped bar of sand and gravel deposited by Lake Bonneville at its highest peak.
(Source: Local Government Directory, Utah League of Cities & Towns) |
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Issue Focus:
Utah’s Transportation Vision
Sponsored Essay by LaVarr Webb
Utah currently enjoys a vibrant economy that ideally will continue for many years. The very best hope for increased education funding allowing higher teacher salaries and smaller class sizes is a healthy economy that produces higher tax revenues. The potential for such continued growth is excellent. One dark cloud on the economic horizon, however, is a pending transportation crisis that could cripple mobility, slow the delivery of goods and services, and waste the time of commuters traveling to jobs and appointments.
It is somewhat ironic that in an age of telecommuting, videoconferencing and all manner of digital communications, mobility has become even more important. We are a state of travelers. A strong economy fuels increased travel in many ways. The more affluent and prosperous we become, the more cars we have and the more we travel. The number of delivery trucks, large and small, is expected to double in Utah over the next several years. From 1990 to 2010 (projected), the state’s population will grow by 60%; while vehicle miles traveled will grow 100%. Tellingly, in the same period state highway lane miles will increase only 5%. So while highway travel will double, the capacity of state highways will increase only 5%. That enormous disparity cannot continue for long or gridlock will set in.
As many of our political leaders have said, the answer to the looming transportation crisis is not simply more highways. The answer is use of “smart growth” concepts, increased mass transit, and still we will clearly need more highway capacity. A proper mix of roads and mass transit is crucial. This is not an either-or situation. To cope with the dramatically increased mobility needs of society, and to keep the economy rolling, increased mass transit, smart planning, AND more highway capacity will be needed.
While in some states the transportation situation is so bad as to be overwhelming, in Utah we still control our destiny and we can maintain vital mobility. But it won’t be easy and it will require more money, meaning some form of tax/fee increases. We have, over the next few years, an unprecedented opportunity to seize control of the problem and resolve it for the next couple of decades, by which time new technologies may be in place to allow us to dramatically increase ridership density on our highways and transit infrastructure.
Luckily, we seem to have in Utah the leadership commitment from all sectors – state government, local governments, business leaders and informed citizens – to do some big thinking and big action over the next few years.
The needs, plans and projections are not being evaluated and developed in any arbitrary fashion. Local governments, through their regional planning associations, have been researching, projecting, and quantifying the growth scenarios, needs and alternatives for a number of years. Individual businesses and various business associations and chambers of commerce have made mobility and transportation among their top priorities. They want to accelerate construction of Utah’s critical transportation projects so they are in use within 10 years, rather than 25 or 30 years. A critical mass of support exists for this fast-track program that must not be squandered.
The needs are great enough that current revenue sources will simply not be enough. The Legislature is wisely considering innovative financing opportunities, including tolling and private investment in critical infrastructure through public/private partnerships. Utah has also been very successful in obtaining significant federal support for the state’s transportation needs.
Even with all of that, Utah citizens and policymakers need to get used to two words: tax increase. There is simply no realistic scenario to keep up with the demands of the traveling public without some combination of tax/fee boosts. A variety of revenue enhancements have been studied to increase funding for transportation infrastructure, and decisions will need to be made relatively soon.
Imagine the day in the not-so-distant future where 90% of the citizens of Salt Lake County, for example, will live within one mile of a major mass transit stop or station (light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit, etc.) when the light rail and commuter rails spurs and extensions are all built out. Imagine a completed Legacy Parkway through Davis County and a new Mountain View Corridor through the west side of Salt Lake County. Imagine Utah County’s immense traffic jam-ups on I-15 being resolved.
It is a compelling vision that transportation officials are prepared to fulfill over the next several years if the right levels of funding can be obtained. |
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Wednesday
September 7, 2005
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KCPW Radio 1010AM · 88.3FM · 105.3FM
Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com
- Sep 7: Lt. Gov. Herbert will participate in the Utah Energy Forum during the Wasatch Environmental Breakfast, 8 am, University of Utah's Panorama Room.
- Sep 7: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.
- Sep 7: Lt. Gov. Herbert to Chair the quarterly Capitol Preservation Board Meeting, 3 pm, State Capitol.
- Sep 8: Utah Intergovernmental Roundtable Annual Summit, 8 am-1:30 pm, at the Delta Center in SLC. An overview of RDA's and Tax Increment Financing, plus a stakeholder panel on the pros and cons of RDA's, moderated by a professional mediator. Speakers include Lane Beattie, Salt Lake Chamber, Robyn Bagley, Citizens Coalition for RDA Reform, Randy Sant, Sandy City, Larry Newton, Utah State Office of Education, Larry Ellertson, Utah County, Howard Stephenson, Utah State Senate (invited), Curtis Bramble, Utah State Senate, Lincoln Shurtz, Utah League of Cities and Towns. For more information: www.cppa.utah.edu/uir/, or send email to Jolaine (jrandall@cppa.utah.edu).
- Sep 8: 2005 Sutherland Transcend Series,"The Rules of the Game - Applying Processes Effectively," Breakfast Keynote from 8:30 to 9:30 am, Morning Seminar from 9:40 to 11:30 am, Lunch from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, Afternoon Workshop from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. For more information contact Stan Rasmussen at 801-355-1272, email si@sutherlandinstitute.org, or view brochure here.
