Guv sees 'power grab'

A balance of power battle between GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and legislative Republicans that burned brightly in the 2005 Legislature will soon reignite.

"This is a power grab, pure and simple," said Mike Mower, deputy chief of staff to Huntsman, to the resurfacing of a bill that could, under the proper circumstances, drastically reduce the power of the governor over the setting of the state's $9.6 billion budget.

"We (the Huntsman administration) will vigorously oppose this," Mower added. "This takes away power from the executive branch of government; it is harmful to all Utahns."

Mower said he thought he had an agreement Monday with the bill's sponsor, Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, that the issue would not come up, only to have Dayton later say she fully intends to run a bill Huntsman doesn't want to see.

Like its 2005 predecessor — HB97 — Dayton's new HB352 will say that should the governor veto a budget bill, or should the Legislature itself fail to pass part or all of the required budget bills, the current year's budget in the affected areas will just continue without the need for any action by the governor or the Legislature.

Basically, the new law could be a hammer hanging over the head of a governor in budget-setting battles, for conservatives in the House and Senate could just say: "Accept our recommended budget or take last year's budget — end of debate."

Last year, House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, said of HB97: "Without a doubt, this reduces the executive's power."

And Monday night Mower added: "I can't understate the terrible impact this (new law) would have on our future policies."

No Utah governor has vetoed a whole budget bill in recent memory. But some governors have vetoed a budget line item. Legislative leaders then poll their members to see if there is two-thirds support for an override vote. Historically, rarely is there enough support for such a vote, which some GOP legislators have seen as a public insult to their Republican governor.

HB352 could provide an avenue whereby legislators could force the governor's budget hand without going through the veto route.

Last year, House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, ran the bill. After several weeks of open and behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Curtis killed it at the request of the freshman governor — who asked for time to work out any budget-setting problems with the legislative branch.