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USTAR Update
USU Praises Passage of USTAR Initiative
Utah State University administrators are confident that the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative, which was passed by the Utah legislature on Wednesday, March 1, will translate into long-term economic benefits for the state.
“The state’s investment in university research will result in new discoveries, high-tech companies and high-paying jobs,” said Stan Albrecht, president of Utah State University. “We are extremely pleased by the passage of USTAR.”
Senate Bill 75, the USTAR bill sponsored by Senator Al Mansell and Rep. David Clark, is designed to help Utah keep pace in scientific research and technological advancement — directly translating to a stronger economy, high-paying jobs, increased tax revenue and better quality of life.
“More than 30 states and many nations around the world have implemented aggressive investment strategies in high technology,” said Brent Miller, vice president for research at Utah State. “Through USTAR, the state is increasing our competitiveness so that Utah will not be left behind and so that we can lead out in targeted areas.”
The bill allocates funding for research teams and facilities at the University of Utah and Utah State University, as well as technology innovation centers located at strategic locations throughout the state. University researchers will make discoveries and inventions that can be commercialized in new businesses and industries.
Conservative projections developed by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research suggest that in 30 years the USTAR investment will create 123,400 new jobs in the state of Utah and generate $5 billion in new tax revenues.
At USU, the USTAR initiative will greatly enhance efforts already being taken to help commercialize faculty research, such as the expansion of USU’s research park, Innovation Campus, from 36 to more than150 acres.
“In the past three years, we’ve increased incentives for researchers to bring their technologies to market,” said Steven Kubisen, director of technology commercialization at Utah State. “USTAR represents the next big step in our ability to provide more economic benefits for the state.”
In 2005, the state legislature allocated $1.6 million to USU for initial USTAR investments. USU is using that money to recruit its first new research teams.
“USU has identified several areas of research strength, including microbe biotechnology, nutrition research and intelligent systems, in which research teams are being recruited to specifically enhance and augment technology development,” said Ann Aust, associate vice president for research at Utah State. “These are areas of competitive advantage for USU with the greatest potential for economic development.”
“As these investments are made, we are expanding our research capacity and creating more opportunities for scientific discoveries that will lead to new technologies and businesses,” said Miller. “At the same time, we are bringing world-class researchers and equipment to the state’s university students.”
“The successful creation of USTAR can largely be credited to Utah’s business and community leaders,” said Albrecht. “We appreciate their vision and effort in promoting the state’s long-term economic development.”
USTAR has been championed by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Information Technology Association, the Utah Life Science Association, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and local chambers of commerce throughout the state.
“We especially appreciate Scott Anderson, CEO of Zions Bank; Dinesh Patel, partner at vSpring Capital; Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce; and Richard Nelson, CEO of the Utah Information Technology Association,” said Miller. “They have been tireless in promoting USTAR.”
“USTAR is a key element in Gov. Huntsman’s economic development plan, and we are proud to be a part of it,” said Albrecht.
See also Logan Herald Journal story.
Candidate Tracking Service
Check out our candidate tracking service and let us know about people who are considering running for office by e-mailing daily@utahpolicy.com.
Legislators: Complete Your Profile
We have published a number of profiles of state legislators, but not all of them. Now that the session is over, we have revised the survey slightly because not all of the original questions are still relevant. Any lawmaker who would like to complete a profile should e-mail us at daily@utahpolicy.com and we’ll send the new survey. We would like to publish profiles of any legislators who have not yet been featured.
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News Highlights
Education advocates criticize the 2006 Legislature for doing little to close the achievement gap between Utah Anglo students and some ethnic minorities (Salt Lake Tribune).
John Florez calls on Draper to make DI “an expression of the values of Draper citizens (Deseret Morning News).
In spite of unprecedented support in the House for lobbyist reform, Senate leaders "brutalized" ethical standard bills in committee and hid them away from a full Senate debate (Tribune). |
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Paid
For by Jana Truman For Davis County Commission
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Quote of the Day
“We didn't realize ‘principle’ was so fluid.”
-- Standard-Examiner editorial accusing Sen. Curt Bramble of hypocrisy for exempting the old Geneva Steel property from his redevelopment legislation. |
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Monday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates |
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The Week Ahead
Lots of political events this week (see entire calendar), but the biggest deal is the beginning of the candidate filing period on Tuesday, running through March 17.
