Yesterday’s expose on legislative “conflict of interest” by Bob Bernick of the D-News was fascinating—however, possibly distorted.  Some readers of the article felt the “analysis” done by the Deseret Morning News team left much to be desired.  “Subjective analysis riddled with inaccuracies was the inevitable downfall of this potentially scathing commentary,” they said.

Utilizing the broad-brush analytical approach, as delineated in the article, Bob and his crack team of statistical detectives should have scored me at 100% (right up there with Buxton and Wimmer).  The inclusive criteria: “bills that appeared to create a conflict of interest, according to a computer assisted analysis…” (Bold type added for emphasis.)  Wow, did he really slip that in there?!  How intuitively mechanistic!

In an effort to establish total disclosure and transparency for my constituency, I feel a compelling desire to briefly discuss the bills I ran and my M.O. (Modi Operandi, pl.) behind each.  Important to note, is the fact that a “conflict of interest” should be declared if it has a positive OR negative effect on the Sponsor of the legislation, spouse, child, distant relative, etc. (Bob, points this out in his article).

Here’s my bills:

HB37 Cigarette and Tobacco Tax and License Amendments.  Even though I ran this bill for the Utah State Tax Commission to clarify a statute regarding Internet Sales of Tobacco products, I do have a potential conflict.

Conflict: Some of the second-hand smoke I’ve received over the years has potentially come from non-taxed internet-purchased tobacco products.

HB82 (1^st Substitute) Driving By Minors Amendments.  This bill was a conglomeration of constituent requests as it related to new drivers.

Conflict: I, too, have teenage drivers…and I’d like my 16 year old driver to be able to drive home with a “safety buddy” at night from a school or church activity (which is currently against the law).  Shame on me for wanting to protect my children…even my teenagers.

[NOTE:  AAA doesn’t want your 16 year old son or daughter to have a “safety buddy” with them while they travel home at night from school or church related activities—just ask Rolayne Fairclough, their lobbyist.)

HB98 County Option Sales and Use Tax for Highways, Fixed Guideways, or Systems of Public Transit Amendments.  This bill allows for the reallocation of Sales Tax dollars normally “earmarked” for state roads of regional significance to non-state roads of regional significance.  This law gives more local authority to the people who understand the real needs for local road projects. 

Potential Conflict:  Even though this bill has statewide application, there is a little strip of road (well…it’s currently “dirt in litigation”) between Pleasant Grove and American Fork we need to expand from 3 lanes to 5 lanes for I-15 reconstruction by-pass.  I (and a number of others) thought the people in the northeastern portion of Utah County would like to get to and from work on time and to the AF Hospital before the patient bleeds to death in a timely manner.  I might even drive on the road myself sometimes.  And, if I do, I want you all to know I’ll feel guilty each and every time.

HB165 (1^st Substitute) School Fee Amendments.  This bill shifts the payment of academically related mandatory annual classroom fees in our secondary public schools, from the local cashier’s payment window at the Junior High or High School back to the Personal Income Tax base (where we pay for nearly all other in-class instructional expenses related to public education). 

Potential Conflict:  As a taxpayer I’d like to amortize the payments of these $600-$1000 financial “hits” every year over the next…well…my working lifetime.  And, in my discussions with the good parents of Jr. High and High School students…they would too.

HB200 Standardizing Documents Filed with County Recorder.  This bill standardizes the format of papers filed with the County Recorders’ offices.

Conflict:  I use 8 ½” x 11” paper in my business.

HB388 Motor and Special Fuel Tax Amendments.  This bill removes a double tax on fuel when it has to be re-refined when it is accidentally mixed with other non-compatible fuel. 

Potential Conflict:  I currently own three cars, a gas-powered lawn mower, and a motorized weed-whacker…and maybe some day I’ll buy a chain saw…or a hydraulic log-splitter.

HB453 Amendments to Driving Under the Influence Provisions.  This bill would have increased the penalty provisions for first time DUI offenders.

Conflict:  I shouldn’t say anything about this bill without my attorney present.

In Summary So there you have it.  My conflicts.  Indicting, wasn’t it?  You’ll notice I didn’t run any industry specific bills…frankly, my business is unregulated and…boring.I’m not sure which bills the D-News used to expose me (Ranking: tied for 59^th place at 14%) and my legislative colleagues.  They neglected to disclose in the article (and its supporting documentation) which bills specifically gave them heartburn—musta been a big secret!

Every year Utah seems to trail behind 50th place in per pupil spending.  Even with the additional nearly HALF A BILLION DOLLARS in increased educating spending this past legislative session, Utah is still 51st.  Click HERE for print news article.

Recently I blogged about this issue.  And, I reiterate that Utah will probably never catch up to 50th; because, every time we (#51) put a half billion into education, so does Arizona (#50).  Everyone’s running the same race at a simiar pace.

Click HERE to review my previous blog.

