House speaker says he could not disclose association with bidder

Utah House Speaker Greg Curtis said Tuesday that he could not disclose or discuss in public his association with the land developer who is buying the St. George airport before the bids were opened, even though his private law firm is associated with that developer and St. George sought state aid in the deal.

On Monday, St. George officials announced that Anderson Development was the top bidder at $44 million to buy the old airport, which sits atop a bluff between St. George, Santa Clara and Bloomington in Washington County. Because of its beautiful location, the old airport is some of the most prime residential development land in southern Utah.

Curtis, R-Sandy, is one of four partners in Hutchings, Baird, Curtis and Astill. Michael L. Hutchings is a principal in Anderson Development, one of the state's fastest growing development firms. One of Anderson's largest projects is the redevelopment of the old Geneva Steel property near Orem.

"Anderson Development is one of our firm's major clients — our largest client," said Curtis, who does some work for Anderson, but handles other clients as well. The law firm specializes in zoning, land use and development issues.

Curtis' written conflict of interest form filed with the Utah House lists his law firm and Anderson Development as one of its major clients. So the connection with Curtis and Anderson is well-known. What was not known at the time that legislative GOP leaders were considering whether the state should buy the old airport or not was that Anderson Development was one of the private bidders on the airport.

Ultimately, leaders and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. decided that the state didn't have the money to buy the old airport.

"What else is new," said Utah Democratic Party chairman Wayne Holland. "It is business as usual in the Legislature," where GOP lawmakers hold two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. "No one knows what goes on behind closed doors up there — and the Legislature is severely ethically challenged."

Also Tuesday, GOP House leaders — with Curtis stepping out of a noon caucus so as not to influence debate — asked fellow Republicans to approve $42 million in bonds to act as a "bridge loan" so St. George city can quickly move ahead with construction on a new $200 million airport.

Later Tuesday, on a bill that allows airports to qualify for state economic development incentives o but is not directly related to the St. George deal o Curtis verbally declared a conflict of interest from the floor and then voted against SB294, which then passed.

Several GOP caucus members said no to the "bridge loan" — adding that St. George and Washington County got enough state aid during floods in the early 2000s. Some principle and interest on those state flood loans were forgiven by the Legislature, and were not repaid. "That is enough help," said Rep. Roger Barrus, R-Centerville, for that part of the state.

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