I would have blogged about it, but  was too busy giving the Floor presentation. Link HERE to HollyOntheHill for up-to-the-minute coverage on the debate and passage of HJR17.

Bowser from ShaNaNa, advocating for Truth In Music by Rep. Greg Hughes.

More blog coverage on the Capitol Hill “Tea Party” from HollyOntheHill.  Link HERE.

On Friday, a group of  peaceably assembled, conscienceous objectors to the recent Federal Bailout Package(s) gathered in the Capitol Rotunda to speak out against “strapping trillions of dollars of debt on the backs of (their) children, and (their) children’s children” for a temporary “fix” to a much larger governmental problem…Washington’s insatiable appetite to spend, spend, spend…our tax dollars.  Many there expressed concern over the mounting federal bailout money being sent to the states with “strings” or federal mandates attached. 

Link HERE for Deseret News story covering the “Tea Party”

In the Speaker’s Chair this afternoor, Utah County’s own Rep. Becky Lockhart (R-Provo, Palmyra), as the Speaker Pro Tempore.  Rep. Lockhart was elected as the House Majority Assistant Whip during the 2009-2010 term.  Great Job, Representative.

Reported in the local papers was the fact that the Senate and House GOP Caucuses voted in favor of the Pork-barrel tax on Motor Vehicle Registration.  If this measure passes and is signed by the governor you will pay an additional $20 per vehicle registeration annually.  

This $20 per vehicle will generate approximately $50,000,000 in additional revenue for the state of Utah.  The current proposal is $20,000,000 goes to “debt service” for bonds to be secured for the current year’s (FY10) Capital Building projects, $16,000,000 to help “restore” projects that were “cut” in the last round of Sub-appropriations Committees, and $14,000,000 for “road related” funding.  That all equals $50 million.  Now I recognize some of the “details” need to be “worked out.”  And, I have no doubt they will…

Just so there’s no misunderstanding…my vote was NO to the Motor Vehicle Tax Increase proposed in GOP Caucus.  Not just no, but Heck NO! 

Contrary to the vast majority of my conservative colleagues in the House Majority Caucus…I just disagree.  In a year when people are losing their jobs and their homes, inflation is on the rise, when we’re in the process of binding ourselves to the Federal Government with flaxen cords, A TAX INCREASE SHROUDED AS AN ONMIBUS “SPENDING” OR “FEE” PACKAGE IS NOT RIGHT.  Let’s call it what it IS…a Tax Increase. 

Revenues are down and the legisalture has made appropriate cuts to address those decreasing revenues.  Can we live with those cuts without a tax icrease…we can…and we will.

I, along with a handful of other GOP House Legislators, voted in Caucus on Monday NOT TO SUPPORT THE $20 Motor Vehicle Registration “Fee” increase.  PLEASE TAKE NOTE.  (NO votes included: Frank, Dougall, Ray, Hutchings, Oda, Dunnigan, Morely…)

Newspaper Articles:  HERE… and HERE

Disclosure: Click HERE.

An interiview with Channel 4 newsman Chris Vanocur with Rep. Craig Frank and Sen. Lyle Hillyard, Senate Appropriations Chair

Some of us feel the cost is too great to take the Spending Package being pushed on us by the Obama Administration and a Democrat controlled Congress.

Click HERE for story.

Here are some fun ones- including Rep. Frank’s birthday song on the House Floor, a run-in with Ronald McDonald himself, Rep. Frank presenting a few bills in committee, a few rallies (Utah Mothers for Clean Air and a rally against Energy Solutions), G&G Frank at the Capitol, rodeo awards, and other recent happenings!