GOP leaders play dirty, Walker says

Lawmakers said they may very well be back next year to tweak the legislation, but they saw no reason why the bill shouldn't become law.

Lawmakers also reversed Walker's veto on SB115, which limits when local governments can hold special bond elections and voted leeways. Under current law, cities and school districts can call such an election anytime they want, but SB115 says those elections must be held on the fourth Tuesday in June when primary elections are held or the first Tuesday in November when general elections are held.

The bill, which was being pushed by the Utah Taxpayers Association, is intended to foster greater voter turnout for bond and leeway elections, which the Taxpayers Association says can be too easily manipulated with low voter turnout, usually less than 10 percent.

The Senate voted to override the veto by a 24-5 vote, whereas the House voted 50-22 to override the veto.

Sen. Dave Thomas, R-South Weber, was one of two Republicans who voted against the override, saying he voted for the bill during the session but had a change of heart after watching Ogden voters reject a bond last February.

"The lowest level of government governs best," he said. "Voters do understand the issues, whether in February or May or November."

But Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, said it is appropriate to hold elections with the greatest possible voter turnout, pointing to bond elections where 2 to 5 percent of voters have obligated local governments for $100 million to $200 million for 10 to 15 years.

SB115 will basically make May's elections on whether to create the city of Cottonwood Heights or to approve a $60 million bond for Cache District schools among the last of their kind.

"We're losing the opportunity to focus the populace and vote on a single important issue," Cache Superintendent Steve Norton said.

---

Contributing: Jennifer Toomer-Cook

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; spang@desnews.com