Legislator's $4,000 pay goes to 4 local PTAs

Four Holladay area PTAs are $1,000 richer after one Utah freshman lawmaker gave them his legislative salary.

Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Holladay, split his $4,000 pay evenly between PTAs at Parkside Elementary in Murray and at Olympus Junior High and Mill Creek and Twin Peaks elementaries in Granite District. He says he unceremoniously gave the money to the groups during a lunch break on the Hill last week.

"I'm not trying to make a statement," said Hemingway, who was making good on a campaign promise about his commitment to public education. "It's my deal. People do with their money what they want. I don't want anyone (else) to feel obligated."

"That's a pretty big donation," Utah PTA President Carmen Snow said, noting Olympus Junior High's PTA last year won a national award for its parental involvement.

"I think ... what he's saying (is) he feels like the PTAs are doing the right things, that they have one agenda, and that's to children."

Hemingway says he plans to repeat the gesture next year.