Colleges, cancer center get bonds

Because of the name attached to the hospital — Huntsman — the bonding bill will present a conflict for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who in the early 2000s was the chairman of the nonprofit fundraising entity for the Huntsman Cancer Institute and for the hospital. HCI is the main philanthropic entity of billionaire Jon Huntsman Sr. and his family.

The Huntsman family, which made its money in a petro-chemical empire that stretched across the world, has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various charities, with the promise of hundreds of millions of dollars more. The family sold the chemical business a year ago.

Gov. Huntsman has previously told the Deseret Morning News that when issues involving the state and the cancer hospital and institute arise, he would excuse himself.

But he can't do that here. As governor, Huntsman must either sign a bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature. So he must take some action on HB5, which, Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, said comes at the request from the U., not from the Huntsman administration.

Lisa Roskelley, spokeswoman for the governor, said he has allowed the new addition to work through the legislative process.

"This building has gone through the same process as any other building," she said.

No state tax dollars will go for the new hospital, said Garn, co-chairman of the Legislature's building committee. The revenue bonds will be paid back with fees generated from the facility and donations.

Likewise, Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, the Senate budget chairman, said that none of the bonds will require state money, or "count against the state's bonding cap." The bonds are paid with things such as student fees, liquor taxes or donations.

---

Contributing: Nicole Warburton, Lois Collins

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; nperkins@desnews.com