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Today's political briefing: Key developments
and analysis for Utah policymakers
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Scott McCoy for Utah Senate District 2
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Advocacy Essay
What’s Agenda of Health Coalition?
The Utah Healthcare Coalition purports to represent consumers, but refuses to reveal its members or funding. It has now been "outed" in a KSLTV story, and it turns out its backers include some of Utah’s largest health organizations who are trying to influence a legislative task force. See Publisher’s Opinion below.
Transportation Watch
Markets and Demand in Highway Financing
Utah faces a big debate over tolling, which represents a whole new way of thinking about transportation financing. Instead of being shackled to the economics of scarcity with a finite amount of funding for transportation, highway planners can think about markets and demand, building what consumers want and are willing to pay for. See Wednesday’s Transportation Watch (scroll down). |
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News Highlights
House Republicans want to reduce personal income tax rates by $70 million now rather than wait for Gov. Huntsman to work out the kinks in his more complicated tax reform plan (Deseret Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune).
Sen. Orrin Hatch says he's not convinced that climate change is a serious problem, but he's keeping an open mind about it (Tribune).
Transportation: Salt Lake Chamber is big advocate of accelerated buildout of four new TRAX lines (Tribune); High Occupancy Toll lane is likely on I-15 from SLC into Utah County (Morning News).
Morning News editorial urges Utahns to write to the BLM opposing a nuclear waste transfer station. |
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Paid
by Jana Truman For Davis County Commission
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Quote of the Day
"Any community that fails to prepare with the expectation that the state or federal government can come to their aid will be tragically wrong. There is no way you can respond to every hometown at the same time."
-- HHS Secy. Mike Leavitt at a D.C. health summit, warning that pandemics “are a fact of life” and communities had better prepare (Morning News). |
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Thursday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates
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Urban Land Institute Focuses on SLC
Utah’s rapid growth rate (among the fastest in the country) and progressive planning initiatives are being noticed nationally. The Urban Land Institute, the highly-respected voice of good planning, has devoted much of the April edition of its Urban Land magazine to Utah. It makers for some interesting reading.
Says the intro: "Rapid population growth in Utah is pushing the boundaries of development outward, toward the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the turquoise waters of Great Salt Lake, and how the region addresses this growth today will affect the future shape of the metropolitan area."
The magazine specifically focuses on "how Salt Lake City and its surrounding communities are balancing development pressures with the region’s important natural resources -- and how some companies are proving that environmental stewardship and financial success are not mutually exclusive concepts."
The magazine spotlights, among other things, Daybreak, the first phase of Kennecott Land's megasuburb development at the base of the Oquirrh Mountains; Envision Utah; The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development; Utah's big-box development trend; the Downtown Alliance; and Utah's record-breaking construction and real estate markets. It also features an article by Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon on county growth strategies.
Some of the articles are accessible only to Urban Land Institute members. A number of Utah writers are among the authors, including the Salt Lake Chamber’s Natalie Gochnour, who writes a column about business-led visioning in downtown Salt Lake City.
Blog Watch
Steve Urquhart discusses his tax cut proposal... David Fletcher says: "It is an off-year as far as elections go, but a surprising number of same-party candidates are lining up against the incumbents"... Liberty for Utah! has a post about "fear-based tyranny" and how to combat it... Senate candidate Pete Ashdown says: "It has been very energizing to meet people who are becoming politically active for the first time and to talk to others who have been active forever"... Utahnia says: "While I identify more with the Republican party than I do the Democratic, I find strident conservatism in the Republican party tough to stomach sometimes"... The Utah Amicus spotlights Weber County Commission candidate Bill Hansen... Utah Conservative says members of the Utah GOP establishment "do not like anyone opposing them in any way, shape, or form"... New West is "looking for writers to help flesh out the Salt Lake City node. If you’re a resident of Salt Lake (or Park City, Ogden, Provo, St. George, or Tooele) and want to contribute stories on current events, politics, arts and entertainment, or simply mouth off about what is going on around you, hey -- do it for us"... Michael J. Totten says: "The more time I spend in the Iraqi Kurdistan cities of Suleimaniya and Dohok the more I think they really are so much like Utah" (hat tip: UNCoRRELATED).
