In the next few weeks, the working group will submit its recommendations to Huntsman and Corroon. These recommendations include the creation of an Office of Refugee Services "to provide leadership in service coordination, policy review, accountability, advocacy and resource development and management for essential services to refugees in the state of Utah." It is difficult to overstate the importance of this recommendation. Other recommendations relate to funding issues and to the establishment of a refugee coordinating committee to oversee the Office of Refugee Services.

There are federal funds available that can be used for seed money for the creation of the Office of Refugee Services. These funds are necessary but insufficient to address refugee issues. What is clearly needed here is executive and legislative branch coordination. It's easy for public officials to make feel-good statements about important problems in society. Unfortunately, high-minded pronouncements are not self-executing. No matter how noble the project, and this is as noble as any, there is hard work and heavy lifting to be done to get water to the end of the row to help these unfortunate people. The good work that DePaulis and his working group have done must be embodied in the governor's budget and approved by the Legislature.

Again, unfortunately, there has been in the past great tension between the governor's office and the Legislature. Sources indicate that this may be more true in the upcoming legislative session.

Please do not let help for refugees be a casualty in the contest of wills between the governor and the Legislature.

Please agree that the needs of those among us who are least able to fend for themselves should not be held hostage to the intergovernmental squabbles.

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Joseph A. Cannon is editor of the Deseret Morning News.