Comments about ‘Lawmakers to face some huge challenges’

Good Story, I hope they can figure it all out.

Utah needs real ethics reform in the worst way, the legislature gets away with murder, taking gifts, tickets, lunches and dinners at will from lobbyists and then they say that they (Legislature) are objective. Give me a break!

The Rainy Day Fund should be used it is raining or is the Legislature so out of touch that they cant see that, Oh I forgot they are objective.

The Lousyslature needs to focus on the budget, ethics reform and education but instead they will spend most of their time grandstanding on moral issues like liquor laws and vindictive confrontations with the Governor.

For Senator Waddups the message is the message. This group of outlaws have completely forgotten who they work for.

The legislature needs to take a close look at what they cut. Some state expenditures are matched by Federal dollars. So, cutting those funds results in a double-whammy cut in services to those affected most by the downturn. That doesn't make good budgetary or economic sense.

If lawmakers are serious about cutting the budget they could start by setting a good expample. They could eliminate per diem for legislators living within fifty miles of the capitol (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties). They could also cut health care benefits for them and their families. Currently after serving in the legistature, they their spouses, and dependents(until age 21) receive health care for life. I think because they mandated that state employees cannot collect per deim within fifty miles of training sites, and have cut their health care benefits, (once medicare kicks in), they should do the right thing and cut these beneifts for themselves. What's good for the goose ought to be good for the gander.

veteran, but the next thing they should cut are the high salaries at the tops of the state depts. What "Sarah" says makes a lot of sense at 1st glance, BUT the feds have basically used the matching funds they so generously provide to the states to make sure they can CONTROL the particular service! If we decide to provide the service, its great to have matching funds, but its like when you go to buy a new car, it doesn't matter how cheap the salesman makes the car if you still can't afford it.

Amen. You have said it all my friend...

Lawmakers to face some huge challenges - such as:

1st declining gifts from lobbyists
2nd producing meaningful ethics reform
3rd stop pandering to special interests
4th end closed door meetings
5th stop writing meaningless message legislation
6th keep the public interest priority #1

We are in the terrible situation we are because there has never been any long term planning for public education. If ever there was a need to use the Rainy Day Fund -- this is it!

I dont think anyone will be surprised when they spend the whole session trying to push through their morality bills to protect us from ourselves.

An easy place to come up with $80-$100 million is by stopping the Jordan School District split. The money that is being spent to duplicate two district offices is expected to exceed $100 million. Politics aside, Utah cannot afford smaller school districts. What at terrible waste of money that should be going to my kids!

DON'T CUT PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Thirty year veteran said "Currently after serving in the legistature, they their spouses, and dependents(until age 21) receive health care for life."

Thirty year veteran needs to check his/her facts.

The lifetime insurance benefit only kicks in after multiple terms. If a legislator retired this year, he or she would need to be at least 62 years old and have 10 years of service to receive the health benefits the rest of their life.

Just another fact to ignore while condemning our legislators.

That is an outrage. My insurance is $1000 a month and they get it for free????? That's $12,000 a year for us and they get that on my taxes. Outrage!

In your article you indicated that the Gay Rights legislation had not been written, yet. However, I noticed a bill that would add the words "sexual orientatation" into the housing law as a part of anti-discrimination. Quite often this is the first place the gay rights people try to change the law, as it seems so benign. Twelve years ago I was at the United Nations Habitat II Conference in Istanbul. The gay rights people tried to include the words "sexual orientation" into that international document -- as part of the list of anti-discrimination, but they failed. The international community has consistenty objected to adding those words as part of the list. Those words are not in any of the major international treaties or conference documents. This is one area where the international community has been wise. The Utah Legislature should not change the law to include these potentially divisive words.

Still a sweet deal for them. When I get my 30 in, I will not get lifetime medical benefits. Thanks Dave.