Obama 100 Days: Utah Chair’s Statement

Utah State Democratic Party Chair Wayne Holland today released this comment on the first one hundred days of the Obama administration:

“Utah voters have little patience for ideological debate. They want a pragmatic leader who honestly tells them exactly what they intend to do and then do it. They want action. And, when it comes from Washington, they want to see some respect for local decision making.”

“During his first 100 days, Obama passed this test.”

“His tax cut got into people’s bank accounts much faster by decreasing withholding rather than writing a check which took months to deliver. By focusing on “shovel-ready” projects, he funded projects that we were already planning at the local level. We have waited for years for a real start to clean up the tailings pile in Moab and fix the Dinosaur Monument visitor’s center. Those things are finally underway.”

“Replacing the 30,000 jobs lost in 2008, a tax cut for nearly every Utah family, an increase in the children’s health insurance program, preventing catastrophic cuts to our state budget especially for education and health concerns, accelerated funding for transportation, water and other infrastructure projects that we were already planning, is a really good start that Utahns should appreciate.”

Obama 100 Days: Overview

Today we take stock of what President Obama has accomplished in his first few months in office and talk about what Democrats are committed to doing in the future to get the economy moving again.

The President should be proud of what he has gotten done so far with strong Democratic support in Congress.

Since taking over in January, President Obama and the Democratic Congress have:

• Passed an economic recovery package that will save or create three to four million jobs here at home by investing in vital infrastructure projects, investing in new energy technologies, improving medical record keeping, preventing cuts to important state initiatives in healthcare and education, expanding unemployment assistance and giving 95 percent of Americans a tax cut.
• Passed the Lilly Ledbetter fair Pay Act to ensure that women are paid the same as men for doing the same job.
• Lifted the ban on federal funding for potentially life-saving stem cell research.
• Passed legislation to enhance the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and expanding coverage to an additional 4 million children bringing to 11 million the number of children covered under SCHIP.
• Passed a budget blueprint that invests in America's future and makes critical investments in health care, education, and clean energy.

Unfortunately Republicans have tried to block us every step of the way even on silly matters like resolutions supporting financial literacy.

But for all that has been accomplished, much more needs to be done. All this work is just a down-payment on the change we still need.

For too long Republicans have ignored the most pressing issues facing our country – and President Obama and the Democrats in Congress inherited two wars, the largest budget deficit in history and the worst economic crisis since the great depression.

And, folks here in Utah and across the country are still hurting.

• Millions of Americans are losing their homes or have seen the value of their home--their biggest investment--plummet.
• Unemployment continues to rise. Folks must make difficult decisions just to put food on the table.
• Close to fifty million people in this country lack health insurance including nearly one-third of adult Utahns. The ones who have it face skyrocketing premiums and a health care system that is unaffordable and inefficient.
• Our children are falling behind as countries around the globe outpace us in education. Some children even go to crumbling schools.
• Our nation is dependent on foreign oil and the violent swings of the oil market, and the energy we do use pollutes our Planet.

These problems must be addressed before it’s too late. We can no longer wait and leave our problems for the next generation to deal with.

Thankfully, we have a President and Democratic leaders like Congressman Matheson, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, State House Democratic Leader David Litvack and State Senate Democratic Leader Pat Jones who are committed to following through with the change America voted for in November. They are making mature decisions about what will work best for our State and Country instead of the immature shenanigans from Congressman Chaffetz, or the Republicans in the Utah legislature who take stimulus funds while passing resolutions against it that prevented massive cuts to our state budget and a deepening local recession.

We are confident that in the coming weeks and months, President Obama will continue to work for folks here in Utah as we rebuild our economy and restore the American Dream.

Change may not come in a day, but we are on our way to getting the economy moving again.

Obama 100 Days: Impact on Utah

IMPACT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ECONOMIC POLICIES ON UTAH

Working Families:

Making Work Pay: The President’s tax-cut – which covers more Americans than any in history – is putting more than $500 million back in the pockets of more than 900,000 hard-working Utah families.

$22,365,594 to support child care for working families.

Energy:

$27,777,600 in block grants to foster energy efficiency in building, transportation, and a wide range of other improvements.

$37,897,203 to support the weatherization of homes, including adding more insulation, sealing leaks and modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment.

$35,362,000 to the State Energy Program, available for rebates to consumers for energy saving improvements; development of renewable energy projects; promotion of Energy Star products; efficiency upgrades for state and local government buildings; and other innovative state efforts to help save families money on their energy bills.

Education:

$400,840,338 potentially available to Utah to lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save thousands of teaching jobs at risk due to state and local budget cuts.

Health Care:

$2,937,742 to expand services at 11 existing Community Health Centers, which will expand service to an additional 14,572 patients and create or save a projected 31 jobs.

$575,747 to provide meals to low-income seniors.

$53,362,783 made available in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to protect health care for the families hit hard by the economic crisis and some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

$2,231,180 in vaccines and grants to ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need.

Transportation:

$213,545,653 in highway funds to help build and repair roads and bridges.

$58,084,648 to repair and build public transportation infrastructure.

