From Deseret News archives:
Tax revenue shrinks; sparring over ethics grows
Monday Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and state legislators got some unwelcome news tax revenues will come in next year more than $300 million less than anticipated.
Don't get out your handkerchiefs just yet the state still has near-record one-time tax surpluses and fine tax revenue growth.
But a $100 million tax reduction wished for by the House Republicans will be much less. And raises for teachers may be less, also.
A delicate political dance will now take place.
In a re-election year for Huntsman, all 75 members of the House and half of the 29-member Senate, the incumbents don't want to be painted into any unpleasant corners this fall.
Huntsman's budget was based on the higher tax revenue figures. So anything less given by the Legislature, and the governor could complain that lawmakers didn't spend money on health insurance reform and teacher pay as he wanted.
But House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, says there may be only enough money for a bare-bones start on health care and moderate raises for teachers and public employees.
• On Sunday's op-ed page, the Deseret Morning News published a personal attack on me by state Sens. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Mike Dmitrich, D-Price.
The two public servants didn't like a story that was written by my colleague, Lee Davidson, and me on legislative conflicts of interest but they chose to attack only me.
The two fine public servants accused me, among other things, of having poor journalistic ethics.
I'll put my journalistic ethics up against these two public servants' political ethics any day.
One simple set of facts not accusations makes my point: In 2007, Utah's 104 part-time legislators took in a total of $250,000 in gifts from registered lobbyists who, by a law I'm sure many lawmakers regret ever passing, requires lobbyists to list how much they spend on legislators.
In some other states, or even Congress, such gift-taking might be called "legalized bribery" as indeed it has been called in Congress. But not in Utah. In Utah, it is the cost born by many lobbyists (although certainly not all) in trying to influence the Legislature.
Anyway, guess who was the top dog in taking lobbyists' gifts in 2007?
Recent comments
No one is questioning your reporting ethics, Bob, just your honesty...
With Skeptic II | Feb. 27, 2008 at 2:23 p.m.
Merrill Cook is on this Blog? Well, the credibility of this blog is...
Really? | Feb. 25, 2008 at 2:29 p.m.
When the article has the picture of the writer next to it that's the...
Wake Up, KV | Feb. 23, 2008 at 9:59 p.m.
- Phoenix vote on temple Wednesday 11:02 a.m.
- Iran whistleblower poisoned 10:58 a.m.
- Stocks waver after jobs report 10:57 a.m.
- Robotic hand controlled by thoughts 10:51 a.m.
- Tribune Co. names new CEO 10:49 a.m.
- West High evacuated by bomb threat 10:43 a.m.
- FBI: Mitchell's answers calculated 10:42 a.m.
- Woods says he let family down 10:12 a.m.
- Recount in Atlanta mayoral race 9:54 a.m.
- Jurors defend verdict in Texas 9:52 a.m.
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention
- Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
- BYU says Hall incident resolved
- Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
- Find joy in life, Bishop Burton says
- Utahns growing tired of Bennett
- BCS just keeps dirty laundry on spin
- Orem pair getting a rep for crime
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
909 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
483 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
404 - Max Hall issues apology
388 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
353 - Utes won't respond to Hall
276 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
241 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
166 - Religion in politics is tiresome
146 - BYU is champion of the state
143
if U fails to respond but not if the Y stays above the fray. UHypocritesU
This issue is tiresome. Can we move on. Who really cares? There are issues...
Galen, Ice core analysis has shown that the atmospheric CO2 level has...
The LDS scriptures have a verse specifically for this very topic. D&C...
That HORRIBLE intersection has had full engineering plans in-place for many...
Lori, we are so happy and proud you are Ms. Volleyball this year! You deserve...
We are looking forward to hosting you on Friday night. See you at the...
Just heard on 1280 the Zone: BYU likely headed to San Diego to play USC in...
Time to move on and get on with life. I am a big BYU fan but have never...
"This is great news. Utah is a back water of conservative zombies marching...

