Comments about ‘It's official: Goof means no gift tickets over $50’

They are public servents and WORK FOR US. I think a no gift policy is appropriate and maybe this will help them remember WE are their bosses. For the record I am a proud conservative.

I remember reading in an article a while back that the a member of the state legislature on average got about $1300 worth of things from lobyists. This did not include things that were given to their family members (meaning they got one ticket to a game and their son got another, the son's ticket did not need to be reported)
I still think that these gifts, or what ever they are called, should be considered to be income also. That way it would be taxed.

This seems like a step in the right direction. I also wish that the legislature would pass a rule limiting the number of bills each House or Senate member could introduce. I understand that this has been done in other states. Currently, in Utah, I understand that about 800 bills are introduced during each 45-day session. This means it is virtually impossible for a legislator to read and understand what he or she is voting on. By the last week of the session I understand that only about 200 of those bills have been completely ruled upon. At that point, the legislative leadership "suspends the rules" and a small group of people determine which of the remaining bills will go forward. As I understand, certain lobbyists have a great deal of influence in this decision which (in my opinion) encourages corruption. Fewer bills (in my opinion) means that the legislators could actually read what they are voting on, possibly avoid the log-jam at the end of the session, and encourage a more fair and repesentative form of government.

For once the legislature has to deal with its own shoddy drafting of legislation.

Why do they need "Gifts". They run for these offices, supposedly to do good for the public. Are they really running to make a name for themselves, gain money from their campaign funds that they get to keep, or receive gifts and free meals? Why do they actually run for office?

i don't know why people complain about lawmakers. They are the best that money can buy!!!!

I agree with Sandy Resident. If the legislators could read what they were voting on, this would lessen the need for lobbyists.

As it stands now, lobbyists and staffers literally write the legislation.

In DC, our reps and Senators don't even read the legislation.

Exhibit A: STIMULUS bill!

Then again that was all by design as they loaded that bill with democratic campaign payoffs and pork.

This is what our insightful president called "absolutely necessary that we pass immediately".

Great plan. Get people to pass legislation that nobody but the lobbyist and the staffer who wrote it knows what it is.

This administration is a joke. He campaigned that this type of thing would not happen.

The way I tell he is lying now? When his lips are moving.

Why the window of up to $50.00? My feeling is that if a window is left open of any sort, the legislators and the lobbyists will find a way around the intent of the law. Why can't it just be written that there can be NO "gifts", accept no monetary (or any other sort of) "favors"? If there are ANY loopholes, they will be exploited by legislators and lobbyists to gain favor for a cause. The cap needs to be $0.00.

Isn't it very funny that if a law that is passed to restrict bribery its a mistake but if the mistake was to raise taxes then they just ignore it and tell us tough. Read it and weep elected officials, your freebies are not so liberal anymore. What are all those lobbyist going to do with that extra money now? Put it in their campaign accounts off course, as they have always been doing anyway.

I have to agree with the $0.00 gifts including donations to campaign accounts. That is the only loop hole left, campaign accounts, where the elected officials have tax free access to these funds at any time for any reason, including personal use.

Their whining bores me and appalling that they feel cheated out of free tickets and vacations to exotic resorts.

We have a major problem with whom listens to whom.
Onece elected, These clowns have forgotten just who they are indebted to.
We the people have lost Utah and our towns with idiots that do not know anything about Civil Liberties.
Willard City will have a Sewer 30 years to far in advance.
The people was not allowed to vote it down.
The State just forked over the money.
This is all crimianl offences.
So who is watching?

It's funny that the best piece of legislation passed this year was only passed by mistake.

I agree. There should be NO gifts allowed. As a physician, the government passed a law no longer allowing meals, pens, office supplies, etc... because it "alters" our decision making, even though 'evidence-based' medicine ultimately dictates this. How does NBA tickets, concerts, meals, "gifts" not alter their decision making? The millions of dollars spent by lobbyists on "our" lawmakers doesn't affect everyone??? People should be outraged by this. I agree with the other comments. They are elected by the people, therefore are "employees" of the people and should vote in the best interest of the people without the extra incentives ('bribes') of the lobbyists. This, $50 limit would have never been passed if they realized what they were voting on, so why would this double standard ever be changed - unless "they" made another mistake.

It is laughable that the only way we get our legislators to act ethically is by mistake. It is also laughable that when they met to discuss this apparent mistake, they held a "Rare" closed door session. You can depend on only one thing from this illustreous bunch, it will take only nano-seconds for them to find a loophole to get around the gift restriction. Utah's Lawfakers errrr sorry I meant Lawmakers at their best!

The lobbyists will figure out a way to get a Jazz ticket or round of golf for $49. The cover-up will continue.

Well, gee, haven't they thought of BUYING their own tickets, like the rest of us?

I also found funny that the GOP Caucus is rarely closed to the public..since when was never opening come to be rarely? Secondly; I have heard some silly justification from a former Utah Legislator who claimed that he "drove a long way to get to the Capitol, and he didn't think it was fair to have to eat at McDonalds.") Maybe he ought to have worked at McDonalds instead. Many of the costumers are his consituants, and would love to have the choice of a McDonalds meal vs. a $50 meal at a resturant that serves $50 meals.

Finally our legislators get a taste of what it's like to be affected by their idiot policymaking. Serves them right. They shouldn't be taking any gifts anyway and I agree with whoever posted earlier that all gifts should be considered income and taxed and it should definitely include gifts given to family members, not just the legislators.

Afterall, as a citizen, if I receive a gift from winning a contest or something of that nature, I have to pay taxes on it. In fact, I have a friend that worked @ KSL Radio and at Thanksgiving time, all employees were given a gift certificate to buy a turkey. The amount of that gift certificate was added as income in their regular paychecks and they were taxed on it!

This is exactly why there should be limits on the number of terms someone can serve. That way anyone taking BRIBES (oops, I mean gifts) from lobbyists can't be in someone's pocket for too long.

The most unfortunate part of this is that ethical reform is only taking place by MISTAKE. Meaning the people making our laws don't have the moral character to pass reform willingly. How sad.