$13,070,924 to address airport safety and security, infrastructure, runway safety, increased capacity, and mitigation of environmental impacts.

Law Enforcement:

More than $16.2 million for state and local law enforcement assistance available through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.  The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.

Obama 100 Days: Articles highlighting Utah projects

REAL RESULTS IN UTAH

Thanks to the Obama Administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, real impact is already being felt across the state.

Ogden-Based Concrete Company Started Work on First UT Road Project Funded by ARRA; Some Workers Who Were Laid Off Have Been Called Back to Work. “An Ogden-based concrete company has started work on the first Utah road project being funded by federal government stimulus money. The Utah Department of Transportation awarded Multiple Concrete Enterprises Inc. a $769,609 contract for roadwork at the Knudsen's Corner area of I-215 near Holladay. The company, which submitted the lowest bid for the project, began on April 8 to rehabilitate the pavement on both sides of the freeway from roughly 2000 East to 5400 South, said UDOT spokesman Adan Carrillo…The project will result in ‘restoration that will extend the life of these pavements up to 20 years,’ said Var Stephens, owner of Multiple Concrete Enterprises. Lately, Stephens has had to send crews to surrounding states for projects. He said he's happy to have a local project, with employees who will spend the money locally. Fifteen employees, plus some subcontractors, are working on the job, which will last through the end of May. About half of the employees are full-time. The other half are seasonal and were called back after being laid off for the winter, Stephens said…Issac Heathcote of Ogden was one of the laid-off Multiple Concrete Enterprises employees called back to work. During the winter, Heathcote sells electronics to support his wife and three children, ages 5-9. He says most seasonal concrete construction workers have side jobs to make ends meet. ‘Without that stimulus money, there might have been a hold on the work this year because of the economy,’ Heathcote said.” [Desert News (UT), 4/14/09]

Economic Stimulus Will Accelerate Cleanup of Uranium Mill Tailings in Moab, Create 150 Additional Jobs. “The federal government will provide $108 million from the economic stimulus package to push ahead more quickly with the cleanup of uranium mill tailings from Moab, Utah. The new spending will more than double the number of employees from 125 to at least 275, officials with the U.S. Department of Energy said. The cleanup is scheduled to begin April 20 and is estimated to cost about $1 billion, which will be paid by the Department of Energy… The additional funding for the mill-tailings pile will enable the Energy Department to begin with a seven-day-a-week schedule for removing the pile instead of four days a week, which had been planned.The additional money also will enable the cleanup to use more rail cars this fall. The cleanup will begin with a 22-car train that by this fall will become a 34-car train. Each car will carry four containers filled with mill tailings.” [Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 3/31/09]

Stimulus Funds for Community Health Centers Will Create or Save 31 Jobs in Utah. “Community health centers in Utah are receiving $2.9 million in federal stimulus funds, a boost that will help the struggling centers see more patients. Utah's centers, which offer low-cost care to low-income patients, have seen increased demand with the economy's downturn, and some have been forced to turn patients away. The federal funds will allow 11 centers statewide to provide care to an additional 14,572 patients over the next two years, many of them uninsured, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates. The centers also will create or retain approximately 31 jobs. The federally qualified health centers treat a mix of patients, but must provide services on a sliding fee basis to people who live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 3/27/09]

Stimulus Funds Will Repay Junction City for Building Nursing Home for 120 Veterans. “It's been a good spring for the future veterans nursing home in Junction City.  The vets home is being built and Ogden will see it completed by Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The need for a vets nursing home in Utah is so great -- the Salt Lake nursing home has a two-year wait -- that the Utah Legislature fast-tracked the $20 million project by paying all the funds. This was because it had seemed that the feds would take years to pony up its $12.5 million share of the nursing home.  At the time, Utah legislators feared that it would take several years to be paid back by the Veterans Administration.  But then came the stimulus package. The VA's nursing home construction program suddenly found itself with $150 million to spend, and the Weber County vets nursing home became a high priority. In short, the feds expect to pay Utah either this year, or 2010.  Terry Schow, executive director of the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs, hopes the additional funds generated by the stimulus will lead to other vets nursing homes in Utah County and St. George… We are fortunate to have a nursing home in Ogden. The 120-bed facility was earned after a long, hard fight… The Utah Department of Veterans Affairs is still working to raise funds to adequately furnish the vets home. Because the nursing home will have four pods instead of one large unit, there's more space that needs to be filled. So far, about $15,000 has been raised. Dennis McFall, deputy director of the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs, said he hopes that as much as $150,000 can be raised. Weber Commission Chairman Craig Dearden said recently that the Weber nursing home would receive money raised from the county golf tournament.” [(Ogden UT) Standard-Examiner, 4/15/09]

