The Week Ahead
We’re headed toward Labor Day, last big holiday of the summer. But before kicking back, we’re going to have a week full of politics, with the national spotlight on Utah. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld speak to the American Legion on Tuesday. President Bush will speak Thursday, and raise money for Sen. Orrin Hatch (as though he needed it). Lots of rallies are planned (See Morning News story).
Meanwhile, a group of state legislators will visit Snake Valley on the Utah/Nevada border to see firsthand the area where Las Vegas wants to pump water and send it down a pipeline. During the two-day trip they will meet with Nevada legislators. See itinerary. The Tax Review Commission meets Thursday to discuss changes in the income tax in advance of possible special session next month. See agenda. See legislative calendar for other legislative events, and other political events in the Utah Policy Daily calendar.
Special Session Overview
The Utah League of Cities and Towns has posted a "September Special Legislative Session Overview" that analyzes "the current proposal for transportation funding in Salt Lake County." The proposal would increase the sales tax in Salt Lake County by .25%, dedicating part of it to TRAX light rail and FrontRunner commuter rail, and part of it to highways. To read the ULCT post, click here.
Monday Musing
Sometimes the States Know Best
Welfare reform, on its 10th anniversary, is being lauded in numerous articles, editorials and op-eds as a resounding success. Especially insightful is this OpinionJournal.com column which notes that welfare reform was really led by the states, which were improving their systems and demanding federal waivers long before the Congress finally acted. Federalism works. The states really can take care of many of society’s most pressing problems. There was no “rush to the bottom.”
As suggested by the column, the president and Congress ought to apply that lesson to Medicaid (and probably to health care reform in general) and allow the states to take the lead without a lot of federal regulations. One size does not fit all. States can do a better job handling Medicaid and health care reform if funding is left at the state level and they don’t have to deal with a lot of federal mandates. The federal government has plenty on its plate. Let the states deal with Medicaid.
TAXPAC to Target Key Races
The Utah Taxpayers Association has formed a Political Action Committee called TAXPAC and is soliciting donations for it. An e-mail message from the Taxpayers said:
“With November elections rapidly approaching, the spending lobby and their well-funded political action committees are busy giving money to candidates who will tax and spend. Events such as using public money to promote a soccer stadium, the overturning of paycheck protection and the upcoming attempt to weaken Utah’s spending limitation law show that the spending lobby is not backing down. Local governments are bent on repealing Utah's Truth-in-Taxation law which prevents schools, cities, counties, and special tax districts from hiking property taxes unless they publish notice in the newspaper and face the heat of public hearings. The Utah Taxpayers Association has decided to act instead of watching as unions and liberal special interest groups disproportionately influence elections with their deep pockets. So we are asking you, the taxpayer, to contribute to the Utah Taxpayers Political Action Committee. TAXPAC will be the fiscal conservatives' answer to the spending lobby. Please help us stop the spending lobby from electing to state and local positions candidates who want to raise taxes by donating to TAXPAC. Please respond to taxpac@utahtaxpayers.org with any questions.”
Introductory TV Ad
2nd Congressional District GOP candidate LaVar Christensen has a nice TV ad introducing himself to voters. It’s the first in a series of ads that, I assume, will eventually draw some distinctions between himself and incumbent Congressman Jim Matheson. As has been the case for some time, the Republicans’ best pitch to Utah voters is that a vote for Matheson is a vote for San Francisco Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to become House speaker. The 2nd District race could be the contest that gives Democrats majority control. The challenge for Christensen, however, is that Utah voters tend to vote for the person, not worrying about the national implications.
Native People, Native Voices
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega will address the community regarding the Akaka Bill and its impact on all Native people in a town hall meeting on Friday, Sept. 1, at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 West 3100 South, 6-9 p.m. A free screening of “Hawaiians: Reflecting Spirit” will follow. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Charlene Lui, 801.230.5109.
