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Today's political briefing: Key developments
and analysis for Utah policymakers
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Get Your Item On the Calendar
UPD’s political calendar is Utah’s best source of information about upcoming political and government events. If you’re aware of an event of interest to Utah’s political community, this is the place to post it. We encourage elected and appointed officials to send us information about public appearances, speeches, etc. We welcome info about campaign events, press conferences, and so forth. Send schedules and calendar items to daily@utahpolicy.com.
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News Highlights
Sen. Bob Bennett delivers for Utah, so a citizens’ group ranks Utah 18th in amount of “pork” received (Deseret Morning News).
Non-nuclear test blast in Nevada in June raises concerns (Salt Lake Tribune).
Want 15 minutes of fame? Run for high-profile political office (Morning News).
Utah County needs mass transit, says Salt Lake City mayor (Tribune). |
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Paid
by Jana Truman For Davis County Commission
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Quote of the Day
“Right now, pornographers enjoy an open and respectable status in much of the land, just as cigarette manufacturers did a few decades ago. They are telling many of the same lies about their products.”
-- Morning News editorial arguing that pornography destroys lives. |
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Thursday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates
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Thanks, City Weekly
The folks at City Weekly and I don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of political issues, so it was nice of them to give Utah Policy Daily a little recognition in their Best of Utah edition. To see all their political and media picks, click here and scroll through the categories.
'Natural Family' Resolution Defended
The Sutherland Institute has posted a 24-page PDF file explaining and defending its "natural family" resolution, which has been a topic of much controversy in Kanab. To read it, click here.
Utahn Appointed to Demo Council
DNC Chair Howard Dean appoints Utahn Larry Daniel, chair of the Utah Democratic Party's Veterans and Military Families Caucus, to the Democratic National Veterans and Military Families Council (see press release).
Washington Watch
Matheson: Tax Would Help Law Enforcement
Rep. Jim Matheson says his proposal to levy a 25% tax on Internet pornography transactions would help law enforcement in the fight against child predators who exploit vulnerable teens (see press release).
Blog Watch
Political Spyglass praises U. of U. Pres. Michael Young... Liberty for Utahns! explores the morality of taxation... The Warren discusses what the U.S. could do to "make illegal immigration less popular" (see also here, here, here, and here)... The Utah Amicus posts some photos of Rep. Jim Matheson's birthday party... Hugh Hewitt says Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney just received a "huge boost in his campaign for the presidency" (hat tip: The Wasatch Front)... Utah Conservative links to the new campaign websites of Rep. Chris Cannon, Merrill Cook, and John Jacob... The Third Battle of New Orleans says Sen. Bob Bennett is perpetuating a myth... Ryan Money is "trying to compile an extensive list of bloggers/blogs from Utah"... Obiter Dicta by Steve says: "[Senate candidate Pete Ashdown] is an excellent small businessman, and that means that he has what it takes serve as a great US senator"... SLCSpin makes City Weekly's "Best of Utah 2006" list (as does UPD)... Unmasked!: Jim Bennett is revealed as the mother of all malicious ratbags and recalcitrant jackanapes.
Reader Response
Truckers Pay Fair Share
By Howard Norton, Trailer Rental Company
howard@trailerrentalco.com
(Response to yesterday’s Transportation Watch commentary [scroll down]).
Are you kidding me? "The trucking industry must be part of the collaborative effort to find ways to finance new highways and maintain those we have. The solutions will require sacrifice on everyone's part, including taxpayers, commuters and the trucking industry." You don't think the trucking industry pays its share of the costs with our highways? Do you realize what happens when the states raise their fuel taxes and fees, the truckers just have to raise their rates and the general public pays the cost anyway. You make it sound like the trucking industry is not paying its share, that they are getting a free ride on the highways at the expense of the public and that they are profiting from it. Do you really think that they are fighting the increase in taxes, fees, tolls etc. for personal gain? Fine. Everything in your house, office, church, anywhere you go will go up in price! Everything is on a truck at some point in its life! Everything! If costs go up, so do the rates for hauling it! If the rates for hauling it go up, then the cost of purchasing it goes up!
