|
Today's political briefing: Key developments
and analysis for Utah policymakers
Subscribe
or Unsubscribe
|
|
Message Center
(Announcements, Advertisements, Advertorials, and Sponsored Articles.) |
USTAR Update:
USTAR Makes News at Harvard
(The following article was published in the Harvard Crimson. It's important to note that Jack Brittain tried to make clear to the reporter that only two principal researchers are being recruited. They would lead a team of post-doctoral and graduate students.)
Harvard Could Lose Researchers to University of Utah
Published On 3/6/2006 3:04:51 AM
By ANUPRIYA SINGHAL
Harvard Crimson Staff Writer
Sixty neuroscience researchers at Harvard Medical School (HMS) could be leaving for the University of Utah because of a newly passed state initiative, according to an administrator at the state university.
“While I’m fairly certain that the researchers are strongly considering moving, I’m sure that Harvard will provide some kind of counter-offer,” University of Utah Vice President for Technology Venture Development and Dean of the David Eccles School of Business Jack Brittain said. “That’s the way it works in academics.”
The Utah Science, Technology and Research Economic Development Initiative (USTAR) grants around $200 million for research facilities at two state universities. The plan could potentially lure teams of high-tech researchers to Utah State University and the University of Utah in the hopes of creating spin-off businesses and high paying jobs, The Deseret Morning News reported last week.
Increased funding was a major factor in recruiting scientists, but the school provides other potential benefits, according to Brittain.
“The key thing that we have that would help their research is the Utah Population Database,” Brittain said.
The Utah Population Database is a centralized resource that allows scientists to access genetic information of around seven million people.
“Since these researchers are working with genealogy and phenotypic research, the database would provide unique information that they wouldn’t be able access anywhere else,” Brittain said.
Sixty neuroscience researchers, who comprise four research groups, are studying the link between depression tendencies and genetics using brain imaging technology, according to Brittain.
Brittain declined to disclose the names of the researchers since negotiations are still underway.
But Harvard professors said they knew very little about the possible outflow of scientists.
Even before the USTAR bill was passed last week, HMS Professor of Neurobiology David Corey said he was skeptical.
“The whole thing seems to be pretty conditional,” Corey said. “In my opinion, there may be a group of neuroscience researchers that are considering leaving, and perhaps another fifty that the University is thinking about hiring. It seems unlikely that there would be sixty researchers leaving.”
Other administrators at the University of Utah said they were unsure how the new research teams would fit in the current research infrastructure.
“It seems to be that an entirely new department is getting built with the initiative, so I’m not quite sure what the connection to the existing neurobiology department would eventually be,” said Kay Buskirk, executive secretary of the neurobiology and anatomy department at the University of Utah.
—Staff writer Anupriya Singhal can be reached at asinghal@fas.harvard.edu.
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.
Reach Utah’s Policymakers
If you need to deliver a message, get the buzz going, or build your organization’s visibility, consider an advertisement, sponsorship, or advocacy essay in Utah Policy Daily. You will reach several thousand Utah opinion leaders and policymakers, including most legislators. For more info, call or e-mail Mark Towner at 801.502.9134, mark@utahpolicy.com. |
|
|
News Highlights
Today marks the official start of the 2006 election season, with the opening of the 10-day candidate filing period; all 75 House members and 16 senators are up for election (Deseret Morning News).
Sen. Curt Bramble decides not to run for Congress this year (Daily Herald and Morning News).
Legislation changing sales tax distribution hits unevenly in cities (Tribune), and Legislature also opts out of streamlined sales tax effort (Tribune).
|
|
Paid
For by Jana Truman For Davis County Commission
|
|
Quote of the Day
"Wasatch Area Rapid Transit (WART) is certainly a name we dismissed immediately."
-- UTA spokesperson Justin Jones, announcing that the official name for commuter rail will be unveiled Wednesday. "Salt Lake Urban Transit" also never had a chance. The Ogden-Salt Lake project is already 20% completed (Morning News). |
|
|
|
Tuesday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates |
|
Is 45-Day Session Too Short?
When I first covered the Legislature back in the 1970s we had alternating 20-day budget sessions and 60-day general sessions on two-year cycles. Non-budget bills could be considered in the budget sessions, but they required a super-majority vote. However, those budget sessions were just too short, so the constitution was amended establishing 45-day general sessions each year. So over two years, 10 additional session days were picked up.
So, in light of the fact that the Legislature didn’t get all of its work done this year, is it time to consider longer legislative sessions? That’s a good, serious question. The reality is that Utah’s legislative sessions are short, among the shortest in the country. If you take Saturdays and Sundays out of the 45 days, lawmakers had only 33 working days this year to get everything done.
That’s not much time to deal with hundreds of complicated bills, tough public policy decisions like tax reform, and review and approve expenditures in a multi-billion dollar budget. Laws, budgets, and government in general continue to become more complex.
Still, I wouldn’t advocate longer sessions, at least not yet. Adding, say, five more days to each session would still mean a crazy, frenzied finish. Enough time exists now to get the work done, but doing so requires detailed and meticulous organization and real discipline on the part of lawmakers.
I believe a lot of people, including a lot of editorial writers and columnists who delight in belittling the Legislature, would be surprised at the enormous amount of planning, organization and discipline that go into running a 45-day session and fitting everything in. The effort goes on year-round, with interim committees and task forces saving an enormous amount of time that would otherwise have to be expended during the sessions. Each session is carefully scripted out and, in most cases, things run smoothly.
