News Highlights

Lots of coverage today of rallies and visits by President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to American Legion convention. See links to right.

Gov. Jon Huntsman is meeting with legislators to sell his tax reform proposal with the hope of holding a special session on taxes and transit funding in September (Deseret Morning News).

Utah legislators visit Snake Valley on the Utah/Nevada border to hear local residents' concerns about a plan to pump groundwater from the area to Las Vegas, while a rumor arises that Nev. Sen. Harry Reid has threatened to hold the Washington Co. land bill recently introduced in Congress by Sen. Bob Bennett and Rep. Jim Matheson hostage if Utah officials attempt to thwart the pumping project (Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune).

Bennett and Matheson say they will continue to push for congressional passage of their Washington County land-use bill despite opposition from environmental groups (Tribune).

Quote of the Day

"I don't want to run for president of the United States. I have no intention of doing so. I don't think I will be president of the United States ever."

-- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who visits SLC today, to NBC host Tim Russert in an interview last March (Tribune).

UF’s Education Finance & Reform Initiative

The Utah Foundation is providing a terrific contribution to the public policy debate over education funding and reform. It is engaging all of the players in this important issue and giving policymakers a great deal of information and background to help guide their decisions.

Utah Foundation has posted a series of informative position papers  "submitted by education advocates and others on how to reform Utah's public school finances." Most of the respondents will also be speakers at the Foundation's upcoming forum on education finance and reform on Sept. 7. You can read a press release summarizing the papers and also UF’s original research report that started the debate: "Paradox Lost: Utah's Public Education Funding Effort No Longer Surpasses the Nation."

A New Vision for SLC

The Salt Lake Chamber/Downtown Alliance published a terrific 32-page newspaper supplement on the Downtown Rising initiative in Monday’s Tribune and Morning News. In case you missed it, much of the content will be published on-line at the Downtown Rising Web site or the Chamber site.

Downtown Rising is a truly ambitious initiative designed to create a blueprint for the future of downtown. Participation by downtown stakeholders has been broad-based and enthusiastic. All citizens are invited to get involved in the discussion by submitting their opinions about what makes an ideal downtown. Use this survey form.  

Media Watch

Are Newspapers Dying?

The cover of this week’s Economist weekly magazine asks a provocative question:  “Who Killed the Newspaper?” An Economist essay says that while newspapers in the developed world “are an endangered species,” other forms of news sources are proliferating. The lengthy cover story provides an international perspective on the struggling newspaper business and what publishers are doing to maintain profitable operations.

