As we head into the session next month I’ll be sending out more detailed email legislative updates as well as maintaining this blog. If you are interested in being a recipient of the updates please indicate that on the right side of this page where it says “Subscribe me!” I welcome your input on this blog and you can also contact me via email at beckyedwards@utah.gov.
Thanks and best wishes for a Merry Christmas!
Yesterday was the House Majority all day Caucus. The 53 member body of Republicans in the House had presentations and discussions on the current status and outlook of Utah’s economy and how it relates to budget issues for transportation, public education, immigration, and healthcare. The December revenue estimates reflect a budget deficit in Fiscal Year 2009 (which ends June 30, 2009) of $350M and $450M for FY 2010. This is in addition to the $272M cuts made in the Sept. 2008 special session. We must still reduce $350M from the current year budget. We unanimously approved an allocation of 85% of base budget for all appropriations subcommittees as we head into the session in January. This will be the place we start and some areas may see smaller or greater adjustments than this as we move forward. It’s a sobering time for our state, but the commitment is there to get things moving economically to avoid getting stuck in what some are calling the deepest recession in the US post WWII period. Many people in the caucus were pushing for a special session to address the necessary budget cuts, but that doesn’t look like it is going to happen.
Legislative ethics were also discussed at length. Specific details still remain to be hammered out, but I was very pleased to see an across the board commitment to real ethics reform, specifically in the areas of gift and meal bans, use of campaign funds, campaign fund disclosure, and increased duties for the House Ethics Committee. House leadership was charged with working with the Senate on specific issues related to ethics reform. I stand in strong support of these reforms.
Thanks to a great constituent, David Miller, and his computer expertise, we are up and running with this blog. It’s my intention to use this as a way to keep in touch with the people of House District 20. As a member of the House of Representatives my role is to help shape policy and create and work within the budget. Most importantly, I represent you.
Although things will officially get started when the session begins on January 26, I’ve already attended several trainings and been involved in the House leadership elections. I’ve also been assigned to the committees I’ll serve on for the upcoming session. The two standing committees are: Education and Political Subdivisions. The appropriations committee I’ll serve on is Transportation, Environmental Quality, and National Guard. The analogy that’s been passed around seems to fit what it feels like to be in this position; it is like taking a drink from a fire hose. There is a tremendous amount of information to take in, and a lot to learn.
There will be several ways I plan to maintain communication with folks in our district. One is through this blog, which I hope will evolve into a consistent and rather informal look into the goings on of the legislature. Another is through periodic legislative updates which I’ll send out to the emails of interested people. If you’d like to be on that email list please send your address to utahbecky@gmail.com. As we move forward I’ll also be holding meetings in different parts of the district as another venue for people to get together and discuss and brainstorm on the issues. Of course you’re always welcome to email or call me with specific issues or concerns.
Thanks for your interest and involvement. I look forward to starting work.