However, no amount of planning can ensure that each session will run like clockwork. Nor should it. Legislatures ought to be, to some degree, free-wheeling and unstructured. A lawmaker has been elected by his or her peers to represent them and take on issues of importance to them – even so-called moral issues or “message” legislation that are so belittled by columnists and editorial writers. Lawmakers have every right to debate, fight, delay, persuade, filibuster, and use whatever parliamentary tricks they can muster to deal with issues of importance to them. They are accountable to their constituents, not to the news media or do-gooder groups.
I would hate to have a Legislature that is so managed, scripted and disciplined that lawmakers are restrained in their activities. Certainly, anything can be taken to an extreme, and that frequently occurs. But time limits ought not to be such a big factor that lawmakers rush through the laborious process of debating, amending, passing and killing important legislation. Every law is about using the power of force and coercion in our lives, and the process is meant to be, and ought to be, deliberative.
It is sometimes maddening to listen to a long-winded legislator take time on a bill that many of us think is a waste of time, but that’s what representative democracy is all about and we ought not to sacrifice the free-flowing nature of making laws on the alter of efficiency and time-management.
Which means that if we want to retain the spirit of a free and open democracy, the time may come when 45 days may simply not be long enough to get all the work done. For now, it means that we will likely see special sessions each year, as we have for the past several years.
Forty-five days is still the right session length for a part-time, lay Legislature. But, clearly, those 45 days are maxed out.
Blog Watch
Bramble Won’t Run for Congress & Mormon Deadheads
At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Curt Bramble announces: "I am not going to run for Congress this year. Hundreds of variables play into a decision of this nature. Chief among these, for me, is the need to see tax reform through to an acceptable conclusion. No one is indispensable, and Utah has more than its share of talent in public service, but there are too many irons in the fire for me to feel good about ending my local political work"... Draper Is Home rebuts John Florez's latest column and KSL Radio on the Deseret Industries issue... Wilf Sommerkorn solicits reader response to a series of questions about Utah planning and land use issues... Top blog post of the day: Grateful Dead News observes: "A lot of weird stuff goes down in Utah politics. Case in point: Republican, Mormon politicians referencing the Grateful Dead."
LPUtah to Target GOP Candidates
Republican candidates in Utah's swing districts will receive special attention from Libertarian candidates as a result of the Utah GOP's loss to Utah Democrats in the LPUtah's "Fair Representation Challenge" (see press release).
Washington Watch
Hatch & Co. Roll Out Stem-Cell Strategy
Proponents of expanding stem-cell research, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, are beginning to roll out their strategies for raising awareness of the issue in hopes of compelling Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to set aside time for debate on the Senate floor (The Hill).
Asbestos Reform
Essay at the American Enterprise Institute examines congressional attempts at asbestos liability reform, including Rep. Chris Cannon's Asbestos Compensation Fairness Act of 2005 (AEI). |
|
|
|
Tuesday
March 7, 2006
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: Women's State Legislative Council Meeting, 11:45 a.m. to 1:10 p.m., State Office Building Auditorium. Wrap-up of 2006 Legislative session, speakers include Rod Decker, Senator Curt Bramble, Senator Ed Mayne, Representative Becky Lockhart, and Representative Ralph Becker. For more information see WSLC website.
- 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. Guests 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.
- Mar 11: Utah Rally for Peace meeting, 2:15 to 5 p.m., Salt Lake City Main Library, meeting room C. "911 Eyewitness" by Richard A. Siegel will be presented. For more information contact Director James Valarian at utahrallyforpeace@hotmail.com.
- 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. Not Bowling? $15.00 per adult and $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.
- Mar 24: Hinckley Forum "Cambodian-U.S. Relations," 11 a.m., Ambassador Sereywath Ek, Cambodia's ambassador to the United States.
- Mar 25: Utah Rally for Peace meeting, 2:15 to 5 pm, Salt Lake City Main Library Auditorium. “911 In Plane Site,The Director’s Cut” by David von Kleist, will have a free encore performance. For more information contact Director James Valarian at utahrallyforpeace@hotmail.com.
- Mar 28: Hinckley Forum "Immigration Reform," 10:45 a.m., Mickey Ibarra, White House Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Clinton Administration.
- Mar 31: Hinckley Forum "Tax Cuts, Deficit & The Economy," 9:40 a.m., Randal K. Quarles, Under Secretary for Domestic Finance, U.S. Treasury.
- Apr 4: Pete Ashdown, Democratic candidate for US Senate, to speak to the American Fork Rotary Club, 12 p.m., Jim's Family Restaurant 834 E State Rd, American Fork. For more information contact Brett Garner at brett@pashdown.org.
- Apr 6-7: Utah League of Cities and Towns 2006 Mid Year Conference, Dixie Center, St. George. For more information and to register, see ULCT website.
- Apr 7: Closing the Achievement Gap for Hispanic Youth Presentation for community leaders concerned about Hispanic youth, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Lamb's, 169 S Main. Presentation by Barbara Lovejoy. For more information contact Barbara Lovejoy at 801-466-1117 or bclovejoy@msn.com.
- Apr 15: Utah Rally for Peace meeting, 2:15 to 5 p.m., Salt Lake City Main Library, meeting room C. View a free encore performance of “Painful Deceptions, An Analysis Of The September 11th Attacks," produced and narrated by Eric Hufschmid. For more information contact Director James Valarian at utahrallyforpeace@hotmail.com.
- Apr 19-20: Senator Bob Bennett, in conjunction with the Utah Rural Development Council, to host the Fifth Annual Rural Business Conference at Western Park in Vernal. Kathleen Clarke, BLM director, and JoAnn Wagner, CEO, chairman, and president of SOS Staffing, will give keynote speeches at the conference. Registration is $20. For more information, please visit www.ruralutah.com.
- Apr 20: Emery County Convention, 7:00 pm, Castledale Recreational Center, 7500 S. 400E.
|
- See the entire calendar
|
|