2006: The Year of New Media in the Legislature
You didn’t need to read a newspaper or watch TV newscasts to stay reasonably well informed about what was happening in the 2006 legislative session. Legislative leaders and staff made good use of new direct-to-consumer communications channels allowing citizens to get their legislative information unfiltered by the traditional news media.
The 2006 session will be remembered for a lot of things, and one of them ought to be the year that New Media broke through the Mainstream Media monopoly on legislative coverage. Never again will citizens have to rely solely upon newspapers and radio/TV for legislative news.
The traditional news media are still the dominant players, of course, and the vast majority of Utahns still received their legislative news through newspapers and radio/TV. I would still encourage anyone who wants to be well informed to read a good newspaper every day. To their credit, the newspapers still devote a lot of space and staff effort to legislative coverage, probably a lot more than is actually warranted by reader interest. The newspapers did a good job of summarizing a day’s worth of legislative action in a nice package each morning. And the editorial writers and columnists kept things interesting with their commentary.
But this was the year the New Media came into their own, and their readership/viewership and influence will only become greater in the years to come. This year you could watch and listen to all of the floor action in the House and Senate from your home or office computer linked to the Internet. You could also listen to audio of committee meetings. And the Legislature’s excellent bill tracking system meant it was fairly simple to know what bills were coming up in committees or on the floor so you could watch and listen to what you were really interested in without wasting time on other things.
In addition to watching or hearing live legislative action, followers of legislative happenings could also read the blogs of the House and Senate majorities. The Senate Site blog and the House Majority blog gave the lawmakers their own direct channels to communicate with citizens. They could even talk back to the traditional news media, pointing out errors and making corrections. They could put their own spin on controversial issues and even “scoop” the traditional media on big announcements.
The Senate Site blog, operated by Ric Cantrell, was particularly effective in delivering messages from the Senate majority. The site was a must-read for followers of the Legislature. It also featured audio and video clips and was entertaining as well as informative. The House majority staffers didn’t have enough time to do as much on their blog, but they still produced substantive information.
In reality, these in-house communications channels, while terrific for a first attempt, were rudimentary and unsophisticated. The staffers (and interns) producing them were mostly untrained and had a lot of other duties. But consider the possibilities.
Suppose the Legislature decides to get a lot more serious about communicating directly with the public and hires some professional media people. With the inexpensive tools available today they could produce their own audio, video and text stories on all the big issues at the Capitol and have it up and available on-line as quickly as the Mainstream Media. In addition to audio and video feeds of committee meetings and floor action, senators and representatives could be interviewed about all sorts of issues and the Legislature could easily produce its own newscast, with text, audio and video. A senator could decide to do a press conference on an amendment to a bill and even if none of the Mainstream Media show up, the event could be broadcast live and then posted for download on demand.
In addition to the House and Senate blogs, a handful of individual legislators had their own blogs that they used effectively. Rep. Steve Urquhart, for example, “live-blogged” a day’s worth of action, posting new information at short intervals throughout the day.
Also, a dozen or so private bloggers followed the Legislature and posted their observations and opinions, sometimes several times a day. The Salt Lake Tribune’s legislative team had its own blog, extending the paper’s print coverage, and columnist Paul Rolly also wrote about the Legislature in his blog. But the Tribune bloggers had plenty of competition from amateur bloggers.
And some of these bloggers, in the future, are likely to take digital video cameras up to the Legislature and produce their own audio and video newscasts. Podcaster Jennifer Napier-Pearce also provided legislative coverage in her InsideUtah.com www.insideutah.com podcast.
In short, the New Media genie is out of the bottle in legislative and political coverage. These trends will accelerate dramatically as big broadband Internet connectivity (like what is offered by UTOPIA and iProvo) becomes more ubiquitous. With that kind of speed, you will be able to get full-screen broadcast-quality video over the Internet on your computer or TV. The ramifications for communications are staggering. Where it will all lead? I don’t claim to have all the answers, but the communications world is going to be blown wide open for anyone to participate. There are no barriers to entry. It will be fun to watch.
The Democrats
Thanks to Bill Simmons for sending along a funny Onion piece: “Democrats vow not to give up hopelessness.”
