Utah Legislature begins with prayers, hope

With prayers, song and a lot of hope, the 2010 Legislature convened Monday morning, as the 104 part-time legislators face a number of difficult problems over the next 45 days.

Chief among them is money.

The Republican-dominated House and Senate must find a way to close a $700 million shortfall in cash between the spending plans in the current and next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

In the House, Speaker Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara, in opening remarks said "there is nothing like the first day, when we arrive refreshed and filled with hope."

"We are faced with challenging issues, like retirement, ethics, health care reform, education funding, taxes, a balanced budget and much more."

Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, displayed bright red ribbons used to remind helicopter pilots to make last-minute checks before takeoff. "It's time for the rhetoric to end. It's a time for us to soar," he said.

Waddoups said senators will deal with the budget shortfall, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a citizens' ethics commission, education needs and other issues.

He counseled civility. "While we're here, we will attack ideas, we will attack the programs that are out there, but we will not attack each other," he said.

Divine inspiration also was sought.

In the House, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prayed, on behalf of legislators, for: "A rich outpouring of wisdom beyond their normal capacities."

He said that in the back of lawmakers' minds they should remember all the children and grandchildren in Utah.

Elder Neil L. Andersen, also a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve, prayed that the senators be "humble and thoughtful, considerate and civil" so that they might understand and listen to one another.

Clark asked House colleagues to remember a number of good rules to govern by, including telling the truth — "whether you have to or not" — and listening more than they speak.

In only five years has Utah lost net jobs, and 2009 was one of them. In the future, said Clark, Utah schoolchildren will learn about the "Great Recession" of the past year.

But the budget is only the foremost issue. There are others, and Clark mentioned specifically government ethics.