Stimulus Funds Will Allow 11 Utah Health Centers to Care For An Additional 14,572 Patients Over The Next Two Years. Community health centers in Utah are receiving $2.9 million in federal stimulus funds, a boost that will help the struggling centers see more patients. Utah's centers, which offer low-cost care to low-income patients, have seen increased demand with the economy's downturn, and some have been forced to turn patients away. The federal funds will allow 11 centers statewide to provide care to an additional 14,572 patients over the next two years, many of them uninsured, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates. The centers also will create or retain approximately 31 jobs. The federally qualified health centers treat a mix of patients, but must provide services on a sliding fee basis to people who live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Nationally, centers are receiving $338 million. The funds, provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, come as more Americans join the ranks of the uninsured. ‘More Americans are losing their health insurance and turning to health centers for care,’ said Mary Wakefield, Health Resources and Services administrator, said in a statement. ‘These grants will aid centers in their efforts to provide care to an increasing number of patients during the economic downturn.’” [Salt Lake Tribune, 3/27/09]

Stimulus Funds Will Cover Costs Of Repaving St. George’s Main Road. “Major Main Street project news broke at the Parowan city council meeting Thursday night as city manager Joe Melling revealed the Utah Department of Transportation has agreed to cover several extra costs in repaving the city's tarnished main road. Melling said the total amount UDOT plans to contribute is around $6 million, coming from funds available through the federal stimulus package. UDOT representatives told Melling it is covering new curb construction as well as handicap ramps, a $1.5 million project in itself, among other costs beyond repavement. ‘And they want to get that all under contract in the next 90 to 120 days,’ Melling noted. Discussion during Thursday night's meeting centered around several other progressive projects the city wants to examine, including a new sewer line, home mail delivery, a city solid waste system with recycling and a city complex. A sewer line along 2200 North and running through other parts of town would allow sewer service around the airport area, Melling said, adding that this project also comes from stimulus money available from the state.” [The Spectrum, 3/27/09]

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Two Utah Superfund Sites Will Receive $30 Million In Stimulus Money To Accelerate Cleanup. “Two Superfund sites in Utah will receive $30 million in federal stimulus money from the Environmental Protection Agency to accelerate cleanup efforts. The announcement of $600 million in new funding was made Wednesday morning by the agency, which detailed sites in 28 states targeted for the money. About $5 million will go to the Bountiful/Woods Cross 500 South PCE plume in Davis County, which was named to the agency's National Priorities List in 2001 because of groundwater contaminants that pose a public health risk at the 400-acre site. PCE — or tetrachloroethylene — is a chemical that was commonly used in dry-cleaning operations and can cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness and nausea. In high concentrations it can cause death if exposure happens in poorly ventilated areas. Michael Storck, the state project manager with the Department of Environmental Quality, said recent quarterly monitoring of the groundwater showed PCE levels at 60 parts per billion in contrast to federal standards of 5 parts per billion. The contamination is at the 130 feet level of the aquifer and affects domestic wells used for agricultural purposes, Storck said. The money will pay for installation of additional ground water extraction wells, monitoring wells and the construction of a water treatment system. An estimated $25 million will, in part, cap three large mine waste sites at the 680-acre Eureka Mills site in Juab County's East Tintic mountains. Listed since 2002, the site poses a public health risk because of heaving mining in the area that left lead contaminants in waste rock. The EPA says the money will also go for the clean up of approximately 160 residences where there are lead-contaminated soils.” [Deseret News, 4/16/09]

Stimulus Funds Will Help Accelerate Removal Of Uranium Near Moab That Threatens To Contaminate Colorado River. “The Obama administration decided Tuesday to use a big chunk of the economic stimulus package to accelerate removal of the Atlas uranium mill tailings near Moab, which have threatened to leach radioactive waste into the Colorado River. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that of the $6 billion that the stimulus package gave the Energy Department to accelerate environmental cleanup work, he is allocating $108 million to the Moab project. That had Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, almost shouting for joy. He has fought the Energy Department under previous leadership for years to accelerate the project and was told as late as a month ago that it might not be completed for another 20 years because of lack of funds. Such lack of funds is apparently no longer a problem for now.” [Deseret News, 3/31/09]

Utah Using Stimulus Funds to Encourage Home Buyers. “Now, there is the Home Run Grant to help 1,666 Utahns buy their first home. Here is basically how it works. A total of $10 million is set aside for those who qualify to receive the $6000 grant. Income is the key. $75,000 income for an individual or $150,000 for a couple. You can also combine the 6 grand with the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit. Contractors are hoping that this program will ‘clear the deck’ and get rid of all those new homes just sitting there. Once they sell, they all housing prices will rise again and that will help everyone in the mortgage business, too.” [ABC News Channel 4, 3/23/09]

Utah Using Stimulus Funds to Give First Time Home Buyers Incentive to Buy. “Utah Governor Jon Huntsman today signed Senate Bill 260, Housing Relief Restricted Special Revenue Fund. Upon his signature, he immediately directed the Utah Housing Corporation to begin dispersing 1,600 $6,000 grants to homebuyers purchasing a newly constructed home. With more than 3,000 unsold newly built homes available and 18,000 Utah construction workers who lost jobs last year, this program is intended to directly deal with the most distressed area of our economy. ‘It is up to the states to use the federal stimulus money in a way that truly has a beneficial impact on our economy. This is an immediate stimulus targeted at the weakest area of Utah's economy,’ Governor Jon Huntsman said. ‘This investment of $10 million will result in 8,800 jobs in the market and $324 million in wages into our economy. This boost is critical for us to reverse our current position.’” [Governor’s Office Release, 3/19/09]