Blog Watch
Paul Rolly says: "Sen. Al Mansell, who until last year served as president of the Senate, has informed colleagues he will not run for re-election this year. But don't look for a big change in the makeup of the Senate. Mansell has a handpicked successor" (see also here)... Jeri Cartwright posts some thoughts about blogging and citizen journalism... Deanna Taylor of Dee's 'Dotes explains why she's Green... The Utah Amicus spotlights Sim Gill's candidacy for Salt Lake County District Attorney... Wilf Sommerkorn draws some lessons from the recent Bluffdale land development fight.
Washington Watch
Hatch: Stem Cell Legislation 'Not Dead'
Sen. Orrin Hatch says Sen. Arlen Specter's proposed stem cell research legislation "may be vetoed, but it's not a dead bill. We still have to proceed forward because the more we proceed, the more people will start to think like us" (Chicago Tribune).
Bishop Votes to Cut Deficit
Rep. Rob Bishop hails the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act: "This deficit reduction act is the right thing to do, and demonstrates discipline and responsibility with the taxpayers’ money" (see press release).
Now You Know
The city of Sandy,12 miles south of Salt Lake City, sits on a sandy bench from which the name is derived. It was settled as an agricultural community in 1871, but later changed to a mining, smeltering, and teamster center for the mines in the Wasatch Mountains. There is one alternate claim to the origin of the city name. When the first locomotive came to the expanding city the engineer was a popular red-headed, sandy-bearded man named Alexander Kinghorn. Some claim the town was named after the color of Kinghorn’s beard. (Source: Local Government Directory, Utah League of Cities & Towns)
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Monday
March 6, 2006
National Headlines
Fans of liberal radio station in Missoula, Montana cry foul after Salt Lake City-based Simmons Media Group kills the station's progressive talk format; Simmons owner David E. Simmons gave $12,000 to the Republican Party and Sen. Orrin Hatch in 2005 (The Missoulian).
In survey of governors attending the National Governors Assoc. meeting, Gov. Huntsman says his top priorities are tax reform, education funding, and finding money for roads and transportation (Stateline.org).
Democratic Party rule-making committee set to consider changes to the presidential primary calendar, potentially giving long-ignored states their best shot in years at having an early voice in who wins the nomination (Las Vegas Review-Journal).
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney fuels speculation that he may be preparing to run for president by holding a fundraiser with some of Utah's big Republican donors (Associated Press).
States like Nevada, Arizona and Utah developing plans to handle an ever-worsening water shortage as their populations continue to explode (Daily Mining Gazette).
Nevada gold mines seen as responsible for growing levels of mercury pollution in Utah and Idaho (Las Vegas Sun), but no efforts are in the works to strengthen rules on mercury emissions from the mines (Sun).
Local Headlines
Deseret Morning News
- McGovern to visit UVSC, give anti-hunger speech
- Business expo to feature Huntsman's keynote talk
- John Florez: DI complaint indicative of what's wrong with society
BYU NewsNet
- Students intern in Washington, D.C.
Standard-Examiner
- Editorial: Home cooking
Herald Journal
- NCLB testing schools' mettle
Daily Herald
- P.G. makes goals for three major problems
- Lehi likely to be larger than Orem
- Editorial: Ill wind blowing in Spanish Fork
Park Record
- Campaign rumblings prevalent
- Legislature caps 'meanest' session in years
- Smokers lose their right to light up in clubs
- Evans won't run for re-election
- Wildfire funding could change
Salt Lake Tribune
- Oil drilling leaves holes for Navajos
- Analyst says docs' shield law won't stand up in courtroom
- Lawmakers ignored learning gap in 2006, education advocates say
- Senate killed bills on ethical standards
- Tooele turns away radioactive waste
- Rolly: 'Blue Dogs' mark their territory
Sunday, March 5
Salt Lake Tribune
- Bridging two worlds: Mark Maryboy has crossed divides between the Navajo Nation and the other side of the river
- Tax cut faded as chaos hit session
- Designing Legacy: A road as a work of art
- Clean Harbors wants to allow radioactive waste into its landfill
- Off the Agenda: Watch that fancy smancy talk, councilman
- D.C. Notebook: As long as it's safe, the postman must hustle
- Paul Rolly: Legislators should serve the people who elected them
- Op-ed: Editorial misses the boon of private prisons
- Op-ed: Who is accountable for Army's descent into torture?
