'Smooth' session ends

The 2009 Utah Legislature could have been a political train wreck: harsh feelings over ethics fights, $1 billion shortfall in the budget, and bitter alcohol, nuclear waste and gay rights battles.

But in the end it turned out a near love fest, with the major issues, for the most part, dealt with in cool language and collegial compromise.

There was historic alcohol reform that brings liquor-by-the-drink to Utah for the first time since Prohibition.

Consensus on ethics (with a unique bipartisanship hearing process in the House).

A $10.6 billion budget most support, even with significant cuts in all state programs and possible employee layoffs and unpaid furloughs.

After years of study, a first step in providing uninsured Utahns with health-care coverage.

And all the while, controversial issues, like gay rights or fisherman access to streams or EnergySolutions offering the state $100 million to allow more low-level nuclear waste in Utah, seemed to just fade away.

"We haven't seen budget challenges like this for at least 50 years," said House Speaker David Clark, R-Santa Clara, as the Legislature rushed to adjournment Thursday night.

What was done this session "just goes to show that if you put your mind to something, and lock arms to move together, you can do about anything, whether it's policy, budget or civility," said Clark, who was finishing his first session as speaker. "I think we proved that government can be a cooperative effort."

"This was smooth, congenial and cooperative," said Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, who was in his 23rd legislative session, but first as a Senate leader.

Waddoups said that half a billion dollars from the federal government did not save Utah legislators in their budgeting — they saved themselves by originally trimming state spending by 15 percent. "But (the federal money) allowed us to keep a lot more people at their jobs, not hurt as many" employees and those who depend on state programs, like students, the poor, disabled and sick. The federal money was used to "backfill" dollars into agency budgets.

This was Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s fifth Legislature. "And it was the most remarkable that I've seen," he said. Lawmakers could have gotten twisted up on the terrible budget situation. "But they didn't waste time (worrying about) the economic overhang. They got to work" on a number of critical issues that he ticked off.

"Out of this office, we got practically everything that we laid out (as objectives) six months ago," said a pleased Huntsman.

Legislators did increase the vehicle registration fee by $20 (nearly doubling it). But that was the only general tax/fee hike that will hit most Utahns. (Court fees and a number of business fees also went up.)