Can Utah’s Legislature be Visionary and Pro-Active?
Can the Legislature set forth the state’s most crucial issues before the January general session and develop an agenda to resolve those issues and push that agenda through? Can the Legislature be more pro-active and less reactive? Can leaders settle on key priorities like education reform, education funding, economic development, transportation funding and tax policy? And then be relatively unified in accomplishing those priorities?
Given the fact that the Legislature consists of 104 independent-minded individuals, each with a healthy ego and each feeling he or she has a mandate from voters, unity and pro-active planning at the legislative levels are very difficult. The governor usually sets the agenda and the Legislature reacts precisely because it is so difficult to get 104 lawmakers from different parties, different backgrounds, and different geographic areas to agree in advance on much of anything.
Despite the difficulty of the task, Sen. Curt Bramble would like to try to get the Legislature to be more pro-active and to create its own priorities and agenda. Bramble is running for Senate majority leader (see Morning News and Tribune stories) and he’s suggesting that lawmakers would accomplish more and appear less reactive and disorganized if they established some objectives and developed a plan in advance of the session. He said he would focus his energy on pushing the agenda, encouraging the House to participate.
Language Assistance Available
According to a press release from Tony Yapias, the Utah State Hispanic Democratic Caucus is organizing language assistance to dozens of Latinos, especially newly naturalized citizens. “Utah State law and U.S. Voting Rights Act mandates that all voters who need assistance have a right to that assistance: no one can stop a voter who can't read the ballot in English from having someone assist them,” Yapias said. “Latinos have been energized to vote this year after thousands marched this spring in Salt Lake City in favor of comprehensive immigration reform. Bilingual volunteers will assist new voters as many of them will vote for the first time.” For more information, call 801-577-3200.
National Politics
NationalJournal.com cover story: Tuesday night could be long and messy, especially in very close races, say experts. … Today if a politician makes a blunder that was somehow recorded it ends up on YouTube and is immortalized for all the world to see (Washington Post).
Blog Watch
Rep. Jeff Alexander says: "It appears the two ballot questions on transportation should pass on Tuesday. This is an indication the public really does understand how crucial the transportation issue is. Not only will the new tax be used to build more roads, but there will also be a focus on mass transit. This good news can also create a problem. I'm worried the passage of these transit taxes will leave the public feeling the transportation issue is solved. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no doubt the projects funded by these new taxes will help ease some of our pain, but statewide we have more then $16 billion of transportation projects that need to be funded and built. These projects will take more than an increase in the gas tax or small increases in the sales tax. The public needs to support the legislature in making serious decisions in changing how roads can be funded and built. This will need to be a major funding change and one where we need to set aside our special interests for the good of the State. Please go vote on Tuesday, but don't think your vote for these transportation questions will solve all problems. It is a great move in the right direction"... At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Lyle Hillyard disputes the notion that the Legislature "is always cutting education funding"... In response to the Trib's endorsement of Sen. Orrin Hatch, Hatch challenger Pete Ashdown says: "Barack Obama has been heralded as a new star in the Senate and is already under consideration for the presidency. All this in his FIRST term. Utah has an opportunity with this race that no amount of seniority can justify passing up. I pray the electorate will give careful consideration to what I stand for, my character, and what I have already done for Utah" (see also here)... Rep. Craig Frank posts a podcast interview he conducted with 2nd Congressional District challenger LaVar Christensen (see also here)... Ed Meyer says rural Utah's RS-2477 crusaders "are worshipping a new graven image"... ULCT lobbyist Lincoln Shurtz joins the Utah blogosphere, focusing mostly on legislative issues ... Dee Taylor says "something is 'amuck' with Utah's KSL Radio political advertising policies"... Utah Taxpayer says: "Utahns living north of Lehi would be surprised that Utah's most fiscally liberal newspaper is actually based in conservative Utah County. Not surprisingly, The Daily Herald (aka Provo Daily Herald or Pravda Daily Herald) is also the biggest promoter of incrementally increasing our tax burdens by trivializing the impact of tax hikes and tax cuts. ... No one out-liberals the Pravda Daily Herald"... Wilf Sommerkorn posts some thoughts on Downtown Rising and transportation... Paul Rolly reports: "Telephone lines were burning Friday as lobbyists and Republican operatives were in a panic over an independent telephone pol[l] conducted by one lobbyist that has insiders convi[n]ced House Speaker Greg Curtis will go down to defeat this year"... At Utah Politics, Bryan Catherman says: "I'm not asking you to vote one way or the other. I'm not asking you to vote Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Green or independent ... Vote for your party or against it. Vote for a candidate or against. Or vote to send President Bush a message up or down. Support what ever tickles your fancy. If you only know about one race, vote for just that one and skip the rest. You don't have to vote in every race, so don't use your lack of information or time to research the issues as an excuse not to vote entirely ... As a veteran, I'm asking you to vote. On November 7th, make your voice heard. Vote."