- Op-ed: Stemming the tide of handgun violence in America
- Op-ed: Utah is downwind again
- Editorial: UTAH EDUCATION: Legislature should have done more
UVSC NetXNews
- The future of nuclear waste in Utah
Standard-Examiner
- Top of Utah more a winner than a loser in the 2006 legislative session
- Editorial: The 2006 legislative report card
St. George Spectrum
- Cedar City official says ice venue not priority of recreational projects
- Editorial: Keep immigration reform momentum going
Daily Herald
- Grant money cut means less money for Orem nonprofits
- Utah ranked 49th in nation for immunization rates for children
- Bush administration land sale plan tilted in favor of Northwest
- EPA backs governor over Legacy Parkway bill
- Reader Response: School vouchers use public funds to support private firms
- Editorial: Looking back at 2006 Legislature
Deseret Morning News
- Who will replace Dinse?
- Natural gas boom in West leads to a conflict of cultures
- Gas boom colliding with rural way of life
- Boxed in by this phrase: "west side"
- McConkie seeks 4th, final Davis term
- Animal rights leafleteers sue state
- Skordas won't run for D.A.
- Shurtleff, council get humanitarian award
- Jay Evensen: Cities finding getting wired pricey, passe
- Pignanelli & Webb: Legislature is a better show than the Oscars
Saturday, March 4
Deseret Morning News
- Leavitt stops in West Valley to plug drug benefit
- Legacy puts focus on park in parkway
- Board set to lift bar on classes
- City Council in Provo sets vote on pay
- 500 bid soldier Gourley farewell
- U.P. files to cancel trains on 900 South
- Recorder's purchase under fire
- EPA voices concern over environmental-bond bill
- Board of Education seeking 2 vetoes
- Counseling, voting bills to benefit military
- Bradley announces he will seek re-election
- Waiting for Huntsman's signature
- Op-ed: Lawmakers are self-serving kings of the Hill
- Editorial: The soccer boondoggle
- Editorial: Is Mexico going south?
Standard-Examiner
- Medicare confusion still present in Utah
- Leavitt visits seniors to explain
Daily Herald
- Animal rights group sues over leaflet
KSL Editorial Board
- Unfulfilled expectations
Salt Lake Tribune
- Bill to hit plaintiffs for cash irks EPA
- Frommer, travel writer, calls for Kanab boycott
- Shhh! Utah's new tourism catchphrase is classified
- Record storage deal brings investigation
- Want a diploma? Take more basics
- Leavitt defends Medicare drug plan operation
- Skordas won't run for DA; cites Workman case
- States' leadership cited in climate change concerns
- Commissioner White intends to remain on Utah County board
- Council/manager decision muddles Summit election race
- Mitt Romney in Utah this weekend to shake money tree
- Two shopping centers will cater to Utah's Latino market
- Editorial: Just saying no: Lawmakers made a few good stops this session |
Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com
- Mar 6: Hinckley Forum "Ethics and Partisanship," 10:45 a.m. Congressman Orval Hansen (R-ID, 1968-1975), Congressman Jim Lloyd (D-CA, 1974-1980).
- Mar 7-17: 2006 election candidate filing period.
- Mar 7: Lt. Gov. Herbert to speak at Water Users' Workshop/Conference, 8:30 a.m., Dixie Center, 1835 Convention Center Drive, St. George Utah.
- Mar 8: Board of Trustees of the Utah Transit Authority Meeting, 10 a.m., Board Rooms of the Administration Building at the Meadowbrook Facility and Maintenance Complex, 3600 South 700 West, Salt Lake City.
- Mar 8: Gov. Huntsman to give Welcoming Remarks at Department of Technology Services Opening, 3 p.m., Sheraton City Centre Hotel 150 West 500 South, Salt Lake City.
- Mar 9: Hinckley Forum "Money and Politics," 8 a.m. Kirk Jowers, Director, Hinckley Institute of Politics; Associate Professor, University of Utah; Director of Academic Affairs for Campaign Legal Center.
- Mar 9: Gov. Huntsman to attend Utah County Business Expo, 11:45 a.m., UVSC, McKay Events Center.
