Sutherland Institute Report Flawed
An Envision Utah spokesperson says a report on smart growth and housing published by the conservative Sutherland Institute has “major flaws.”
The report said restrictive land-use laws and so-called “smart growth” policies like those promoted by Envision Utah caused housing shortages and added $590 million to the cost of buying homes in Utah in 2005, an average of $29,000 per home in additional costs in the Provo-Orem area.
Kevin Fayles, Community Relations Manager for the Coalition for Utah’s Future, which is the sponsor of Envision Utah, said a detailed review of the Sutherland report will be forthcoming.
“In the brief time we’ve had to review the report, we’ve identified major flaws,” Fayles said. “The methodology is suspect, the research is woefully incomplete, and the conclusions are simply wrong. Credible, peer-reviewed studies throughout the country refute the Sutherland report. In fact, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget concluded that implementing the locally developed Quality Growth Strategy would save taxpayers $4.5 billion in infrastructure costs over 20 years, and provide other benefits -- including more affordable housing.
“Beyond the research, it simply makes sense that careful planning does more for neighborhoods, job creation, and cleaner air than haphazard growth. We can all agree that quality growth, directed by the desires and vision of all community residents, will lead to a brighter, more affordable future.”
KSL TV/Morning News Baseline Poll
If you missed the Morning News/KSL TV early season baseline poll in Sunday’s paper, check it out on-line. The poll is good news for Sen. Orrin Hatch and Reps. Rob Bishop and Jim Matheson, and bad news for Rep. Chris Cannon, who gets only 36 percent support, with a high undecided number of respondents.
The poll of general voters is a good baseline, but obviously doesn’t provide any indication of how Cannon and his main challengers John Jacob and Merrill Cook, are doing with the delegate chase, which is the focus of the campaign right now. But the numbers provide plenty of ammo for Jacob and Cook to say that Cannon is vulnerable.
Blog Watch
The Utah House Majority blog notes that Rep. Paul Ray has been selected to chair the Criminal Justice Taskforce of the American Legislative Exchange Council... Rep. Steve Urquhart responds to this Trib editorial... The Third Avenue responds to this D-News/KSL poll... The Warren says policies like this "are roughly akin to terrified natives throwing virgins into active volcanoes: It might make you feel better, but in reality it changes nothing"... Rural Blogging asks: "Is anyone besides me frustrated with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance's refusal to negotiate in good faith during discussions to protect environmentally sensitive lands in Washington County?"... The Utah Amicus spotlights several Utah Democratic candidates... Thoughts from Provo reports on a luncheon hosted by congressional candidate Merrill Cook...... Wilf Sommerkorn has a long post on "the growing debate about whether suburbs are good or bad"... UNCoRRELATED says Utah, with its budget surplus, "can afford to buy a little political capital."
Washington Watch
The Hatch Report
Sen. Orrin Hatch says the Constitution authorizes Pres. Bush to take necessary steps -- including warrantless wiretaps -- to protect the country from would-be attackers (Washington Post); Hatch says there's no evidence Bush has violated any existing statute (Washington Post); says Democratic efforts to censure Bush over his wiretapping program are based on misleading or false propositions (VOA News and press release); dismisses censure as an "inflammatory attempt to punish the president" (Financial Times); accuses Democrats of trying to score political points over the issue (Associated Press); believes the Senate will vote to lift Pres. Bush's ban on embryonic stem cell research (McClatchy Newspapers and LifeNews); urges Utahns "to voice their concerns about the reckless proposal to store high-level nuclear waste so close to the vital [Utah Test and Training Range]" in wake of F-16 crash in West Desert (see press release).
Bennett: Enviros Should Blame Themselves
Sen. Bob Bennett says environmental groups have only themselves to blame for walking away from planning processes that led to the Washington Co. lands proposal (Associated Press); Bennett doesn't think the '06 election “is going to turn on a tally of how many bills [Congress] did or didn’t pass” (Chicago Tribune).
Corroon Establishes Environmental Policy
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon issues an Executive Order establishing a policy that county government "shall incorporate environmentally sustainable practices in their day to day operations" (see press release); to read the policy, click here.
Ashdown Addresses Dagget County Convention
Senate candidate Pete Ashdown speaks to the Daggett County Democratic Convention, addressing "how rural voters would be better served by a new senator who listens to their needs and will connect them to their federal government" (see press release). |