Cokie Roberts Keynotes Luncheon
The Salt Lake Chamber has announced the schedule for the 30th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference and the Wells Fargo Athena Award Luncheon taking place on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Grand America, 555 South Main.
See the entire schedule and registration information at the Chamber web site. Cokie Roberts, NPR news analyst and ABC news political commentator, will keynote the Athena Luncheon. A variety of workshops, exhibits and networking opportunities will be featured.
Washington Watch
Hollywood Hearts Hatch?
Article: "Who says Hollywood only supports Democrats? ... According to the latest campaign filings, 28 entertainment industry PACs -- lobbying on behalf of corporations such as Sony, Time Warner, Disney and others -- have donated nearly $4.8 million to candidates up for reelection this year. About 59% of the PAC money has gone to Republicans, including Sens. Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and Pat Roberts of Kansas, according to Federal Election Commission records and the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics" (Los Angeles Times).
Bennett Hails Labor Report
Sen. Bob Bennett says of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report showing a five-year low unemployment rate of 4.4 percent: "[Friday's] news that unemployment reached a five-year low reflects continued economic growth and strong job creation. This robust labor market is also proof that the pro-growth policies championed by President Bush and passed by Congress helped boost the economy and gave businesses the confidence to create new jobs" (see press release); Sen. Bennett participated in a forum on U.S. foreign policy at the Hinckley Institute of Politics on Wednesday. To listen to KUER's .mp3 stream of the forum, click here.
Feds Support Child Protection Registry
The Department of Justice files "a Statement of Interest in 'Free Speech Coalition v. Shurtleff,' a case brought by a lobbying group for the pornography industry to overturn the Utah Child Protection Registry. The Statement, written on behalf of the United States, unequivocally supports the State of Utah and its right to implement a Child Protection Registry law" (see press release).
Regional Politics
Ryan Sager: "[T]his is an awfully odd election ... [A]s the Republican Party all but abandons races in traditional battleground states like Pennsylvania and Ohio (where Sens. Rick Santorum and Mike DeWine look doomed), money and executive-branch face time have headed out West -- especially to the interior West, which is fast becoming America's new 'swing region.' ... Democrats held no governorships in the region in 2000. After 2004, they held four. After 2006, they're at least going to pick up Colorado -- and have shots at Nevada and Idaho. House seats in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico are likely pickups, and the Senate seats in Montana and Arizona are in play" (New York Post).
George Will: "Four years ago, all eight Mountain West states -- Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming -- had Republican governors. If Bill Ritter wins Colorado’s governorship, Democrats will hold five of eight governorships in the Mountain West, which in the 1990s was even more reliably Republican than the South. In 2004, a change of a total of 63,508 votes in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico would have given those states’ 19 electoral votes and the presidency to John Kerry. No wonder the Democrats’ 2008 convention will probably be in Denver" (Washington Post).
Utah’s Top Issues
Here is our weekly list, generated by observing what’s hot in the news media, what’s on the agenda of various policymaking groups, and what’s being discussed among opinion leaders and policymakers. We welcome suggestions and input from UPD readers. E-mail daily@utahpolicy.com.
Hottest of the Hot
- 2006 elections
- Gas prices still high
- Utah’s big budget surplus: Cut taxes or spend it
- Cyber-safety issues (cyber predators, child pornography, identity theft, Internet scams, etc.)
Emerging
- Transit, roads project list if Prop. 3 passes
- Education achievement gap of disadvantaged students
- Western states primary
- 4th congressional seat for Utah
- Tolling on highways
- Snake Valley water pumping for Las Vegas
- SITLA land sale on Green River
- Minimum wage increase
Mature
- Downtown SLC revitalization
- Immigration
- Washington County land sales
- Open space funding
- Guns at college
- Affordable heath insurance
Getting Old (but not totally resolved)
Oldies But Goodies
- Banks/Credit Unions
- Highway funding
- Vouchers/School Choice
- Tax cuts vs. education funding
- No Child Left Behind
- Healthcare reform/Medicaid
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