From Deseret News archives:
Poll shows support for 2 citizen initiatives
SALT LAKE CITY — Two-thirds of Utahns support both a legislative ethics citizen initiative and an independent redistricting commission initiative, a new Deseret News/KSL-TV poll shows.
The poll, conducted this week by Dan Jones & Associates, found that 65 percent of those surveyed support the Utahns for Ethical Government effort, and 67 percent support the Fair Boundaries initiative.
Each group is in the process of gathering around 95,000 signatures of registered voters by April 15. If they make that deadline, their measures will be on the November ballot for either approval or rejection by Utah voters.
Poll numbers for the UEG initiative appear to be down a bit from a Jones survey taken in September.
Back then, Jones asked about specific parts of the far-reaching ethics initiative, which includes provisions for an independent ethics commission, campaign donation limits, a legislative code of ethics and a ban on lobbyists' gifts to lawmakers.
In September, 85 percent of Utahns favored an independent ethics commission to investigate and recommend actions when complaints are made against one of the 104 part-time lawmakers.
Since that time, however, the leadership of the Utah Republican Party has come out against both initiatives.
Republicans have held solid majorities in both the Utah House and Senate for over three decades, and under current law have considerable influence over ethics law and the redrawing of U.S. House and legislative districts every 10 years after a U.S. Census.
But even with the formal opposition by GOP leaders, Jones found that both initiatives have strong support from rank-and-file Republicans.
For example, 61 percent of Republicans support the ethics initiative, 63 percent of those who in the past have voted "strong Republican" support that initiative.
And 63 percent of Republicans support the Fair Boundaries initiative, while 64 percent of those who said they vote "strong Republican" support that initiative.
Democrats and political independents support both initiatives in a higher percentage than do Republicans, Jones found.
GOP leaders in the Utah House and Senate say the Legislature will make great strides in adopting new, and tougher, ethics laws in the upcoming general session, which starts Jan. 25.
An interim legislative ethics commission from both bodies has already approved a bill that would form an independent ethics commission.
And a few GOP leaders have endorsed campaign contribution limits as proposed by a special governor's commission on strengthening Utah's democracy.
In addition, House Speaker Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara, says there may well be further action on banning or disclosing lobbyist gifts to legislators and on several other so-called government "reform" measures.