Blog Watch

Rep. Craig Frank says: "Since the closing night of the 2006 General Session, there hasn't been a topic more discussed among the Legislature, more debated at the water cooler, and more exploited in the Utah Media, than the [proposed] $70 million [in personal income-tax relief] waiting for legislative action. ... I am convinced that no matter how much we debate, how much we learn, how many multi-colored charts and graphs we produce, it still won't be enough for those who will still vote NO on tax reform because for some reason it's not politically expedient before November's Election; or, because we just don't have ALL the facts. Yet, if we don't continue this debate in the Legislature NOW (before the next wave of 2007 General Session bills hits us like a [tidal] wave — there'll be about 800+ of them) we will, in fact, continue to over charge the taxpayers of the state and continue to accumulate large (Unconstitutional) buckets of surplus bucks, just sittin' around collectin'... well ... interest, I guess!"... Reach Upward says of SLC Mayor Rocky Anderson: "To some of his constituents, Rocky is a hero. To others he is a devil. To some he is a wide-traveling, tantrum-throwing brat that wings into town only to make waves and grab headlines. To others he is just another politician. His constituents have handily elected him twice, and while some think that he has decided against running for a third term because his reelection chances are poor, it is debatable whether a majority of SLC voters share this view. ... Yes, Rocky's support of the anti-majority-Utah-values rally as an in-your-face to President Bush is inconsiderate and inappropriate, but it is hardly unexpected. It could be worse. At least SLC doesn't have Marion Barry as its mayor" (see also here, here, here, here, here, here, and here)... Congressional candidate Steve Olsen says of Pres. Bush and the Iraq War: "Unlike many Democrats, I don't think it is useful or accurate to portray President Bush as a mean-spirited liar. I think he honestly believed that taking out Saddam was in America's best interest. The problem here is with the 'resolute' thing the Republicans love to brag about. The simple truth was that the President was so convinced that removing Saddam was the right thing to do, his mind refused to assimilate or consider evidence to the contrary. Because of this, we came to a fork in the road, took the wrong turn, and have traveled an agonizingly long distance down that road"... Paul Rolly says: "The Utah Taxpayers Association claims to staunchly protect taxpayers from the greedy hands of government and recently asked in a newsletter for contributions to its TAXPAC to help elect candidates that will vote against tax increases. ... Rob Latham, chairman of the zero-tolerance-toward-taxes Utah Libertarian Party, wonders about the sincerity of the anti-tax plea and suspects it is just a ploy to elect Republicans since the Utah Taxpayers Association excludes Libertarians from its candidate forums. ... If the Utah Taxpayers Association were truly against more taxes and will honestly use its PAC money to elect anti-tax politicians, Latham wonders why the Libertarians are automatically left out. He also notes that the Utah Taxpayer Association's president, State Sen. Howard Stephenson, signed the 'Taxpayer Protection Pledge' that promises to oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes, yet Stephenson voted in the 2004 legislative session to propose a tax for adult-oriented businesses (substitute House Bill 239). Latham was one of the people who received the Utah Taxpayers Association request for a donation to its PAC. He won't be giving" (see also here)... At Out of Context, Rebecca Walsh reports: "Ten years ago, the American Legion had a litmus test for who they invited to their convention and Utah Sen. Bob Bennett didn't pass. In 1996, when Bennett was the only member of the state's delegation to vote against the flag-burning amendment, the veterans snubbed him. He was noticeably absent from the convention. And his name was not mentioned. [Sen. Orrin] Hatch, the flag amendment's sponsor, was a featured speaker. National Commander Daniel Ludwig said at the time it would be 'illogical' to invite Bennett. But William Christoffersen, a local organizer of the convention, disputed that Bennett was snubbed, insisting that the senator's staff said he would be unable to attend. This year, the legion apparently decided to avoid the 'flag flap.' Hatch still sponsored the amendment. And Bennett again voted against it. But this year he was joined by Congressman Jim Matheson in opposition. Both Bennett and Matheson have been invited to speak to Legion members Tuesday. 'I'm surprised they invited me, given my vote,' Bennett said Monday. The debate over amending the Constitution to protect the flag won't be glossed over, however. After Bennett and Matheson speak, Hatch is to be given a special commendation (for the amendment.) And later, the veterans will get a special report on the flag amendment."

Now You Know

The city of Provo was founded in 1850 as Fort Utah in honor of the Ute Indians who inhabited the region.  The name was changed to Fort Provo after the well-known French Canadian trapper, Etienne Proveau, who first arrived in 1825.  Proveau and his men had an alteration with the local Indians and several whites and Indians were killed.  This incident led to the area being called Proveau’s Home and to the city eventually being named Provo. (Source: Local Government Directory, Utah League of Cities & Towns)

Utah in the National News

Article: "A battle over Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s effort to get into financial services may derail the growth of company-owned banks -- as well as Utah's ambitions to become to such lenders what Delaware is to corporations" (Bloomberg).

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

- Chamber's SLC vision: Trails, rails and culture

- Downward roll: Defense boss has few friends left

- Rumsfeld to spend time with Salt Lake based nonprofit

- GOP fans see Rice as best hope for 2008

- GOP callers overwhelm City Hall lines

- Pro-Bush rally on 'Rocky's turf'

- Ohio vote mess: Utah at risk?

- Soccer fallout rolls off Corroon

- Utah's school funding 'paradox' questioned

- Security to tighten today around the Salt Palace

- Union to vote on new UTA contract

- Family duo as city leaders possible

- West Desert: They get an earful about Nevada's plan to pump border groundwater

- Sandy Expo station newest TRAX stop

- Mullen: Big reasons for a protest

- Lawmakers push Utah land-use bill

- Editorial: Protecting data: Bennett's bill favors businesses over consumers

Standard-Examiner

- Bush SLC-bound

- Governor drops by to help Centerville students learn about citizenship

- Box Elder Guru

- UTA, union deal reached

Daily Herald

- Salt Lake politics run contrary to rest of state

- Hatch dwarfs opponent in cash category

- Editorial: Time to close old training school?

Logan Herald Journal

- County eyes development fee overhaul

KSL Editorial Board

- Divergent views

KCPW

- Stadium negotiations moving slowly

- Rushing to special session

- From slag heap to housing development

- Four building blocks of a successful downtown

- Utah Taxpayers Association forms PAC

Deseret Morning News

- Bush hoping for a boost with trip to ideal locale

- Utah GOP asks backers to call Rocky and object to his protest

- Taxpayers group to add clout with PAC

- Family of slain soldier focus on funeral

- Guv starts tax-plan blitz

- Jordan School District scrambles to find teachers

- Taxes soar in Highland

- Doug Robinson: Looking for a good protest?

