Walker backs gift ban

Salt Lake County's car-use scandal has prompted Gov. Olene Walker to endorse a total ban on gifts to state lawmakers.

During her monthly KUED news conference Thursday, Walker said the state's leaders should forbid gifts, even if there aren't legal problems with receiving such gifts.

"I would prefer a no-gift policy," she said. "There is more of a public perception than there are abuses, but it may be better for public opinion if we had a no-gift policy."

Her gift-ban suggestion came in response to questions about state actions to halt any problems with use of state cars or credit cards. After explaining that the state is reviewing the history of car use by state employees, she said the problems at Salt Lake County reflect on all elected officials.

Two top county officials have resigned, and criminal charges have been filed against former county auditor Craig Sorensen after the discovery of improprieties related to the use of county-issued vehicles or gas cards.

While Walker said she doesn't believe there are abuses with gifts among lawmakers, the simple fact that elected officials receive everything from coffee mugs to Jazz tickets from lobbyists does not look good to the public.

A majority of Utahns appear to agree with the governor. A Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll conducted by Dan Jones & Associates before the start of the 2004 Legislature showed that 66 percent of Utahns want all lobbyist gift-giving to legislators banned.

A gift ban is not a new idea for lawmakers, who annually quell attempts by Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, to prohibit gifts. While appreciative of the governor's support for his bill — which he plans on running again in 2005, if he is re-elected — Becker said he doubts any significant ethical changes would happen until legislators found themselves embroiled in a similar problem as county officials.

"Until we're embarrassed by a scandal, it will be difficult to get the ethics changes we need," he said. "In the past, response from legislators has been tepid. I don't know if that attitude will change next year."

Along with discussing the vehicle-use scandal during the televised KUED news conference, the governor also said: