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Review Past UPD Editions Several UPD readers have asked how they can read past editions. It’s easy. Just click Newsletter Archive in the blue navigation bar below the UtahPolicy.com masthead and you can read any of the 417 editions (counting today’s) that have been published so far.
Holiday Schedule Utah Policy Daily will take Monday, Jan. 2, off and resume publishing on Tuesday. |
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News Highlights Political columnist Bob Bernick makes predictions for 2006, including possibility that Orrin Hatch and Chris Cannon will have tough re-election battles (Deseret Morning News). During Legislature, about 150 Capitol Hill employees will move to temporary quarters to free up parking space (Salt Lake Tribune). Hunstmans to adopt a child from India (Morning News). Main Street Plaza fight finally ends (Tribune). According to report, Utah's economy should continue to grow in '06, though not with '05's fervor (Morning News). |
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Quote of the Day "I remember him as a great man who was a compassionate person. He would jump into a fray without thinking too much about it. And sometimes it got him in trouble. He wouldn't pass up a chance to tilt at windmills." -- Mike Deamer, commenting
on former Utah Attorney General Robert B. Hansen,
who died Christmas Day at age 80. Deamer served as Hansen’s
chief deputy. |
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| Friday Buzz Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates |
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Goodby, 2005 Well, this is the last edition of UPP for 2005. It’s amazing how fast time flies when you get to be an old duffer like me. It seems we barely celebrated the turn of the century and now we’re going to be six years into it. 2005 wasn’t a major political year, but it featured some spirited and surprising municipal races and there was a lot of jockeying for position looking forward to 2006. The biggest political star of 2005 was the economy, which shrugged off war, political instability, incredible natural disasters, and skyrocketing energy prices to emerge solid and growing. The strong economy will clearly be a bright spot for beleaguered national Republicans in 2006, and it might help them retain control of Congress. The Utah economy is even better than the national economy and it is spinning off tax revenues at rates never before seen. The Legislature has enough money to really make a dent in major needs like transportation infrastructure and investment in the USTAR economic development initiative if lawmakers choose to invest in the future rather than grant a big election-year tax cut. The Legislature’s Tax Reform Task Force did some hard work in 2005. Even if the many hours of study and debate don’t lead to major changes in tax policy, it will have been worth the effort. We need to look carefully at tax policy every so often if only to confirm that our system is pretty good, after all. A new state administration got off the ground in 2005. You can argue that the Jon Huntsman Administration start was a bit shaky, but you have to cut a new governor a bit of slack. What’s more, who can argue with Huntsman’s very healthy approval ratings, which place him among the nation’s most popular governors. Among other top politicians, Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson continues to be an approval ratings star, making him tough to beat in 2006. Sen. Orrin Hatch has worked extremely hard to set up himself up for a cruise to victory and another six years (36 total) in the U.S. Senate. The maneuverings in the 3rd Congressional District, with John Jacob and Curt Bramble likely to take on Rep. Chris Cannon, make it the race to watch next year. All in all, 2005 was a good year for Utah and for most Utah political and government leaders. And Happy New Year to all Utah Policy Daily readers. Blog Watch Gary Thornock has a post on the "achievement gap" in education... The Libertatarian Party of Utah's Rob Latham has a long, involved post on liberty and freedom in '06... The Warren has more on stupid dog owners... At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Sheldon Killpack responds to Trib story on his toll highway bill... Charley Foster looks at Rep. David Ure's mandatory death sentence for child killers idea... SLCSpin wonders about the dearth of Sen. Chris Buttars supporters online... Sen. Scott McCoy's personalized license plate idea is spreading... The Keller Political Report predicts a Sen. Orrin Hatch reelection landslide in '06. Now You Know The town of Alton is a livestock and ranching community in southern Utah, 20 miles northeast of Glendale. When naming the city, many names were discussed but none were accepted for Alton-to-be, until a drawing was held at a community social in 1912. Among the names submitted for the drawing was one submitted by Charles Pugh, who had been reading a book about the Alton Fjord in Norway, known for the height of its surrounding mountains. A two year old child drew the name from a hat. (Source: Local Government Directory, Utah League of Cities & Towns) |
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Friday
December 30, 2005
Exoro Group is a major sponsor of UPD
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| Political Calendar |
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Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com - Dec 30,
31: Wasatch County Democratic Party Phone Network. To help
contact Lisa Teifke at 435-785-7850 or lisa_f_teifke@fanniemae.com. -
Jan 3: Lt. Gov. Herbert to attend the Southwest
Utah Planning Authorities Council, 12 p.m., 1070 W 1600 S, in St.
George. |
| - See the entire calendar |
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