The cost of infrastructure is the responsibility of the government. The government taxes to cover those costs. Don't come up with special fees to over-tax anyone, the costs need to be fairly distributed in taxes and fees. If you think the trucking industry is going to lay down and get walked all over by those who don't understand this, then you need to think again. After all, the trucking industry has already taken a big hit that was very prejudicial already this year, the Legacy Highway deal! The trucking industry is required to pay lots of taxes and fees for highways, yet the new highway being built can't be used by the trucking industry! Worse than that, they were never even talked to about this deal until after it had happened and they were told to be quiet and live with it! How would you like to know that the taxes and fees that you pay were going to build something that you were BANNED from using? I bet that you would scream bloody murder!
In the future, tell it like it really is and quit putting a spin on things. The truth is always better than massaged or expertly omitted versions. You still don't bring up the cause of "larger population growth than was expected"! Illegal immigrants! You cannot bring in well over 100,000 people that were never planned for into a state of 2.2 million people and not expect it to cause problems in models and projections. Unfortunately you and most of the press refuse to publicly acknowledge this cause. Are you afraid of saying it? Once again the truth is the best story.
Now You Know
Called “Utah’s Little Switzerland,” the city of Midway was settled by Swiss immigrants who loved the area’s high mountain peaks and green alpine valleys. It gained its unique name when, as a compromise, a protective fort was build midway between two settlements. (Source: Local Government Directory, Utah League of Cities & Towns) |
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Thursday
April 6, 2006
Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com
- Apr 6-7: Utah League of Cities and Towns 2006 Mid Year Conference, Dixie Center, St. George. Gov. Huntsman and Lt. Gov. Herbert to speak. For more information and to register, see ULCT website.
- Apr 6: Gov. Huntsman to attend UITA Board of Trustees Annual Meeting, 12 p.m., Marriott City Centre Hotel, 220 S State Street, Salt Lake City.
- Apr 6: Professional Republican Women Meeting, 12 p.m., Wells Fargo Building, 2nd Floor, 299 S. Main, Salt Lake City. Featured speaker: Shirlee Shields, author, lecturer, will present "Change Your Voice, Change Your Image," including pointers for public speaking and presentations. RSVP to Melanie Rogers, pongocoaldog@yahoo.com. PRW meets at noon the first Thursday every month.
- Apr 6: The Davis County Democrats Planning Committee Meeting, 7 p.m., Davis County Courthouse, County Commission Chambers room, 28 E State Street, Farmington. On the agenda for discussion will be planning for the County Convention and discussion of the formation of various standing committees. All Davis Democrats are urged to attend. The general public is also invited.
- Apr 6: Iron County Republican Convention, 7 p.m., SUU Centrum Ballroom, 351 West University Blvd, Cedar City. Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert to speak.
- Apr 7-8: Youth Leadership School, conducted by the Morten Blackwell Leadership Institute at UVSC, Orem. This is a two day “political boot camp” that is normally several hundred dollars. It is being subsidized entirely by the College Republicans, the Hatch campaign, and the John Jacob campaign, and is free for all Teenage Republicans. For more information, contact Dan Taggart at 801-763-1105, cell 801-318-8861, view this pdf or email dan@dantaggart.com.
- 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 7: Beaver County Republican Convention, 7 a.m., Beaver High School, 150 East Center Street, Beaver. Gov. Huntsman to attend.
- Apr 7: Hinckley Forum “Inside Terrorism,” 10:45 a.m., Orson Spencer Hall room 255, University of Utah. Guest is Bruce Hoffman, Corporate Chair in Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency, Director of the Rand Corporation Washington Office.
- Apr 7: Lt. Gov. Herbert to attend Prisoner of War Recognition Luncheon, Hilton SLC Airport, 5151 Wiley Post Way, Salt Lake City.
- Apr 7: Utah Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) sponsored luncheon on "The State of Tax Reform in Utah," 12 p.m., Auditorium of the State Office Building. Keith Prescott, CPA and a member of the Governor's Tax Reform Group, will be the speaker. Reservations are required. Call 801-581-6493 or e-mail jrandall@cppa.utah.edu for reservations.
- Apr 8: Davis County Democrats monthly breakfast, 8:30 a.m., Granny Annie's Restaurant, 286 N 400 W, Kaysville. Please bring an item of food (non perishable) for the Davis County Food Bank. All interested Democrats and the general public are invited.
- Apr 8: Cache County Democratic Convention, 10 a.m., Logan High School, 162 W 100 S., Logan.
- Apr 8: Duchesne County Democratic Convention, 11 a.m., Duchesne County Administration Building, 734 North Center Street, Duchesne. Pete Ashdown to speak. For more information contact County Chair: Roland Uresk, 435-722-4593.
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- See the entire calendar
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