Clark may need his referee skills

Using diplomatic phrases, Clark basically told Huntsman to butt out of legislative ethics reforms, saying the Legislature is a separate branch of government, and elected lawmakers will take it upon themselves to clean up questionable ethical questions. Huntsman has already said he will form a bipartisan commission to look at executive and legislative ethics and make recommendations to the 2009 Legislature.

Not on Clark's ethics to-do list is any kind of change to how the Legislature currently redraws its own Senate and House district boundaries after each 10-year Census. That will remain the same "as long as the constitution is not changed," he said. The redistricting power now resides solely with lawmakers.

After dealing with ethics early in January's 2009 Legislature, lawmakers will likely face another round of budget-cutting as state tax revenues continue to dwindle because of the recession now moving across much of the nation and the world.

Utah lawmakers met in special session just a few months ago to trim more than $300 million from state spending. But more cuts will likely be necessary before the general session adjourns in early March.

Clark and new Senate President Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, will lead that budget-cutting effort — a big change from just two years ago, when legislators were dealing with a $500 million tax surplus.

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