Citizen initiatives to miss deadline

Wright said his group never concentrated at all on the Nov. 15 deadline. "We thought that would not be productive. An up or down vote in the Legislature means little to us" because it is very unlikely the GOP-controlled Legislature would want an independent redistricting committee to recommend House and Senate boundary changes after each census. Independent redistricting bills have been introduced in the last seven Legislatures and never even got a public hearing, he said. "We'll just take it to the people."

Both groups said they believe they will get 10 percent of voters' signatures by the April 15 deadline and thus make the 2010 ballot.

Burningham said UEG managers have yet to decide whether they want a supporting legislator to introduce the UEG ethics initiative as a bill when the general session starts in January.

Having the bill/initiative debated would be good, because the general issue of legislative ethics is important, he said.

"If legislators debate significant changes" in ethical standards, lobbyists gifts and campaign fundraising conduct, "that would be delightful," Burningham said.

Clark, one of the three most politically powerful men in state government, said he now believes banning most lobbyists' gifts and campaign contribution limits "are the right steps needed," among other reforms.

But, as in the past, House members may not get the Senate to go along.

Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said he does not support banning any gifts, preferring to have more disclosure of such gifts from lobbyists.

While Clark said he supports the campaign donation limits recommended by the Governor's Commission on Strengthening Utah's Democracy, Waddoups said he has not yet seen the recommendation, so he can't yet support it.

In general, however, Waddoups said limiting contributions to a Senate campaign to $10,000 over four years and $5,000 in a House race over two years, as the commission recommends, really "is not a big thing" because the limits are so high.

"I don't believe I've ever accepted a $5,000 donation," Waddoups said, so the limits probably wouldn't have much affect on legislative fundraising.

However, the democracy commission recommendation would place a $20,000 individual, PAC and corporate donation limit in a governor's race. And Gov. Gary Herbert just two weeks ago solicited and accepted $50,000 donations in his gala fundraiser.

Herbert doesn't support donation limits, preferring "immediate" disclosure of contributions instead.

e-mail: bbjr@desnews.com