Utah’s Language Fluency is Asset
The Economic Development Corporation of Utah has published a new edition of its newsletter, this one focusing on Utah’s high level of foreign language skills and how that asset can be exploited as an economic development asset.
“One of our state's least tapped natural resources is our depth of skilled linguists and language translators, a resource not many states, if any, can match,” said EDCUTAH President and CEO Jeff Edwards. “As we enter a global economy, language translation is becoming more in demand, a skill-set upon which Utah can capitalize.” The newsletter’s feature article discusses this unique asset, and how Utah is poised to become an industry leader in this growing service sector.
2nd District Still Unranked
Utah’s 2nd Congressional District race still doesn’t crack the top 50 most competitive House races in the country, as compiled by Chuck Todd and Josh Kraushaar of NationalJournal.com’s Hotline race rankings. See the entire list.
Pioneer Park Open House
Mayor Rocky Anderson is inviting citizens to an open house at 300 West 300 South, on Saturday, April 29, 10-11:30 a.m., to learn about “the exciting future of Pioneer Park.” Highlights will include historic and future displays, interactive live wi-fi, and a short presentation by the mayor followed by Q&A. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit www.slcgov.com or call 535-6333.
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Publisher’s Opinion:
Without Full Disclosure, Health Coalition Lacks Credibility
By LaVarr Webb
(Note: Mr. Webb does consulting work for Intermountain Healthcare, among other clients. This advocacy essay represents his own opinion and was not requested by any other entity.) |
There’s a new health care group in town with a self-described “pit bull” running it. Roger Ball, formerly a utility watchdog, is now directing the Utah Healthcare Coalition.
So what is the Utah Healthcare Coalition? What is its agenda? Who’s funding it? And who’s paying Ball’s salary? Well, so far Ball has declined to answer any of those questions. The secretive nature of the organization calls its credibility into serious question.
While Ball has implied that the mission of the coalition is to represent consumers before the Legislature’s Health Care Task Force, an investigative report by KSLTV Wednesday night revealed that coalition backers include big health care players like Regence BlueCross/BlueShield, Mountain Star and others, all of which have attempted to influence the Task Force. So what is the real agenda of the coalition?
In an interesting Salt Lake Tribune story published April 9, Ball refused to say who hired him. He said he took the job not knowing who are the members of the coalition he’s running, who is backing the coalition financially, or how much money the coalition has.
Now that the coalition has been "outed" by KSLTV, the rest of us know who’s backing the coalition, even if Ball doesn’t.
There’s nothing wrong with any interest group forming a coalition to support any of those objectives. But by trying to keep his backers and funding secret, Mr. Ball has damaged the coalition’s credibility before it’s barely gotten started.
State legislators aren’t dumb. They see right through a supposed consumer coalition that was in reality created by big business. In the KSL story, two legislators questioned the secrecy of the coalition and its agenda. In the Tribune story, Rep. David Ure was quoted as saying: “If they want to be effective, they’ll need to let the names out. . . . How do we know it’s not one insurance company that has it in for IHC and is supplying all the money for Roger to be a vigilante? If we’re going to resolve these issues, then people have to be forthright, and that includes Roger.”
Ball is also recruiting average citizens to be coalition members and he owes it to them to be transparent. Plenty of people are concerned about health care costs, and no doubt he can attract a lot of members. But they will feel betrayed if they learn they are being used as pawns and Ball’s real agenda is orchestrated by wealthy doctors, an insurance company, or any other large entity.
To justify secrecy on grounds of “retribution” fears is simply a lame excuse. The publicity would be devastating for any organization that somehow retaliated against a member of the coalition.
In the Tribune story, Ball calls himself a “pit bull” that has been unchained. Until he discloses who’s paying his salary and who’s behind the coalition, we simply have to assume that he’s a kept toy poodle.
