Most politicians view power as a checking account — every time you expend this resource, the account is diminished. Curtis and Valentine know this perception is wrong. Obtaining and using raw power is more equivalent to investing in stocks. The more you risk, the more opportunities exist to capture windfalls and even greater amounts of power. Legislative leaders are investing — and risking — their political capital.

In other words, legislators are learning that absolute power is "kind of neat."

Webb: Utah legislative sessions are always fascinating affairs. The biggest and toughest issues facing the state bubble up all year long and then pop open in a short, intense, 45-day session where Utah's 104 citizen lawmakers tackle them.

With three days to go this year, a handful of key issues remain unresolved, but it's already clear that this year's session will be remembered as quite extraordinary.

For years, political and business leaders have said that the only possible way to have enough money to pay the state's enormous education, transportation and social services obligations is to have a strong economy that generates phenomenal tax revenue.

Well, guess what? They were right. It works. This year is proof. A booming economy is the magic potion that soothes all sorts of challenges. Thanks to a roaring economy, this is the year the state was able to play catch-up. Lawmakers approved the biggest budget ever, by far, easily topping $10 billion. They dished out a mind-boggling increase for public education, the biggest boost ever for transportation, and a nice pay boost for public employees.

Even with all of that, legislators have remained true to their conservative roots, approving the biggest tax cut in history. They are funding natural growth in agencies but not boosting base budgets (except for public education) by a great deal. They have socked away large amounts of revenue in one-time expenditures.

It's worth noting that while nearly every other sector of the economy is ringing up record increases in jobs growth, the government sector is growing by a very small margin.

Obviously, the good times can't last forever and we don't completely control our destiny. Our fortunes will rise or fall based on national and international economic trends.

But we have a solid, diversified economy, and Utah's leaders are positioning the state as best they can to keep the boom alive by investing in quality education, research and innovation in higher education, highway and water infrastructure, even while reducing taxes on the private sector.

This is probably the best economy in Utah's history. So enjoy. If it keeps going, we can have a real impact on class sizes. We can pay teachers a living wage. We can build the infrastructure necessary to keep up with rapid growth.

And who do we have to thank? Ultimately, Utah's thousands of small and large businesses. The state's innovative entrepreneurs. Utah's quality work force. Utah's investment in crucial infrastructure. And Utah's conservative politicians, who have managed to strike the right balance between the roles of government and the private sector.

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Republican LaVarr Webb was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and Deseret News managing editor. He now is a political consultant and lobbyist. E-mail: lwebb@exoro.com. Democrat Frank Pignanelli is Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser. A former candidate for Salt Lake mayor, he served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, six years as House minority leader. Pignanelli's spouse, D'Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, is a Utah state tax commissioner. E-mail: frankp@xmission.com.