7. As we saw recently, a family had to seek an abortion for a severely deformed fetus (which could not survive outside the womb) from a clinic because her hospital refused to perform the late-term abortion. Local hospitals say they are reluctant to perform abortions because a law passed by the 2004 Legislature restricts public funding for entities that perform abortions. The new law doesn't make allowances for the health of the fetus or the mother. In light of these problems, do you still favor or still oppose the new law? If oppose, how should the law be changed?

I support the objective of the new law that tax dollars not be used to fund elective abortions. While the law was considered for two years and apparently passed without dissent from the medical community, the case cited above merits review of the law. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Bramble, has proposed changes to include abortion for fatal fetal abnormalities, tighter definition on physical health and the involvement of a medical review panel in diagnosing the conditions triggering application of the statute. I believe the proposed amendments appropriately remedy the concerns raised by the current law.

8. Do you favor or oppose the tuition tax credit bill proposed in the 2004 Legislature by Rep. Jim Ferrin? If you would have signed the bill as governor, what specifically will you do to help that bill, or one similar to it, be passed in the 2005 Legislature? If you oppose Ferrin's bill, what is your plan to move forward on the school choice issue?

I support Rep. Ferrin's bill, and I believe in tuition tax credits. I also believe that before implementing Ferrin's bill, we should pass the Carson Smith Special Needs Bill and include broader student categories. This will provide the market test for choice in education. With the information gathered from this test, Rep. Ferrin's bill can be implemented more effectively.

9. How can Utah prepare for 145,000 new public education students entering schools over the next decade? Be specific. Should the Legislature give local school districts more flexibility in assessing their own taxes? Should we just gut out the influx, counting on dropping student numbers in years ahead?

Part 1. Improved education performance and funding are vital to the future of our children and our economy. It is difficult to separate the idea of a world-class education from the goal of a world-class economy — each is dependent on the other. I submit that my economic plan will be a boon to education. Its core theme is that the more high quality, long term, high paying companies Utah nurtures, attracts and retains, the larger the tax base from which Utah schools can draw. Education funding and performance are also about setting priorities, which will be the most important in my administration. However, new, creative funding sources must also constantly be sought after.