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Utah Policy Daily is a service
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Publisher: LaVarr Webb
Editor: Paul Hollingshead
News: Golden Webb
Calendar and Subscriptions: Luci Hollingshead
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Thursday
April 20, 2006
Paid by Maughan For Weber Commissioner
Utah in the National News
Article: Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming harbor up to "2 trillion barrels of oil -- more than all the crude that has been produced worldwide since the petroleum age began. Even if only 800 billion barrels is recoverable, as a Rand study estimated recently, that would be more than triple the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia and could fuel 25 percent of current U.S. demand for oil for another 400 years" (U.S. News & World Report).
Article profiles Utah millionaire Patrick Byrne, who's traveling the country pushing his "65 percent" education proposal (St. Petersburg Times).
Some worry that two national monuments, Grand Canyon-Parashant and Vermilion Cliffs, are poised to absorb the effects of the explosive growth from Las Vegas to the west and St. George, Utah, to the north -- two of the fastest expanding areas in the nation (Los Angeles Times).
Columnist credits "Canada Creep" rather than Gov. Mitt Romney for Massachusetts' new universal health care plan (Bloomberg).
Local Headlines
Deseret Morning News
- House wants tax cut now
- 'Pandemics are a fact of life,' Leavitt warns
- Ready for big quake?
- Preparing for the big one
- Utahns fleeing state? Not so fast
- Utah inflation not bad
- Spanish Fork OKs economic plan
- Cedar Hills boosts bond
- Kanab residents assail family stance
- Review mixed on Ogden resort
- UVSC to seek $$ to offer master's
- South S.L. hits barriers in a split from Granite District
- Questions follow audit of memorial
- Cedar Hills enacts new fee
- Nevada water plan makes Utahn wary
- Victims' service needs funds
- 'HOT' lanes likely coming
- Bourdeaux resigns from Utah Legislature
- Lawmakers set August trip
- More incentives for Utah firms urged
- Utah ranks 27th in survey of 'cyberstates'
- Legislator wants Utahns to have health-cost data
- Homemaker program likely to be renewed
- Editorial: No nuke waste in Utah
KSL Editorial Board
- Treatment vs. incarceration
Logan Herald Journal
- State officials to field legal questions
Daily Herald
- Uniform Utah sales tax proposed
- Meet GOP candidates at election events
- Editorial: Clash of egos in Lehi
City Weekly
- I, Marcus: As the media target polygamy yet again, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff tries steering a course through Utah's toughest issue
- Cleisthenes Wept: The best that can be said about the electoral college system is that it keeps the democracy debate alive
- Dangerous Notice: A Philly organization takes on Utah's abortion law
- To China, With Love: Sheng Mei's heart, mind, body and spirit are intact, but the PRC holds the key to his heart
St. George Spectrum
- Forum peaceful, not rocky with mayoral visit
- Enoch waits on prairie dog decision
- Council discusses zoning, group home
Park Record
- Clerk, assessor races fuel speculation before convention
- Summit County lobbies mayors for $10 fee
- Spanish diplomat visits Park City
- Editorial: Earth Day: A time for recommitment
Tooele Transcript Bulletin
- Legislative windfall gives USU-Tooele room to grow
Standard-Examiner
- Davis tops in grad rate
- Legacy a Centerville asset
- Gondola plans get lukewarm reception
- Editorial: Positive power
Dixie Sun
- Huntsman agrees to speak at commencement exercises
- Mudslinging flies in county election for treasury office
Salt Lake Tribune
- Utah boom: Owed to immigrants?