Utah Using Stimulus Funds to Prevent Foreclosure. “Governor Huntsman is directing $1.8 million of discretionary federal stimulus money to provide foreclosure prevention and mitigation services through the Department of Community and Culture. Currently in our state, 15,000 homes are in foreclosure, doubling since 2007. The funds will be dedicated to prevention efforts through training and counselors. The Home Run Program will be administered by the Utah Housing Corporation.” [Governor’s Office Release, 3/19/09]

UDOT Executive Director: Stimulus Funds Will Create 6,000 Jobs. “Utah Department of Transportation officials say they have already obligated $95.5 million of the nearly $150 million in federal stimulus funds the agency is receiving for road construction… UDOT has obligated more than half of the money in two weeks, 15 weeks ahead of schedule. In total, Utah will have 56 road projects funded by the federal stimulus money… UDOT Executive Director John Njord has estimated the stimulus money for UDOT projects, combined with money for city and county construction projects, will create 6,000 jobs. UDOT is getting $149.5 million of the $213 million in stimulus money being spent on transportation projects in Utah. The rest will go to regional transportation planning groups such as the Wasatch Front Regional Council, which is the largest regional planning organization for roads and represents 60 percent of the states population.” [The Seattle Times, 3/18/09]

Southern Utah University Pres. Praised Budget Appropriations for Education. “With the passage this week of the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, the Omnibus Conference Report reveals that Southern Utah University, and specifically its proposed Gibson Science Center, has garnered federal support in the amount of $476,000. $95,000 of this funding will be invested in a rural science teaching program, with the remainder helping to construct and equip the Gibson Science Center. Stated SUU President Michael Benson, ‘…The only way to move up the priority list… was to secure non-state funding in the form of private gifts and federal support. That Senators Bennett and Hatch have been successful in helping us do so is a real credit to them and to their belief in what we are doing in our College of Science.’ This funding is completely separate from any federal stimulus money that may come to SUU, observes SUU Vice President for Government Relations and Regional Services Wes Curtis. ‘While the University is still waiting to see if any of the so-called State Stabilization Fund comes to Cedar City, this news today out of Washington, D.C., is very good for us and for this project,’ stated Curtis. The federal funds, coupled with a $3 million commitment - the largest gift ever to a capital project in SUU's 110-year history - from Dr. Walter Gibson of Albany, New York, have helped position the science center project on the recommended bond list issued 10 days ago by the Capital Facilities Subcommittee of the Utah State Legislature.” [Main Street Business Journal, 3/2/09 – 3/8/09]

Obama 100 Days: Specific Utah Projects

PARKS

Utah parks and monuments will receive $24.1 million worth of projects from stimulus money

• Arches National Park: $78,000 to construct a flood diversion wall.
• Bryce Canyon National Park: $579,000 for projects including restoring the historical Bristlecone Trail and demolishing and replacing a comfort station to meet requirements for the handicapped.
• Canyonlands National Park: $159,000 for projects including replacing failing propane tanks at Island in the Sky and rehabilitating the Hans Flat maintenance building for energy efficiency.
• Capitol Reef National Park: $180,000 to increase energy efficiency at the nature center, visitors shelter and storage facilities, and replacing exterior siding and windows in employee residences.
• Cedar Breaks National Monument: $150,000 for preventive maintenance at the North View and Chessman overlooks, and to repair trails and boundary fences.
• Dinosaur National Monument (Utah portion): Besides the $13.1 million to replace condemned portions of the Quarry Visitor Center, it will also receive $478,000 to repair trails parkwide and to replace waterlines.
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah portion): $8 million for preservation treatment on 68 miles of roads, plus $653,000 to replace water meters and automate water systems and to install gates "to protect visitors and preserve resource habitat."
• Golden Spike National Historic Site: $66,000 to repair trails and replace boundary and auto tour gates.
• Hovenweep National Monument: $55,000 to conduct stabilization maintenance on the historic Cajon Pueblo.
• Natural Bridges National Monument: $15,000 to stabilize eroded structures at the historical Bare Ladder Ruin.
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument: $192,000 to construct a roof extension on the cave exit shelter to protect visitors from rockfall.
• Zion National Park: $945,000 for critical trail repairs and to install solar electric panels at numerous buildings including the visitors center, museum and park headquarters.

WATER

More federal stimulus money is trickling into Utah, this time in a $50 million infusion that will help facilitate the completion of the Central Utah Water Project. The funding will accelerate work on a variety of Utah water efforts, including:

• continued construction of both the Spanish Fork Canyon and Spanish Fork-Provo Reservoir Canal pipelines
• construction of the Big Springs Fish Hatchery for the Ute Indian Tribe,
• recovery work for the endangered June sucker fish,
• development of the Lower Duchesne River Wetlands Project,
• and wetlands conservation and mitigation.

