What are we thinking?

As we enter the 2009 legislative session, I think our State Party Vice Chair Rob Miller in his column for the Davis County Clipper has written a good article summing up what the Democratic Party is thinking as we get underway. He wrote:

On Jan. 26, 2009, the Utah Legislature will convene. My assignment: list the top three best and three worst bills I expect to be passed during this session.

Unfortunately that is a secret you can’t be told.

According to legislative lawyers, there are roughly 770 bill files that have been opened. Most are not public at this time. Legislators keep them "protected" until they are ready to tell us.

The bills that will most likely be considered during the first 10 days are the approximately 95 bills that were passed in 2008 during the interim sessions. Most, but not all of these bills, are available for public view. I encourage you to look at the legislative web site to see them.

Additionally, there is no doubt that the bill with the greatest effect on our communities will be the budget bills.

Due to lower tax revenues there simply isn’t any money for new projects. Instead of focusing on healthcare reform and improving mathematics education, which are high legislative priorities, we may find Utah legislators more interested in changing policy that has no, or a low, fiscal note. Beware the legal challenges that this endeavor to save money will produce.

We are already seeing heightened attention to liquor, abortion, tobacco, gambling, property tax, immigration, domestic partnerships, ethics and campaign reform. Many of these issues are likely to be dealt with poorly because they were not truly on most legislators’ priority lists until this last election cycle and, quite frankly, haven’t been worked through in the appropriate manner.

Whether you’re interested in the budget or policy, 2009 is shaping up to be a year of disappointment for moderate voters.

In the base budget they are debating cuts to every department across the board of 15 percent. Cuts to education, healthcare, and programs like "Meals on Wheels" will be most harmful. If you’re a young person in public school it is my hope that Utah legislators realize that you will only go through this stage of life once, and I plead with Utah’s lawmakers to not tell senior citizens, "We’ll be happy to feed you two years from now when we have more revenue."

It may be inconvenient for us now, but putting off capital improvements on state buildings and roads is a leadership decision that should be made. The same isn’t true with bills that affect a child’s developmental stage, healthcare for those who have a current illness, or seniors who benefit from a warm meal.

There may even be hope for those capital projects getting done sooner rather than later. It appears that the incoming Obama administration wants to help states with this because they understand that it is the most reasonable area for budget cuts during an economic downturn.

One bill I am very optimistic about is Rep. Lynn Hemingway’s (D-Millcreek) bill to help new educators with housing. Although it has been dismissed over the last two sessions it is a step in the right direction and should find support from both Democrats and Republicans, especially in areas like St. George where housing is simply not affordable for those who are teaching our children.

The fact is before we pass judgment on the best and worst we need to watch the legislative process. It is through this process that poor and mediocre bills can take flight and where great bills can be cannibalized.

Whatever happens this year, it is my hope that our lawmakers are pragmatic and truly focus on being helpful regarding the issues that affect all of us. Lawmakers have a tough road ahead, one which I don’t envy.