When Gov. Huntsman suggested a call for a special legislative session to repeal HB174 and ensure that there is a clear vote on vouchers this fall, Curtis vowed to "vigorously" fight it. He said nothing could be done about it because a law is a law.

But this week Curtis and Rep. Steve Urquhart. fellow Republican from St. George, proposed a special session to repeal both laws and replace them with a new voucher law. They want a question placed on the November ballot asking voters if Utah should have school vouchers — BUT IT WOULD BE NONBINDING. As Deseret Morning News reporter Bob Bernick notes in today's paper, the Legislature could go to the trouble of repealing both voucher laws and passing a new voucher bill, and legislators could still ignore voters' voucher wishes.

Sound familiar? Think Real Soccer Stadium.

(On the other hand, if the Legislature repeals HB174, which wouldn't allow a referendum, and HB148, the referendum scheduled for the fall on HB148 IS still legally binding. This thing is a political Rubik's Cube.)

It shouldn't be this complicated. The politicians have their own agendas, and that surely includes Curtis, but in the spirit of fairness, the issue should go to the voters, just as the stadium issue should have done. Citizens have made it clear that they care about this issue and that they want a chance to vote on it.

Some 130,000 signatures were collected for the voucher referendum. A public opinion poll by Dan Jones & Associates showed that 64 percent of Utahns believe lawmakers should repeal the second voucher law. And 76 percent of Utahns want the governor to ensure that the November vote is a clear up or down vote on vouchers that won't be snarled by legalese and political agendas.

But if recent history is any indication, none of the above means anything to Curtis.

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E-mail: drob@desnews.com