Legislators report hefty sums in war chests for 2008 races

Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, known for his ultra-conservative stands, may have won the award for the best 2007 fundraising. Buttars new report shows he raised $80,700 last year. He only started the year with $2,500, he spent $36,000, and so he needed some cash, apparently, to start his 2008 re-election effort.

Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley, died recently, and local Democratic delegates picked his wife, Karen, to fill out his term. The Maynes transferred $61,000 from his account (zeroing out that account) into a new account set up for Karen. And she said Monday that she will run for that seat when it comes up for re-election.

A quick review of the contributors to lawmakers' accounts show special-interest money makes up by far most of the cash legislators raised last year.

An in-depth review by the newspaper following the 2006 elections showed that many legislators got no money, not one dime, from any constituent living in their legislative districts. Instead, they funded their accounts either from special-interest money or from their own pockets.

Who gives money to legislators during an off-year when the public officials don't even have an election?

A number of the larger PACs continued to give in an off-year, although perhaps not as much as in an election year. Two of the 2007 favorites were Reagan Outdoor Advertising and Altria, a national tobacco firm.

Why such big cash balances?

Clearly, some legislators are looking forward to more expensive state or federal races, like running for governor or the U.S. Congress.

Currently, there are no contribution limits in Utah state races. So if Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, were to run for governor in 2010, as is rumored, he could put all of his $140,000 into that race as a nice start to a multimillion-dollar campaign.

Curtis reportedly helped draw the 4th U.S. House seat district boundaries to include his Sandy home, and no currently incumbent U.S. House members were grouped into that new district. Utah will surely get a fourth seat in 2012 following the 2010 Census, assuming a bill to give Utah a fourth seat doesn't pass Congress sooner.

Federal races do have contribution limits, but Curtis could give the $330,000 in his legislative accounts to himself, pay taxes on that amount and then donate his personal money to his federal campaign.

Utah lawmakers list their funds

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy — $330,000

Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem — $138,000

Senate Asst. Maj. Whip Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse — $96,000

Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo — $79,000

Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan — $68,000

Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville — $64,084

Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley — $61,000

Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Sandy — $60,000

House Majority Leader Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara — $50,000

Source: Year-end legislative financial reports

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