A Department of Interior news release said $41 million of the stimulus funding will be allocated for construction of the pipelines, which will convey an additional 60,000 acre feet of water to Utah and Salt Lake counties.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Cleanup of Moab 16 million-ton tailings pile was accelerated with a $108 million infusion from the Obama administration's economic-stimulus package last month.

Two Superfund sites in Utah will receive $30 million in federal stimulus money from the Environmental Protection Agency to accelerate cleanup efforts.

About $5 million will go to the Bountiful/Woods Cross 500 South PCE plume in Davis County, which was named to the agency's National Priorities List in 2001 because of groundwater contaminants that pose a public health risk at the 400-acre site.

PCE — or tetrachloroethylene — is a chemical that was commonly used in dry-cleaning operations and can cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness and nausea. In high concentrations it can cause death if exposure happens in poorly ventilated areas.

Michael Storck, the state project manager with the Department of Environmental Quality, said recent quarterly monitoring of the groundwater showed PCE levels at 60 parts per billion in contrast to federal standards of 5 parts per billion.

The contamination is at the 130 feet level of the aquifer and affects domestic wells used for agricultural purposes, Storck said.

The money will pay for installation of additional ground water extraction wells, monitoring wells and the construction of a water treatment system.

An estimated $25 million will, in part, cap three large mine waste sites at the 680-acre Eureka Mills site in Juab County's East Tintic mountains.

Listed since 2002, the site poses a public health risk because of heaving mining in the area that left lead contaminants in waste rock. The EPA says the money will also go for the clean up of approximately 160 residences where there are lead-contaminated soils.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

The state is to receive $298.4 million for public education under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

• Alpine School District     $11,156,000
• Beaver School District    $282,000
• Box Elder School District            $2,119,000
• Cache School District     $2,672,000
• Carbon School District    $804,000
• Daggett School District   $27,000
• Davis School District      $11,459,000
• Duchesne School District           $788,000
• Emery School District    $520,000
• Garfield School District   $196,000
• Grand School District     $356,000
• Granite School District   $15,175,000
• Iron School District         $1,674,000
• Jordan School District    $15,610,000
• Juab School District       $413,000
• Kane School District      $244,000
• Logan School District     $1,348,000
• Millard School District    $636,000
• Morgan School District   $330,000
• Murray School District    $1,665,000
• Nebo School District      $5,043,000
• North Sanpete School District     $533,000
• North Summit School District      $210,000
• Ogden School District    $3,438,000
• Park City School District            $803,000
• Piute School District      $64,000
• Provo School District      $3,632,000
• Rich School District       $96,000
• Salt Lake City School District     $6,613,000
• San Juan School District            $996,000
• Sevier School District     $940,000
• South Sanpete School District    $582,000
• South Summit School District     $239,000
• Tintic School District      $63,000
• Tooele School District    $2,284,000
• Uintah School District     $1,237,000
• Wasatch School District $784,000
• Washington School District         $4,831,000
• Wayne School District    $124,000
• Weber School District    $5,556,000

CHILD CARE, IMMUNIZATIONS, FOOD BANKS/SHELTERS

Economic stimulus funds for Utah, including $22.4 million to help with child care for low-income families, $2.2 million to help with immunizations and $515,000 for emergency shelters and food banks.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­SEWER SYSTEMS

About $49 million in "shovel-ready" sewer projects are expected to be approved by Utah water quality board members at their meeting today in St. George as part of more federal stimulus funding Utah has received.

It means that Stockton residents can likely switch from septic tanks to sewer lines, and that methane gas will be captured and used to power part of Salt Lake's treatment plant.

A total of $155 million in funding for 18 projects was reviewed by the state Division of Water Quality, and multiple priority requests will be heard by the board.

Ed Macauley, the division's engineering manager, said $20 million of the project money expected to be approved comes directly from the federal stimulus package, while the rest will come from ongoing capitalization grants from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Macauley said key projects expected to be approved for priority funding include:

• $12 million for upgrades to Orem's wastewater treatment plant.
• $11 million for Stockton's community-wide sewer system.
• $7 million for upgrades to digesters at Salt Lake's wastewater treatment plant to capture methane gas.
• $5 million to accelerate replacement of "back-lot" sewer lines in Kearns, which pose repair and accessibility problems.
• $1 million for replacement of a pump station in Duchesne.
• Up to $1 million is available in stimulus funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to help agricultural-oriented interests reduce diesel-engine emissions.

AIRPORTS

On Friday, federal officials announced $13 million in airport projects for Utah. Salt Lake City International Airport will get $8.5 million for taxiway construction. Cedar City Regional Airport will get $4.5 million to rehabilitate its only runway qualified for commercial airplanes.

HEALTH CENTERS

Also Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said $2.9 million will be distributed to 11 health centers in Utah to create or retain 31 jobs.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

U.S. Department of Energy said it was sending $27.7 million to Utah's cities and counties for projects that reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions.