Recently released to the public was a report by the Utah Legislative Auditor General.  The report, Number 2007-07, titled “A Review of the Public Education Costs of Undocumented Children,” explores the impact on state expenditures related to publically educating illegal students in grades K-12.  The Legislative Auditor General estimates costs associated with the education of between 10,714 and 16,667 undocumented children to be between $54.9 million and $85.4 million (attributed to State & Local tax dollars exclusively).  Click HERE for full report.

Following the release of a significant and controversial audit of this nature is the inevitable local coverage in the TV and print medias.  The problem with possessing the insatiable desire to be the first to “report” the latest and greatest news is the inevitable inaccuracies that accompany such unchecked desire.  Or, if not unintentional in accuracy, then intentional misrepresentation in order to discredit someone or something.  So was the case with a print news piece in the paper yesterday.  Certainly interesting, but misrepresented.

Quoted in yesterday’s Deseret Morning News was Sen. Margaret Dayton (R-Orem), Senate Chair of the Public Education Standing Committee, clearly taken out of context when she said “maybe we’re not charging enough income tax.”  Dayton had previously stated that the Federal government has not held up their part of the overall bargain (the M.O. of the Feds) by protecting and sealing our borders and that states are expected to pick up the tab for failed federal immigration/border policy.  Margaret, and the legislature, knows that the way we pay for the Federal Government’s mistakes at our borders is to increase personal income tax revenues to pay for the additional load in our Public Education system–income tax is Utah Public Education’s primary funding source.

So, Sen. Dayton was implying, I believe, that the REAL costs of educating 10,714 undocumented elementary and secondary students in Utah is to infuse approximately $55 million into state government coffers…and somebody’s gotta do the infusing for their education.  That means you and me, friend.  The working, personal income taxpaying public.

[Oh, and one more thing, a side note...once we pay for that education, there's no guarantee that those we educate with Utah personal income tax dollars are going to stick around to work in the Utah job market to help "pay back" that education--remember, they're illegal and CAN'T work.]

Now, anyone who knows Margaret would understand the “statement” in the D-News was taken out of context.  How do I know?  Well, yesterday I had lunch with her and a dozen of my right-leaning colleagues.  Each of us received an award from from the Grassroots policy association for our conservative involvement in the legislature–for “acting as responsible steward(s) with tax dollars of the citizens of Utah,” the plaque reads.  Oh, and I asked her…

One last point.  Margaret was one of two senators to recieved a 100% on the Utah Taxpayers Association scorecard. And, the other senator?  Howard Stephenson, President of the Utah Taxpayers Association.  Her voting record and actions are clearly inconsistent with the quote in yesterday’s D-News, while her personal philosophy on tax policy is 100% compatible with that of the Utah Taxpayers Association.  Hmmmm…

Margaret has personally protected the interests of Utah’s school children, at the same time protecting the interests of the Utah taxpayer.  As a member of the Public Education Standing Committee and Vice-Chair of the House Revenue and Taxation Standing Committee, I’ve seen this time and time again.  She has consistently fought for state’s rights and brought Washington DC to task when Congress and federal bureaucracies have fallen down on education policy.

Senator Margaret Dayton IS conservative…100% guaranteed!

The Legislative Auditor General’s office estimates the cost to taxpaying citizens (Personal Income Tax paying citizens) of Utah between $54.9 million and $85.4 million to educate all undocumented children in grades K-12 during 2006.  Click HERE to see full report.

If these children were removed from Utah public school classrooms tomorrow, there would be an additional $55,000,000 (or more) available for further classroom size reduction and money for further teachers salary increases.  The report also estimates that between 10,714 and 16,667 illegal students fill Utah’s K-12 classrooms.

Click HERE for print media article. 

President John Valentine, of the Utah State Senate, gives an accounting to the people of how the non-taxpayer funded Senate Site was created and how the blog site is used to help keep the citizens of the Great State of Utah informed.  Ric Cantrell, the President’s chief staffer, was wrongly accused of utilizing taxpayers “time” to administer the Senate’s unofficial blog site.

Read President Valentine’s message HERE.

Mr. Rolly, of the Salt Lake Tribune, in his recent column accused Ric Cantrell, lead staffer for Pres. Valentine, of blogging on the Senate Site (Unofficial Voice of the Utah State Senate Majority) on the taxpayer’s dime.  It’s clear Paul doesn’t hang around the back hallways of the Senate when Ric is working late into the evenings, long after nearly all other staffers have eaten dinner with their families and are sitting in front of the TV watching who knows what.

What Ric does for “off-hour” state citizen relations and communications costs the taxpayers nothing.  The fact is, if we were to pay Ric what he’s really worth, accounting for all the uncompensated hours he works for the State Senate, we couldn’t afford him.  I’ve passed down the hallways late at night and have seen Ric dilligently at work.  I’ve recieved both official and “unofficial” correspondence from Ric at all hours of the evening.

The problem is not Ric, Mr. Rolly, it’s that we can’t find more people to work in our state government just like him.

Even before the premature beginning of the ’08 Presidential race, the Hollywood “left” and the MSM teamed up to market to the American public what they felt would be the primary focus of this extended political season—Greenhouse Gas Emissions.  And, jumping right into the middle of this internationally explosive issue is…Utah!
 