Blog Watch
At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Howard Stephenson explains why special legislative sessions "threaten good government" (see also here)... In a post on Utah's student population and "the relative burden each taxpayer shoulders to fund education," Rep. Steve Urquhart says: "[M]any of the states with the highest student-to-taxpayer ratios are western states. Those states are doubly vexed by the fact that their property-tax base is one-half to one-third that of non-western states. While most states lean heavily on the property tax to fund education, most of the land in the western states is still owned by the federal government, meaning it cannot be taxed by the States. Thus, the vast expanses of federal land in the West don't contribute tax revenues to education (thereby shifting the burden to the remaining base of private property and on taxpayers generally)"... At the Utah House blog, Rep. Aaron Tilton discusses transportation funding... Education in Utah says: "Shame on Mayor Tom Dolan for trying to bring soccer to Sandy by short-changing schools. If you haven't heard, the deal for the Real Stadium could take up to $9 million in revenue from the Jordan School District. ... I trust the school district to weigh the pros and cons of the deal, and reject it if it cannot be proven that it will be in the best interest of school funding. And, pay attention, Real -- free tickets for the kids to fill your stadium doesn't count" (see also here)... Educating Utah says: "Whenever I hear someone say that [private school vouchers and tuition tax credits] would help public schools by 'giving them some competition' I have to shake my head. How on earth are public schools supposed to compete when they are literally bound and gagged by nearly as much regulatory red tape as the U.S. tax code? Every year public schools get more and more restrictions and new requirements galore. NCLB, UBSCT, UPASS, CRT, ARL, SAT and on and on and on ... We REFORM public education so often that sometimes we don't finish one reform before the next one starts ... Our poor teachers and administrators have to be confused by all the changes we send them. It makes me think of that scene from old Western movies where the gunman would fire his gun at someone’s feet and tell them to dance. No wonder morale is low. A little friendly competition? Give me a break"... At Out of Context, Glen Warchol says: "We're sure it's going to be a huge disappointment to Utah congressmen Chris Cannon and Rob Bishop to hear environmentalists don't think much of them. Because it's unlikely either reads 'Sierra,' the official magazine of the Sierra Club, we'll pass the bad news along. Cannon and Bishop have been inducted into the League of Conservation Voters' Zero Percent Club: 'Members of congress that got every important environmental vote in 2005 absolutely wrong.' The league is composed of representatives of 20 green groups who say they track anti-environmental extremism in Washington. Even worse, the two congressmen, who face re-election this fall, can't even say being in the Zero Percent Club is something special -- 85 other Republicans also made it. 'In a crowd like that,' Sierra says, 'it's tough to stand out'"... Jesse Harris at CoolestFamilyEver explains why, after having "been an advocate of third-party politics," he's "ready to call it quits on third parties" (see also here)... In response to this Trib story, John Hawkins at Right Wing News says: "These anti-semitic pieces of human garbage, like their brethren in the KKK and Nazi Party, do have a First Amendment right to assemble and speak. But, we also have a right, thanks to the First Amendment, to say that they are anti-semitic pieces of human garbage. Still, just the idea of having a, 'Death To Israel,' rally in a great country like the United States ... ugh. It's just outrageously offensive" (see also here, here, here, here, and here)... Power Line says: "The early 2008 political calendar seems reasonably kind to [likely presidential candidate Mitt] Romney. The Iowa caucuses seem tailor-made for an attractive, well-organized conservative. New Hampshire borders on Romney's home state, and even a second-place finish there, if coupled with a win in Iowa, would leave Romney in pretty good shape. The real test ... will come in states like South Carolina (where Romney will have to contend with [Sen. George] Allen or whomever replaces him as the hard-right contender) and the big midwest states (where he will have to contend with [Sen. John] McCain and/or [Rudy] Giuliani without any regional advantage)" (see also here, here, and here).
Favorite Headlines
(Compiled by James Taranto of OpinionJournal.com)
Their Bark Is Worse Than Their Bribe
"Corruption Dogs Both Parties This Year"--headline, Associated Press, Aug. 24
Send Prozac
"Depression Strengthening in Caribbean"--headline, Associated Press, Aug. 25
Wake Up. Panic . Go to Drugstore
"Chronology: The Morning-After Pill"--headline, Associated Press, Aug. 24
And Lions and Bears, Oh My!
"Garland Keeps White Sox Close to Tigers"--headline, Reuters, Aug. 24
'I Was Just Debriefing My Client, Your Honor'
"Madison County Public Defender Accused of Sex With Female Inmate"--headline, Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.), Aug. 25 |