Salt Lake County's $2.2 million will likely go toward a plan for solar panels on top of county buildings. some of the money could also go to energy-efficient retrofits for buildings and homes. A public meeting will be held in mid-May to hear more ideas.

Similar projects are under consideration in Salt Lake City, which will get about $2.1 million.

Ideas include finding ways for residents to use the money to make their homes more efficient and buying solar panels to power light-rail stations between downtown Salt Lake City and the airport.

In Orem, the city's $890,000 will probably go toward mechanical and lighting upgrades to make them more energy efficient, said city manager Jim Reams. The money is in addition to other stimulus funds Orem will use for new sidewalks and police equipment.

Department of Energy specified 19 cities and nine counties in the state that will get money. Other, smaller jurisdictions could get a portion of $9.6 million sent to Utah's State Energy Office.

Another $6.4 million will go to American Indian tribes in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada.

Among cities and counties receiving money are Salt Lake County, $2.3 million; Salt Lake City, $2.1 million; Sandy, $893,500; St. George, $701,500; Washington County, $257,100; Murray, $209,500; Iron County, $184,700; Lehi, $180,100; Draper, $170,600; and Cottonwood Heights, $145,800.

Utah's State Energy Office will receive $9.5 million.

Local American Indian tribes receiving funding include Navajo Nation (in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico), $6.1 million; Ute Indian Tribe, $117,600; Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, $75,500; and the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, $75,000.

GOVERNOR’S SLUSH FUND

Huntsman also laid out some of his priorities for nearly $87 million in unallocated federal stimulus funds coming to the state. He said the largest chunk of those funds, some $33 million, will go to the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative to attract the talent and "brainpower" needed to build the state's "industries of tomorrow."

The state's motion picture incentive fund is slated to get about $15 million, which Huntsman said "really brings Utah into the top tier of states" competing for big-budget movie and television productions.

The Homerun housing grant program, which provides $6,000 to couples and individuals to help with the purchase of a home, will get $10 million. Huntsman said potential homebuyers are "sitting on the sidelines," and the grants, combined with similar $8,000 federal incentives, would get them into the housing market and generate 8,500 new jobs in the state.

MEALS ON WHEELS

As part of the new economic stimulus package, the Obama administration is awarding Utah $575,747 to help provide meals to low-income senior citizens in Utah.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANTS (PEOPLE MUST APPLY)

The administration announced Utah will receive $37.8 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program.

The Weatherization Assistance Program allows an average investment of up to $6,500 per home for energy efficiency upgrades. It's available for families making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level — about $44,000 a year for a family of four.

CHILDRENS HEALTH INSURANCE

Nearly 36,000 of the 107,000 Utah children without medical insurance could be covered under a reauthorization of a federal program that has passed the U.S. House and is now before the Senate, a national health policy watchdog group reports.

That's a 34 percent reduction for low-income working families in Utah

TAX CUTS

the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides incentive to buy new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles in the form of a deduction for state and local sales and excise taxes up to $49,500.

First-time homebuyers who seal the deal before Dec. 1 can get a credit of 10 percent, up to $8,000

Making Work Pay tax credit is having across the country.

In Utah that means 900,000 working families will collectively get $500 million in hand to help them weather the current economic storm.

TRANSPORTATION

The Utah Department of Transportation awarded Multiple Concrete Enterprises Inc. a $769,609 contract for roadwork at the Knudsen's Corner area of I-215 near Holladay.

http://www2.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:0:::1:T,V:2288,

LAW ENFORCEMENT

state and local law enforcement assistance available through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, including over $16.2 million for the state of Utah. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives

Also COPS program, amounts not yet announced

Orton Story: Craig Axford, Deputy Director Utah State Democratic Party

My most memorable experience with Bill Orton was a trip with him and Utah Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland to Delta to meet with some fellow Democrats and community leaders.   Coming from the environmental non-profit community I had some preconceived notions about Bill’s take on the establishment of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, but on the ride home Bill surprised me.

Bill impressed me with his knowledge of the water issues facing Millard County and the history behind those issues.  In addition, the stories he told surrounding the decision to designate the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument – especially a story of one 2:00 AM phone call from President Clinton – was fascinating and funny at the same time. 

By the time we pulled into the parking lot at party headquarters, I had learned Bill and I agreed on much more than we disagreed on.  I knew his back was giving him a lot of trouble during that long ride down to Delta and back, so the fact he was still able to tell so many stories, make Wayne and I laugh so many times, and provide a whole new perspective on the designation of the monument and other issues in spite of his pain was impressive. 

I came a way with a greater love and respect for Bill Orton after that trip than I had ever had before.  It’s a ride I will never forget.  

Celebrating Earth Day

For Immediate Release: April 22, 2009

Wayne Holland
Chair of the Utah State Democratic Party

Thirty-nine years ago today 20 million Americans came together to celebrate the very first Earth Day. Theirs was a call for increased environmental protection for air, water and land in order to preserve and protect our planet for future generations. This year Earth Day will be celebrated by millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world and by many here in Utah. Activities taking place locally include and E-waste drop off at the University of Utah today from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM outside the University Services Building.