Monday, a summit of sorts between two of the most politically popular governors in all the western states will take place in Salt Lake City.  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R-UT), will clasp hands to create a partnership to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the western states.  (What happens if one of the six states invited to participate doesn’t want to get involved?…never mind…)  The agreement called the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative (WRCAI), is designed to sell bureaucratically brokered “Emission Credits” to businesses… Hey, wait just a doggone minute, wasn’t this former Democrat, Vice President Al Gore’s idea (Father of the Carbon Credit)?  Sure sounds like it.
 
The inconvenient truth of the matter is that just about this time before the general elections every four years, since the 1960’s, the environment is pushed to the forefront of the national political debate–and, this cycle is no different.  Why should it be?!  Hollywood and the environmentalists aren’t losing any traction.
 
Click HERE for D-News article.
 
The Environment—State Republican Party Platform
 
As Republican elected officials (endorsed by the State and County Parties) we are expected to uphold and support the conservative planks of the platform.  The nucleus of our political influence and decision-making should reflect the values of the Republican Party.  We are accountable to the party we represent—no matter what elected office we hold.  What are those values and principles?
 
From the platform:
 
“We appreciate the quality of our environment.  Our air, water, and land are at the heart of our existence and must be protected through balanced management.  We support reasonable laws and volunteer efforts to improve air and water quality.  We continue to seek responsible solutions…We seek to preserve the environment while serving the best interests of our Utah citizens.”  (Utah Republican Party, State Party Platform, current)
 
1984 In 1976—It Seemed So Far Away…
 
Back in 1976, as a young impressionable student at Washington Junior High School, I was forced to read George Orwell’s 1984 in an English Literature class.  It scarred me for life…and turned me into the “compassionate” cynic I am today.  Gleaned from the pages of the book, however, were several indispensable quotes and their accompanying underlying societal themes.  Let me share a few of them with you.  I tried to harvest a few, appropriate quotations.  (Try to think about greenhouse gas as you read them.)
 
Orwellian Morsels
 
“It’s the one thing they can’t do. They can make you say anything – anything – but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you.” –George Orwell, 1984
 
“But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”  –George Orwell, 1984
 
“The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.”  –George Orwell, 1984
 
Greenspeak
 
Trying to adapt the foresightfullness of Orwell’s message in 1984 as it relates to the whole Global Warming/Greenhouse Gas Emission supposition isn’t too hard to imagine. 
 
For example, I like this one:
 
“The purpose of Greenspeak is not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of AlGore, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.
 
There, that wasn’t so bad was it?!  Now, swallow this one.
 
Good, Evil & Evil, Good
 
“Sanity is not statistical.”  –George Orwell, 1984
 
Anyone who claims to be rational and doesn’t subscribe to the theory of total annihilation of the globe and all living things because of greenhouse gas emissions, and symbolically stain their finger “green” between now and the next election “for the cause,” will be thought of as a radical, environment hater.
 
I personally have a firm belief in global warming as a theocratic truth (Rev 15:2).  I have accepted this eventual earthly condition as reality.  However, until that day…I choose to support the Republican Party Platform.  And, I believe what that platform agrees to is…balance.  Not periodic situational hysteria…but…balance.  Not global apathy, not global hysteria…but…balance.

Immigration Reform is once again the hot topic in Washington DC.  President Bush announced from the White House a couple days ago a bi-partisan plan to accomodate a hybrid “guest worker program” looking remarkably like the plan I proposed about two weeks ago on this very blogsite.  Click HERE for link to previous blog.  The only reservation I have in calling too much attention to my previous post is the vocal opposition by my conservative cronies decrying the shrouded amnesty perceptually veiled in the Federal Bill.

My plan, however, doesn’t mandate a $5000 dollar penalty (the Feds will grab dollars wherever and whenever they can), nor does it allow for eventual citizenship of guest worker participants.

Click HERE for print media article.  And, one more, click HERE.

In his blog yesterday, Rep. Steve Urquhart (R-St.George), Chief Sponsor of the Voucher Bill (HB148), further discusses items related to VOUCHERMANIA–the post “Let Them Eat School Lunch.”  Click HERE for link to Steve’s Blog.

This evening a number of Legislators participated in the annual UMA Trap Shoot out at the Magna Gun Club.  Not just in attendance, but a force to be dealt with, was Sen. Ed Mayne.  Ed wanted me to communicate that it was a democrat that brought home the bacon put everybody (all them R’s) in their place when he knocked down 11 of 12 clay pigeons at the two bird horizontal shoot out window thing.

While speaking with Ed, it became immediately apparent, the reason why he scored so high was the chemical enhancement therapy he’s been receiving.  Ed says the drugs are for his lung cancer, but many believe they’re for enhanced athletic performance.

The R’s demand a rematch when Ed’s not shooting “under the influence.”

All kidding aside, Ed looked great!  We’re glad you’re feeling better, Senator.  Pull…