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.
Becky,
I’m looking forward the ethics reform you discuss above. You wrote in a response to an email I sent you prior to the election, that you would not accept any campaign contributions from special interest groups. Nor would you accept any favors or gifts if elected. I believe it is important that all elected officials are held to this same standard. Anything less is just lip service and would be considered a failure of real ethics reform in Utah.
I am so excited for you! I know that you are going to definitely do wonderful things. I can’t wait to see what a difference you can make as you take care of business on the hill. I love you a lot!
Love your daughter, Jaynie
Matt,
I strongly support the following reforms:
1. Ban on all gifts.
2. Ban on personal use of campaign contributions.
3. Institution of an independent ethics commission (see Gov. Huntsmans recent ethics reform commission at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705279668,00.html)
4. Limits on use of campaign funds following retirement from legislative service.
I do think we will see several bills that address this during the session. We can and should do better in this area.
The other one that was discussed during the town meeting was a moratorium on becoming a lobbyist like Mark Walker just did. In other words, there ought to be a “cooling off” period from the time someone leaves public service, and the time he goes back on the hill as a lobbyist.
Dan Liljenquist also talked about the problem with corporations “reporting” what the have gifted. As an example, he said that the local newspapers put stacks of the daily issues at the doors to the Senate chambers. They inflate the price and report these as “gifts” yet he makes a point not to take any. He gets invited to parties, and yet even if he doesn’t go, or use the Jazz ticket, or fly to Bermuda (he didn’t say that), it still may show as gifts.
It was a very interesting meeting. I learned a lot from Becky’s constituents, as well as from our elected leaders.
Becky, I appreciate the strong stand that you are taking regarding ethics reform. I add my support to Ralph’s, that we should have at least a year after leaving public office before one can be paid as a lobbyist. Ralph mentions Mark Walker. An even stronger example is Greg Curtis, House Speaker, who immediately after passing the baton to his successor, started to lobby legislators in behalf of the cigarette giant Phillip Morris regarding the proposed cigarette tax. There is something wrong when someone, especially an influential person like Mr. Curtis, can be bought and paid to immediately lobby when he still has the afterglow of his office to influence others.