- Sep 8: Privately Owned Health Care Organization Task Force, 1 pm, room W135.
- Sep 8: Davis County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, 1617 North 350 East, Layton.
- Sep 9-10: Lt. Gov. Herbert to lead a delegation of Utah Legislators to Texas to discuss opportunities in transportation for public/private partnerships and to tour various forward-thinking transportation projects underway in Texas. The Utah delegation will be joined by the Texas Lt. Gov, as well as key Texas Legislators and policy makers.
- Sep 9: Tax Review Commission, 1 pm, room W125.
- Sep 9: Salt Lake County Republican Party Constitution Day Celebration Family BBQ Night, 6:30 pm, Murray City Park, 5125 S. State Street, Pavilion #5. For more information contact Wanda I. Carrasquillo at 801- 879-7340 or wcarrasq@qwest.net
- Sep 10: 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.
- Sep 10: Constitution Party of Utah State Convention, 8 am to 2 pm, 2001 S. State Street, North building, Salt Lake City. Keynote speakers will be Steve Pratt and Jim Norlander.
- Sep 10: Salt Lake County Republican Central Committee Meeting, 9 am, Hillcrest Junior High, 123 East 5600 South.
- Sep 12: Lt. Gov. Herbert will keynote the Annual Meeting of the Western States Association of Tax Administrators, 7:45 am, Downtown Marriott, 75 West South Temple.
- Sep 12: Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel, 10 am, room W020.
- Sep 13: Special Districts Subcommittee of the Political Subdivisions Interim Committee, 9 am, room W110.
- Sep 13: Administrative Rules Review Committee, 9 am, room W135.
- Sep 13: Policy Round Table, 11:45 to 1:15 pm, Alta Club, 100 East South Temple, Salt Lake City. Topic is "RDAs: Whose money is it, anyway?" Speakers include Curtis S. Bramble, Utah State Senator and C.P.A. and Liane Stillman, Manager, City of Cottonwood Heights. For more information call Mark Crockett at 801-550-5343 or Dan Burton at 801-358-3613 or email policy.round.table@gmail.com
- Sep 13: Retirement and Independent Entities Interim Committee, 1 pm, room W135.
- Sep 13: Sage Greens Local Meeting, 7 pm, Coffee Club, 4879 South Redwood Road.
- Sep 13: Utah Citizens Alliance Monthly Meeting, 7 pm, Utah State Bar (Law and Justice Center), 645 S 200 E, Salt Lake City. Speaker: Jared Horne from Sterling Financial Group. Topic: Planning financially for the future and how to wisely invest a settlement. For more information contact LaRee Miller at 801-521-1749 or laree@utahcitizensalliance.org.
- Sep 14: Lt. Gov. Herbert to speak to the State Fire Chiefs Association, 10:30 am, Sheraton City Center, 150 W 500 S, Salt Lake City.
- Sep 14: Utah Petroleum Association Annual Meeting "Refining the Future," 12 pm, Little America Hotel. Keynote Speaker is Mr. Bill Haywood, Senior V.P. of Refining for Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company. For more information contact Lee Peacock at 801-364-1510 or lpeacock@utahpetroleum.org.
- Sep 14: Lt. Gov. Herbert to meet with the 5-County AOG in Beaver to discuss transportation issues, 1 pm, 105 E Center Street, Beaver.
- Sep 15: Lt. Gov. Herbert to participate in the Department of Public Safety's "Statewide Continuity and Emergency Preparedness" conference, 8am, Radisson, 215 W South Temple, Salt Lake City.
- Sep 15: Lt. Gov. Herbert to meet with the Southeastern Utah AOG in Price to discuss transportation issues, 1 pm, 375 S. Carbon Avenue, Price.
- Sep 15: Weber County Libertarian Party meeting, 6 pm, Etched in Stone Design, 2031 Lincoln Avenue, Ogden.
- Sep 15: Republican Party Executive Committee Meeting, 6 pm.
- Sep 19-23: Utah Legislators Back to School Program "Kick-off Week."
- Sep 19: Democrats of Southern Utah Monthly Meeting, 11:30 am, Dixie Center, 1835 Convention Center Drive. The speaker is Dr. Joseph Jarvis, co-founder Utah Health Alliance and the topic is "New Health Care Plan." For reservations call Jan Patrick by September 15th at 435-652-2096.
- Sep 19: Tourism Task Force, 1 pm, room W110.
- Sep 20: Government Records Access and Management Task Force, 1:30 pm, room W125.
- Sep 20: Holding Power Accountable: Setting Utility Rates, 7 to 8:30 pm, Salt Lake City Main Library, 4th Floor Conference Room, 210 E 400 S. Common Cause of Utah hosts Roger Bell, Former Director of the Utah Committee of Consumer Services. Learn why it is important for Utah consumers to have independent representation when it comes to utility rate making. Light refreshments and conversation to follow. Free and open to the public. For more information contact Chriss Meecham at 801-583-1699 or christine.meecham@comcast.net.
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| - See the entire calendar
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