Deseret News | Legislature to face bad cash shortages

Reader comments
Legislature to face bad cash shortages

yeah | 5:29 p.m. Oct. 20, 2009

cut out the dead wt in SE Utah , you know the family name connection if you did that it would save millions as alot of them are duplicates! Don't belief me look!

RE: yeah | 8:21 p.m. Oct. 20, 2009

What are you talking about....

Eye on the news | 10:02 p.m. Oct. 20, 2009

I just went for a tour to the Capitol Rotonda and I was educated on how much the state pay to fix the office of the governor the one that is on display. What a shame. Cutting social programs and education then waste tax payers money on decorations and rugs. What a shame. We should start talking on cutting the Legislators salaries and let them go without medical insurance for a wile. There must be other big contracts that they can cut. What about Franklin Covey planners for state employees.

Comments continue below

Go to a single legislative body | 8:11 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Get rid of the State Senate or better yet the State House of Reps. Both houses are elected based on population. They are redundant and the biggest waste of tax payer dollars. We need a unicameral legislature like Nebraska. Utah's two hoses are the very definition of redundant. Other government entities have been cut to the bone by the bone heads in the state legislature, cut their jobs and status. They have cut taxes so much there is no money for ESSENTIAL services. In a state with religious leaders touting the importance of education and our children, we allow them to suffer. It is very sad.

CUT SPENDING! | 8:23 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Yes, it will hurt, but when you don't have the money, you MUST cut spending. Taxpayers don't have a bottomless source of cash to feed state spending habits.

Start with cutting 75% of the state office of education, and 50% of all school jobs other than actual classroom teachers, lunch workers and custodians. The rest are mostly bloated bureaucracy.

Next, take a hard look at what Obamacare will dump on the states which will be a HUGE expense, as an unfunded mandate.

Look at other federal mandates, and if the Justice Dept is not going to enforce federal laws against medical marijuana, then under the equal protection concept they should not enforce federal laws against Utah if we don't bother paying for a bunch of stuff Utahn's don't want.

CC | 8:49 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Utah Legislators are not "full-time" politicians with health insurance and a retirement and the likes. They recieve 117$ a day when they are attending to legislative duties, which works out to around $8,000 a year if I am calculating interim work correctly. They are farmers, lawyers, bankers, business owners, safety officers who break from their other duties during the 45 day session. They are being paid peanuts. They don't do it to line their pockets. If they were to decrease their own salaries, as they would have to approve it, I think a great majority of them would still do it because they enjoy it.

dave4197 | 9:46 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Utah's budget problem is just smaller and later than California's.
A couple of points. When people are unable to find jobs, they go back to school. Utah's higher education schools are packed with more students than ever. So don't cut higher education classroom expenses. As always, please do cut the administrative/overhead fat.

When legislators talk about returning to a sales tax on food, it's the land of the dinosaurs all over again. Sales tax on food is an idea whose time has died, everywhere else at least.

When legislators seek to raise taxes and fees instead of reducing spending, they're not facing the reality, reality being we have a slow economy, so we taxpayers are reducing our payments to gov't, so gov't needs to slow spending. Please work on getting that thru your heads, legislators.

Cut the fat. Reduce less used programs. Keep education a top priority, it's our way to remain competitive in the workplace of the world.

Reduce prevailing wages for state funded projects, or slow the pace of doing those state funded projects.

wallofvoodoo | 9:51 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Maybe cut their health insurance & per diems.

john | 10:22 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

CC,

If you accounted for all the extra perks (cost of hotel,lunches,etc)they make well over the $8000 a year you claim. They may also keep unused campaign contributuions when they quit representing their districts.
After 5 years as a legislator they (and spouse) are covered for their health insurance lifetime (if they pay the small premium).
It is very sad when there are some full time state employees who work all year and receive a salary less than what a legislator makes in 45 days(yes I know they claim it's a fulltime job representing their district but I always thought that when you run for office it was for a sense of civic duty to better our district/county/state/federal government). And if a state employee does not work their full time hours they may lose their insurance. I remember back a couple of years ago when they voted down providing dental care for the poor(with matching federal funds) and instead built themselves a nice parking lot. It seems every year they cut back on state employee benefits and yet are unwilling to sacrifice themselves.HYPOCRITES.

A. Voter | 11:14 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009

As I recall the legislature took a 10% voluntary cut last year. So they are paid $117 per day. That is less than than I had to pay a plummer per HOUR!! We have one of the best legislatures in the nation, and should consider ourselves fortunate.

Of course there are Utah legislators that we don't like, but like the U.S. Congress they seem to always be someone else's legislator. If you don't like your own legislator remove him/her in the 2010 election. With some effort by a few willing to get involved, it can be done. I know, I live in House District 65 and some angry citizens from Mapleton were able to do it in 2008.

If you are dis-satisfied get involved, help someone you support, or become a candidate yourself. I suppose for those too lazy to get involved in politics, a benevolent dictatorship would suit them. If nothing else read George Orwell's book "Animal Farm," and think about it.

The Utah Legislature, has kept Utah in good financial condition, considering the recession. They will do well in 2010, and work though the shortfall, but many will be unhappy.

can't be true | 12:31 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

but I just read the other day that Utah is the best managed state because we have a republican dominated legislature.
How could this story be true?

A thought or 2 | 12:58 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Legislators still receive all the wonderful life-time medical benefits they took away from state employees a couple of years ago. They also receive a better retirement pay than do other state employees. What is good for state workers should be good for the legislators as well.

When I read others complain about red-tape and bureaucracy I completely agree and it needs to go. However remember that those that created the red-tape and bureaucracies state employees (cities, school districts as well) must deal with are the very legislators that seem to complain about it.

Why not ask the state employees what bureaucracy they think is a waste of time and money. We would be happy to disclose if someone would listen objectively. After all, the people who know where the best bang for the buck is are the very people that are doing the grunt work.

RE: Voter | 1:27 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

If they are so good then one house could easily accomidate what needs to be done. Get rid of all the staffers and lawyers and Hotels and Per diem and secretaries and you will be amazed at how much the state saves. CUT from the top down!

The Sky Is Falling... or is it? | 6:18 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Well now the UEA, NEA, AFT, and every other special interest group who pretends to be looking out for the welfare of our children will be out in force. Lets not kid ourselves these "education" unions are only out for their own power. Do not fall into the trap.

But seriously...

The reality is this state needs to make some hard choices. This state will have to do what every single family has to do. They will have to sit down and look at needs versus wants. There can be no kingdoms to protect, no pet projects to hover over. Make the choice Utah because Obama has no more money to send.

What is the critical have to haves?
What can we do without?
Where is the waste to cut?

Every family in Utah has to do this and most times (the responsible ones do) they get it right.

Please Utah law makers get it right before we are all in too deep.

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