From Deseret News archives:
Huntsman says he'll honor people's will on vouchers
And Huntsman, a longtime supporter of using tax dollars to help parents pay for private education, said voters should have the final say despite a potential legal loophole that could keep the voucher system in place even if it's rejected at the polls.
That possibility is the subject of a legal opinion being sought by the governor from Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. At issue is the fact that the 2007 Legislature actually passed two bills on vouchers and the referendum deals only with one.
Huntsman would be able to call a special election if voucher opponents succeed in collecting the more than 92,000 signatures statewide required under the referendum law by April 9.
"It looks to me like it's building a head of steam, and they could very well reach that 90,000 signatory mark," the governor said during the taping of his monthly news conference on KUED Channel 7.
After the taping, Huntsman told reporters he wanted to hold the special election as soon as possible after that, which would mean June 26 under the law. His other options are to call a special election for Nov. 8 or wait until the next general election in 2008.
"To be fair," the governor said, "it would seem to me as soon as we have the feedback from the referendum itself and are able to certify the numbers, then you're going to want to move as quickly as you can toward the date certain when you can vote."
Huntsman sent a letter to the attorney general later Thursday seeking an opinion on what the impact would be on the voucher system if the referendum to reject one of the two pieces of legislation that established it qualifies for the ballot.
The referendum attempts to repeal HB148, which included funding for the voucher program. It does not address HB174, seen as an amendment bill to the voucher law, and supporters of the new system say it would remain in place even if the referendum is approved by voters.
But the governor said during the program taping that "if the people speak out, if you have 90,000 signatories, and if we call a special election, and if the people vote it down, obviously that's the answer. I mean, the people have spoken. ... I would obviously respect that."
Shurtleff said the question of whether the referendum could end vouchers is "a policy decision of whether to back away." He said he would issue the opinion requested by the governor quickly, probably within the week.