The last eight years have been a gloomy time for people who care about our environment. The Bush Administration’s environmental record was one of the worst in modern political history - they weakened the regulations that promote clean air and clean water, gave away billions in tax breaks to polluting industries while overseeing record oil prices that hit folks in Utah, and all but ignored the threat of global warming.

The Democratic Party has long-believed that it is our responsibility to safeguard our natural resources and protect public health. But these days environmental stewardship is as much about clean air and water as it is about blazing our new energy future and rebuilding our economy.

President Obama’s new, comprehensive energy policy is another reason to celebrate Earth Day this year. The Administration’s plan recognizes that the economy, energy and environment are inextricably linked. His plan will generate millions of new clean energy jobs, break our dependence on foreign oil and finally tackle the enormous challenge of climate change.

For too long, Washington has been beholden to special interests – politicians failed to make the tough choices, imperiling our economy, our security and our planet in the process. Under Republican watch, we became more dependent on old, polluting sources of energy. And we missed opportunities to champion the clean energy industry we had a major hand in forming—so while we invented solar technology, countries like Japan and Germany currently outpace our production. We also failed to work with our allies to make meaningful progress on climate change.

President Obama’s plan for our energy future makes bold investments that will jump-start our clean energy sector, putting America at the front of the global clean energy industry. The President’s commitment to doubling the nation’s supply of renewable energy – wind, solar and bio-fuels – in the next three years will create new jobs here at home and increase our energy independence, making us safer and less vulnerable to the violent swings of the energy markets. Prioritizing energy efficiency and conservation will help drive down costs, keeping more money in Utah and pockets. And by cracking down on polluters, we will improve the quality of our air and water and finally address the real threats facing our climate.

President Obama has argued, and I agree, that the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. By creating a stronger market for clean energy sources, we have the potential to create a whole new engine of economic growth. Here in Utah we can put people back to work weatherizing homes, building wind turbines or solar panels, and manufacturing things that have yet to be imagined.

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon is committed to making significant investments in clean energy, including the placement of solar panels on county owned buildings like the Salt Palace Convention Center. In addition, Beaver County in southwestern Utah is the site of a massive new wind farm and has the potential to become a center of clean energy development in our state.

While Republicans remain beholden to reflexive party ideology and the special interests, Democrats, under President Obama’s leadership, are forging the path for our energy future. We are rejecting the false choice between a healthy economy and a healthy environment, and leading the charge for new energy and environmental policies that work for all Americans, not just the special interests. The President’s plan recognizes the relationship between energy, environment and our economy and leverages American ingenuity to put people back to work, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and keep us safe.

This Earth Day that is something to celebrate.

Wayne Holland
Chair, Utah State Democratic Committee

Orton Story: Stephen Owens, on behalf of former Congressman Wayne Owens’ family

My dad was so excited when Bill won his election.

He could finally be called the “senior” Democratic Member of Congress from Utah--since he had someone to be senior to!

Bill served with honor, competence, and distinction. I came to know him even better after he left office and always found him to be smart, thoughtful, and genuine.

Our sincere best wishes and expressions of sorrow to Bill’s family.

Love, the Wayne Owens family

Orton Story: Jacquelyn Orton

This last year has been Bill's gift to our family. After the past decade living in severe pain, undergoing multiple back surgeries and an emergency heart bypass, Bill understood the precious nature of time with those he loved. He lived selflessly to build long-lasting memories for me and our two sons.

Over the past year, our family has visited ancestral, LDS Church and American history sites, attended the Democratic National Convention and the historical inauguration of President Obama.

Bill's adventure in the Sand Dunes this past week was to experience one of Utah's many treasures with our sons. It has been amazing to have had such a full life with Bill and our sons.

I would like to thank the many people who have reached out to me and our family and showed such kindness over the past few days

Orton Story: Steve Olsen, former Congressional nominee

Anyone who has read "the booklet" from my 2006 campaign for Congress will recognize the following from the first chapter concerning my "conversion story":

The first chink in my Republican armor was the career of Congressman Bill Orton. I'm a second cousin to Congressman Orton, so I was especially interested in what he had to say. His election in one of the most Republican districts in the nation was impressive. More impressive was his performance in Congress.

I remember listening to an interview with Congressman Orton during his first re-election campaign. One of the questions the interviewer asked was, 'Why did you run as a Democrat? Wouldn't it make more sense in Utah to run as a Republican?'

When I heard that, I sat up and listened. Good question! I mean, the man did not advocate killing unborn babies, and he wasn't a socialist, secular humanist, or worst of all, a 'liberal'. He was just a normal, good Utah guy. Of course he should be a Republican!

I'll never forget his answer. Bill Orton looked at the interviewer like he had a third eye poking out of his forehead and said simply, 'But I'm a Democrat.'

That simple statement floored me. Was it possible I had misunderstood what being a Democrat was all about? That event started me on a journey of re-examination of where I stood on the important issues our state and nation faced.

Since that day, I've had the privilege of getting to know Bill personally.

