These are classic discussions published back in May 2006
Why Desert Tortoises Are Endangered
My family visited some of my favorite places this weekend. We saw incredible hanging gardens on red rock cliffs (fantastic varieties of columbine and penstemon hugging water seeps), Indian petroglyphs, abandoned mines, perfect dinosaur tracks (some running left-right-left-right for 30 or 40 yards), and lots of wildlife.
We watched a mature desert tortoise rumble across an open flat. Open that is, except for 2 large rocks about a foot apart from each other. Though all other directions were clear, the tortoise veered for the rocks, walked between them, and — you guessed it — got stuck. It shifted into 4-wheel drive and started plowing at the dirt. This only created a depression for one of the rocks to roll into, further pinching the turtle.
“Daddy, save the turtle.”
While I explained the finer distinctions of what it means to “take” an animal under the Endangered Species Act and how stripes make me look fat, the turtle managed to... (read more)
Special Session
The Governor has issued the Proclamation for the special session, and the bills are drafted. [Thanks Ric and Senate Site for doing the legwork on the links].
Candidly, I’m not much for special sessions. Because the typical wheels of a general session aren’t turning (committee hearings, filing deadlines, and the typical delays involved in moving legislature from one body to the other), special sessions really can be an insiders’ game. Recognizing this fact during my first year in the Legislature, I worked with others (thank you, again, Speaker Stephens) to pass a Constitutional Amendment requiring 48-hours advance notice of items on the call. That’s still not much notice (I wanted 72-hours), but it is better than the old practice of adding items to the call after we had convened, which of course gave practically no opportunity for non-insiders to participate in any way other than to read about the changes after the fact.
This session could be interesting.... (read more)
Flopping Around with Scissors
It looks like the Senate is stirring to undo the $70 million cut to the food tax. Sen. Eastman wrote:Measure Twice, Cut Once
Problems with the new bifurcated system for tax on food are multiplying.
A few examples:
The negative impact on retailers, especially mom and pop shops in rural Utah;
The escalating cost of compensation for retailers forced to retool their systems;
Lack of comprehensible definition of what is and is not “food”;
Unclear policy on the bundling of “food” with non food items;
Shaken confidence in the numbers to the point we don’t know the price tag is really $70 million;
A higher price tag would damage transportation, health and human services, and other General Fund priorities;
We don’t know the extent of all the negative impacts. Unforeseen problems continue to come out of the woodwork.
This is poor policy and we should have known better. After some careful discussion in caucus today, the Senate Majority voted in support of a six-month delay (giving the new bifurcated... (read more)
Anonymity
Following up on a Utah Policy post, Woods Cross Citizen (a former elected official) discusses the weight that government officials should give anonymous commentors (little, if any, in his opinion). It probably ends up about that way.
Though politicians typically are skilled at talking around the questions they don’t want to answer, the good ones also know how to take a strong stand and battle for their position. And, on many issues — and many of those being very complex, politicians ultimately have to reduce their thinking and the interests of various constituencies to a simple “yes” or “no” vote. All in a very public way.
Getting into the Legislature with little previous political experience, much was new to me. One of the most amazing things — if not the most amazing — was the first House Republican caucus meeting I attended (still as a candidate). I was stunned at the ability of those people (who previously... (read more)
The Be Added Too(s)
Blessed are the analysts, for they shall receive information.
As the Governor puts together the list of items for the May 24th Special Session, there is no shortage of legislators requesting that their items be added too.
The mounting calculation errors of the Tax Commission strongly suggest that an item will be included on the call to allow the Tax Commission to better share information on projected revenues with legislative counsel and the legislative fiscal analyst. This is an overdue change that will help government function better by allowing more parties to analyze the data.
Technical corrections will be made to the transportation funding bill that was vetoed.
Beyond that, approximately 20 additional items are being pitched to the Governor by various players. Stay tuned for details.
Go, Stanton, Go
Stanton Roseman, a Dixie College graduate who helped me with wonderful research on a few projects, has started work as an intern with Senator Bennett. I’m very proud of him.
One of the best parts of being in the Legislature is working with the tremendously bright and gifted college students who intern and volunteer to help with the process. Sara interned for the Utah House when we were in college, and the memories are still some of her fondest. Tim Cosgrove, now Rep. Cosgrove, interned there at the same time.
Volunteers Wanted, Sort Of
Friday I talked about education at a convention put on by the Utah Taxpayers Association. Discussing ways to help public education in Utah, I talked about the largely untapped pool of willing volunteers we have. I talked about Sara’s efforts with a second-grade class. She would go in and work with just one (struggling and very active) child. He thrived with the individual attention he received, as did the remainder of the class.
A friend in the audience later told me that the person sitting next to him shook her head and said, “That’s horrible. I bet she’s not even certified.”
Memorial