Huntsman reflects on governorship

Health-care reform, sales-tax removal, better ethics for state government.

Outgoing Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. says if he had a magic wand and could wave in some unfinished changes to state government, that's what he would pick.

Huntsman spent much of Monday afternoon in rounds of media interviews, goodbyes, if you will, to local reporters who have covered him since he ran for governor in 2004.

Today in a semi-private ceremony in the Capitol's historic Gold Room, Huntsman will resign as governor, having been confirmed Friday by the U.S. Senate to be the new ambassador to China. He will then be sworn in as ambassador.

Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert will take the oath of office as governor at noon to fill out 18 months of the midterm and then stand for election on his own in 2010.

Huntsman, after brief farewell remarks, will then ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, along with a UHP motorcycle color guard, with sirens blazing and cannons firing, back to the Governor's Mansion — officially out of one office and into another.

In an interview with the Deseret News (you can hear most of the interview at deseretnews.com), Huntsman said he leaves Utah with few regrets, and great love and appreciation for his opportunity to serve.

"In truly broad strokes, better preparing this state for the needs of the next generation," is the legacy he is most proud of, the 49-year-old chief executive said.

Huntsman, looking tan and relaxed, seemed to choke up at one point in the interview, a rare occurrence for a man who is known to keep his cool at all times.

In answering a question on his greatest disappointment, Huntsman said that he won't be here to see the finish of health-care reform and "closing out the sales tax on food."

Health care will take several years more of work. And while Huntsman did get the state's 4.75 percent sales tax lowered to 1.75 percent on unprepared food, he failed to get food tax removed from local governments and the rest removed from the state.

Health-care reform will come, he believes. But he's not so sure about removing the rest of the food tax. "I don't know" if it will happen, although he believes he could have achieved that if he stayed for the remaining 31/2 years of his second term.