From Deseret News archives:
Voucher author knew hill was extremely steep
It was Wednesday, the day after private school vouchers were soundly defeated in the general election, 309,528 to 188,123.
If it had been a football game, voucher backers would be complaining about voucher foes running up the score. Who do they think they are, they'd wonder, the New England Patriots?
Urquhart described it as "a sound thumping."
Urquhart is the St. George legislator who sponsored the voucher bill that was passed into law by the state Legislature last February.
It was his bill that, in turn, prompted 124,218 Utah citizens to sign a petition in April that qualified the voucher question to make it onto Tuesday's statewide ballot.
I asked Rep. Urquhart how it felt to know you were down more than 124,000 votes before the game even started?
"I knew it would be extremely difficult," he said. "It was obviously an extremely steep hill."
"I regret the outcome, of course," he said, and then, thinking it over, added, "But I better not call the people who elected me or my colleagues anything less than brilliant."
That would be the majority he's talking about.
State law allows referendums onto the general ballot only after a substantial number of people at least 10 percent of the turnout from the most recent election for governor, representing at least 15 of the state's 29 counties sign their names to a petition.
The 124,000-plus from 26 counties who petitioned that the voucher question be put up for statewide vote exceeded the 10 percent requirement by more than 32,000 names.
"I like our referendum system," Urquhart said. "It's significant enough of a hurdle that I think it provides a real emergency cord if the public thinks it's necessary. But it's not something that can be exercised in willy-nilly fashion.
"And I think it's healthy for the people to have that check on the Legislature because ultimately we do work for them."
Still, there's nothing fun about seeing your bill overturned by something approaching a 2-to-1 margin.
Recent comments
Nice column, Mr. Benson. I respect Rep. Urqhart's positions, on...
Mac in Mendon | Nov. 12, 2007 at 8:16 a.m.
You're kidding, right??!? We already have the lowest teacher pay in...
re: here's one lesson | Nov. 9, 2007 at 8:20 p.m.
I think that maybe the next session should see what can be done to...
Here's one lesson | Nov. 9, 2007 at 4:50 p.m.
- Police search for missing girl's body 9:22 a.m.
- AP poll: Fine print prompts worries 9:09 a.m.
- Huntsman blogs on Obama trip 9:05 a.m.
- Court acts to reinstate death sentence 8:55 a.m.
- Greenpeace chief has fought poverty 8:52 a.m.
- U.N.: Iran facility to start in 2011 8:50 a.m.
- Religious speech appeal rejected 8:48 a.m.
- Atlantis set for afternoon launch 8:45 a.m.
- Rockets at Afghan market kill 12 8:43 a.m.
- Businesses cut inventories 8:34 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- TCU creams U.
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- RSL heads to MLS title game
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- BYU happy to escape with victory
231 - TCU creams U.
227 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
207 - Will state consider gay rights law?
150 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
128 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
102 - 3A: Hurricane advances to title game
89
Sears is holding a special VIP night Sunday, Nov. 15, in stores and online.
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
Logically speaking- do you understand where the MWC stands nationally? It's...
Thought police will get you.
Why didn't Utah move into the Top 10 in the BCS rankings after the TCU game?...
Uhhhh....and that's Sloan's fault? You can't teach defense, you can only...
like BYU was? With 8 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter the score was 35-7....
Prove it.. just because you say it is doesn't mean it is. Everybody declared...
Our BCS run is coming, just be patient. Bronco is the best option we have at...
wrote his manifesto on the misuse of the "general welfare" clause. He said...
Give the guys a break... they're young.... they made a mistake. Lets be...
Remember when the Utes considered it a winning season if they were 6-5 and...