- Mar 9: Lt. Gov. Herbert to speak at Associated Builders and Contractors of America Meeting, 12 p.m., Sheraton Hotel, 150 West 500 South, Salt Lake City Utah.
- Mar 9: Davis County Republican Party Central Committee Meeting/Caucus Training, 7 p.m., DATC in Kaysville (behind Davis High). This meeting is for all precinct chairs and vice chairs, as well as all elected officials.
- Mar 9: Constitution Party of Utah Davis County General Meeting, 7 p.m., Kaysville Library, 44 N Main, Kaysville. Questions contact Jorgina Hancock at 801-298-0430.
- Mar 10: Cassandra Network Monthly Meeting, 12 to 1:30 p.m., room 125 West Capitol Building. Brown bag lunch for all women interested in public policy. Guest Speaker will be Diana Pounder and her topic is "The Power of Learning When and How to Say No."
- Mar 11: Davis County Democrats monthly breakfast, 8:30 a.m., Granny Annie's Restaurant, 286 N 400 W Kaysville. Special guests will be Charles Henderson, democratic chairman of the Black Caucus, and Billie Larson, chairwoman of the democratic Womens Caucus. Please bring an item of food (non perishable) for the Davis County Food Bank. All interested Democrats and the general public are invited.
- Mar 11: Utah Rally for Peace meeting, 2:15 to 5 p.m., Salt Lake City Main Library, meeting room C.
- Mar 13: Pete Ashdown, Democratic candidate for US Senate, to speak to the Hurricane Rotary Club, 12 p.m., JB's Restaurant, 635 W. State, Hurricane. For more information contact Brett Garner at brett@pashdown.org.
- Mar 14: Pete Ashdown, Democratic candidate for US Senate, to speak to the Cedar City Rotary Club, 12:15 p.m., Sullivan's Steak House, 301 S. Main Street, Cedar City. For more information contact Brett Garner at brett@pashdown.org.
- Mar 15: United Way of Salt Lake 1st Annual Report to the Community Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, 75 S West Temple. Learn about United Way of Salt Lake’s public policy success during the 2006 Legislative Session and receive a comprehensive overview on current initiatives and their impact on the community. For more information, please contact Jennifer Andrs at 801-736-7787 or jennifer@uw.org.
- Mar 17: Utah Democratic Progressive Caucus 3rd Annual Bowling Tournament Fundraiser, 6 to 9 p.m., Sue Rich Lanes, 1376 E 3300 S, Salt Lake City. Cost: $30.00 per player in advance - $35 at the door. Team discounts available, includes food – Cash bar. Not Bowling? $15.00 per adult \ $5.00 per child. For more information call UDPC at 435-336-2123.
- Mar 18: Lincoln Day Breakfast, Emery County 9:00 a.m.
- Mar 18: Green Party sponsored Honk 'n' Wave, 9 to 10 a.m. Meet on the northwest corner of the intersection, 700 East and 2100 South, Salt Lake City.
- Mar 21: Last Day for Governor to Sign or Veto Bills.
- Mar 21: Republican Caucus Meetings.
- Mar 21: Republican Party State Wide Precinct Caucus Meetings.
- Mar 21: Hinckley Forum "Can Democrats Retake the West?" 9:10 a.m. Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT). Presented by the Sam Rich Program in International Politics.
- Mar 22: Republican Training for Newly elected Precinct Officials begins.
- Mar 22: Hinckley Forum "Hamas Victory: What it Means?" 10:45 a.m., Omar Kader, President PaL-Tech, Inc.
- Mar 22: Meet and greet with Pete Ashdown, candidate for U.S. Senate, 6 p.m., the home of Barb Guy, 1191 S 800 E, Salt Lake City.
- Mar 23: Hinckley Forum "Washington Update," 10:45 a.m., Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT).
- Mar 23: Pete Ashdown, Democratic candidate for US Senate, to speak to the Logan Rotary Club, 12 p.m., Coppermill Restaurant, 55 North Main, Logan. For more information contact Brett Garner at brett@pashdown.org.
- Mar 23: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party Meeting, 7 p.m., Rocky Mountain Pizza Company, 3977 Wasatch Blvd., Holladay.
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- See the entire calendar
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