- Lehi girl to sing songs of gratitude at rallies

- Legion tries to recover remains of MIAs, POWs

- Utah legislators visit Snake Valley

- Utah officials celebrate opening of TRAX station

- After 23 years, Midvale Slag site is clean

- Rumsfeld is to visit 2 Utah charities

- UTA, union reach tentative agreement

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- Aug 29: Breakfast with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and state leaders, 8 a.m., Governor's Mansion.
- Aug 29: Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee, 8:30 a.m., Snake Valley site visit.
- Aug 29: Gov. Huntsman to give welcoming remarks at the American Legion Auxiliary, 9:30 a.m., and at the Opening Session of The American Legion, 10:40 a.m., Salt Palace Convention Center.
- Aug 29: Midday Metro at 10 a.m. on KCPW 88.3 FM features live coverage of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s address to the American Legion national convention at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City; followed by Lt. Gov. Herbert on this week’s Native American Summit to build better government-to-government relationships with Utah's five American Indian tribes; and Mayor Rocky Anderson on patriotism and the role of dissent in a democracy. Questions/comments 801-355-TALK or midday@kcpw.org.
- Aug 29: Lt. Gov. Herbert to hold School Board Ballot Lottery, 12 p.m., Governor's Board Room, East Building, Salt Lake City.
- Aug 29: Pete Ashdown for US Senate event Feed the Hungry not Politicians, 6 p.m., Alta Club. Please RSVP by Friday the 25th to pete@peteashdown.org. Fore more info visit www.PeteAshdown.Org.
- Aug 29: Democratic candidate for District 3 Christian Burridge to speak at U of U's Hinckley Institute of Politics, 2 p.m.
- Aug 29: Gov. Huntsman to attend Utah Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Grand Networking Event, 5:30 p.m., Wells Fargo Building, Panache.
- Aug 29: Speaker Curtis to attend American Legion National Commander's Banquet, 6:30 p.m.
- Aug 30: Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUTAH) annual meeting, 8 a.m., Radisson Hotel, Wasatch Ballroom, 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City. Guest speaker will be Steve Forbes. Tickets are $25 for EDCUTAH investors and $30 for non-investors. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Contact Trina Stanley, 801-323-4251, by Aug. 25. Email: tstanley@edcutah.org.
- Aug 30: Commerce and Revenue Appropriations Subcommittee, 9:30 a.m., Workforce Services Building, 720 S 200 E, Salt Lake City.
- Aug 30: Rally to protest the current Administration's Foreign and Domestic policies, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Salt Lake City and County Building, 451 S State, Salt Lake City. The rally will consist of a mixture of speakers from across the political spectrum, including Mayor Anderson, anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan, and Green Party candidate Bob Brister.
- Aug 30: Salt Lake City Citizens Call for Freedom Rally, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Rice Terrace in Liberty Park. There will be a Utah National Guard presence, a flag ceremony conducted by Honor Guard, and other entertainment. Invited speakers include Sen. Hatch, Sen. Bennett, Rep. Matheson, Rep. Cannon, Rep. Bishop, Gov. Huntsman, Lt. Gov. Herbert, and Mayor Corroon. Rally is to support the troops and veterans, it is not political.
- Aug 30: Liberty Rally encouraging President Bush to press a stalled Congress on immigration reform , 6 p.m., Liberty Park.
- Aug 30: Lt. Gov. Herbert to greet attendees at Utah's Native American Summit Evening Social hosted by Gov. Huntsman and the Lt. Gov., 7 p.m., Sherwood Hills Resort, 7877 S. Hwy 89-91, Wellsville.
- Aug 31: Lt. Gov. Herbert to address attendees of Utah's Native American Summit hosted Gov. Huntsman and the Lt. Gov., 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Sherwood Hills Resort, 7877 S. Hwy 89-91, Wellsville.
- Aug 31: Water Issues Task Force, 9 a.m., room W125.
- Aug 31: Fundraiser luncheon for Sen. Orrin Hatch featuring President Bush, 12 p.m., Grand America, 555 South Main. Cost is $500 per person or $4,000 per table of eight. For tickets, call Sara Ebert, 801-651-6621, sara@northcircle.net. Extra security measures will be in place with the president attending.

- See the entire calendar

Elected Officials Birthday List

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