- Brewer urges others to back immigrants
- Utah Latinos are split over May 1 work boycott
- Hatch says climate change is unproven
- Kanab kid takes on mayor -- in person
- Tax reform blunder brings call for more eyes on math
- Lawmakers urged to block Nevada water pumping plan
- Mullen: Family tells snoopers to buzz off
- Big tax bump asked for TRAX fast track
- Ogden gets peek at peak proposal
- South Salt Lake to discuss budget, employee raises
- SLC lauded for walking safety
- Rowland Hall to buy land if U.S. Congress approves
- Provo, motel owner deal on demolition
- Eagle Mountain shake-up goes on
- Biased letter to the editor wasn't from BLM official
- Pleasant Grove leery of magazine cover-up
- Tech economy in Utah thrives, national, state studies indicate
- Utah trade mission in Mexico is a success
- Utah inflation frozen
- Editorial: Market concentration: Health care task force should take cue from AMA study
- Editorial: Highs and lows: Utah graduation rate hides failure to educate minorities
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Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.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: Chris Cannon Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Flying J Café, 840 N Main Street, Payson. RSVP at 801-374-3002 or rsvp@chriscannon.com.
- Apr 20: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Jim's Family Restaurant, 834 E State Street, American Fork.
- Apr 20: Juab County Democratic Convention.
- Apr 20: Midday Metro on KCPW 88.3 FM at 10 a.m.: Hosted by Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. Guests include: Lisa Romney, Environmental Advisor to the Mayor; Soren Simonsen, City Councilmember, District 7; Peter Cole, co-owner of Squatters; and John Pickering, Chief Engineer for Hotel Monaco and republican candidate for Senate Dist. 2. Your questions and comments are welcome, 801-355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org.
- Apr 20: John Jacob Delegate Lunch Golden Corral, 12 to 1:30 p.m., 3399 W 3500 S, West Valley City.
- Apr 20: Women’s Republican Club monthly luncheon, 12:30 to 2 p.m., S.L. County Complex, Rm #S1002. Speakers include 2nd District candidates Joe Tucker, Kris Lounsberry and LaVar Christensen. To RSVP call 801-943-4230 (Luncheon cost $10).
- Apr 20: Salt Lake County Democratic Party Annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser "Politisauce 2006," 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., West High School Cafeteria, 241 N 300 W, Salt Lake City. Spaghetti, Music, Politicking, Raffle and Silent Auction. $25 per adult, $15 per student, $10 per child. For more information click here.
- Apr 20: Summit County Libertarian Party Meeting, 7 p.m., Starbucks, 6400 North Highway 224, Park City.
- Apr 20: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Kent Morgan event, 7 to 9 p.m., 987 S. Winsor Street (850 East).
- Apr 20: Salt Lake County Delegates "Pie Social" hosted by Joe Jarvis, Republican State Senate Dist. #2, 7 to 9 p.m., Marie Callender's, 1313 S. Foothill Drive.
- Apr 20: John Jacob Delegate Meeting Spanish Fork Library, 7 to 9 p.m., 49 S. Main, Spanish Fork.
- Apr 21: Davis County Republican Party Golf Tournament, Valley View Golf Course, Layton. For more information contact Craig Foster at FosterCL@ldschurch.org or 801-773-4620.
- Apr 21: Chris Cannon Delegate Lunch, 12 to 1:30 p.m., JC Mickelson’s Restaurant, 2100 S Main Street, Nephi. RSVP at 801-374-3002 or rsvp@chriscannon.com.
- Apr 21: Hinckley Forum “Al-Mahaba in the Life of Iraqi Women: A Passage to Democracy, Freedom, and a Better Future,” 12 p.m., Orson Spencer Hall room 255, University of Utah. Guest is Ms. Bushra Jamil, Spokeswomen of Radio Al-Mahaba, the first and only women’s radio station in Iraq.
- Apr 21: Utah Tax Review Commission meeting, 2 p.m., room W125.
- Apr 21: Chris Cannon Delegate Dinner, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Garden of Eat’n Restaurant, 905 North Main Street, Fillmore. RSVP at 801-374-3002 or rsvp@chriscannon.com.
- Apr 21: Tooele County Republican Convention, 6 p.m. For more infomation contact Russell Winters at 435-882-8868 ext. 177 or Russell@tooeleliving.com.
- Apr 21: Millard County Republican Convention, 6:30 p.m., Fillmore Elementary School.
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- See the entire calendar
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