He was in Wayne Holland's office that day in 2006 when I made the decision to run for Congress. His support and kindness since has been tremendous. I will always cherish the moment when he pulled me aside on Election Night in 2006, after a perhaps unavoidable loss to Rob Bishop, and in a very sincere and kind manner expressed his pride in me and the way our campaign had represented all Utah Democrats.

Bill stands as the ultimate example that Utah Democrats have every right to be optimistic about our future. His wisdom and kindness are irreplaceable.

My heart goes out to his family.

Orton Story: State Rep. Trisha Beck

My first real contact with Bill Orton was at the 2000 National Democratic Convention.

I had just been interviewed on national television regarding my stance on abortion. Bill came over and sat down next to me and said, “It doesn’t matter how strongly opposed to abortion you are, they (the ‘far right’) will still make it look like you support abortion.”

Bill always said it like it was.

He was a man of great integrity. There were many times I called him for encouragement and advice in standing up to the "far right." 

Bill will be sorely missed. My love goes out to his wonderful and darling wife, Jacquelyn, and two darling sons, Will and Wes.

Sincerely,

Trisha Beck

Orton Story: Patrice Arent, DNC member and former legislator

A picture of “Party boy” Bill Orton on the floor of theFleet Center at the Boston convention in August 2004.

Orton Story: Todd Taylor, State Party Executive Director

I first met Bill Orton during his campaign for Congress in 1990. Congressman Wayne Owens asked him to run, telling him that win or lose he’d have a good time getting to know the people. Bill did just that; traveling the district and speaking at every community service club and to every weekly newspaper publisher he could find. He had a good speaking style having been on the circuit doing seminars as a tax attorney. His friend John Smith and one of the best grassroots political activists I ever met, Jim Humlicek, seemed to accompany his every move. The campaign seemed proof for the proposition that if you have enough fun and talk commonsense you can win. (As even Bill would acknowledge, however reluctantly, the opposition blowing up didn’t hurt, either.)

Democrats picked up a large number of seats in 1990. But controversy would come quickly. At the party press conference the day following the election, Rod Decker of KUTV asked Congressman Wayne Owens and Congressman-elect Bill Orton about their differing positions on wilderness designation. They agreed to disagree, but Owens said something that left open the possibility that he was changing his position – to increase the amount of acreage. Wayne promptly left for the Middle East leaving his COS Kay Christensen to find out exactly what he meant, keeping the story of the feuding Democrats alive for a few more days.

At the first JJ Dinner after Bill was elected, he came to the reception without an entourage and not really knowing any of the typical party activists and corporate types who were in attendance. He stood in the corner with no one approaching. So much for the rumored aggressiveness of lobbyists. I asked my mother to keep him entertained and introduce him around. She found him to be a charming escort for the evening. Bill was just “good people.” While over time he got to know the crowd, his somewhat shy demeanor -- that some took for aloofness -- never really changed.

Despite being a political moderate and at odds with some factions in the Party, he enjoyed fairly good relations with the State Party and each of the Chairs, working closely with Dave Jones, Mike Zuhl, Meg Holbrook, Donald Dunn and Wayne Holland. He was a good mentor to a large number of candidates who admired him. In fact, I’m always a little bothered when I hear voters say that there aren’t enough people like Bill who run for office. There definitely are in the Utah Democratic Party, unfortunately they don’t often get the chance to prove themselves like Bill did.

Bill hated fundraising. David Parkinson, an aide, had to pre-call and schedule phone appointments with potential donors. When Bill would try to avoid phone time, David would remind him that people were waiting for his call. Bill was much more comfortable with events like his birthday bashes and polo matches.

On the final Thursday of the national convention in Chicago in 1996, I had arranged for Bill to sit alone at a table for breakfast with Katie McGinty, the Chair of Council on Environmental Quality under President Clinton.  It was only a matter of days before they would announce the creation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. She had requested to come meet the delegation, but she said nothing to him or any of us. He spent the mid-September campaign period getting concessions about the management of the monument. It was not enough. The uproar cost him his seat.

The following summer Bill came to Party Headquarters with his son Will after getting back from a trip to D.C. I knew he had met with Vice President Gore and asked him how it went. He just turned to Will and said, “Who loves you, Will?” Bill winced as toddler Will answered, “Al Gore loves me.” Bill said, “I guess you have to accept what you can’t change.” Bill could be stubborn, but thankfully he wasn’t too good at holding a grudge.

In 2000, there was a snafu when Gregg Lassen failed to meet residency requirements to run for Governor. The Party had been courting Orton for months. The Friday before the filing deadline, Donald Dunn, who was a candidate for Congress, and I had been on the phone with Bill giving him one last push. He was adamant that he would not run. On Sunday, I got a call from the State Party Chair Meg Holbrook, telling me to prepare for a surprise announcement at the Capitol the following afternoon. She couldn’t tell me who was going to file, it was to be a surprise. Speculation ran rampant all morning after we sent out the press release. I remember telling Salt Lake Tribune Political Editor Dan Harrie, that I didn’t know who it was, but I did know that it wouldn’t be Bill. Well, it really was a surprise when he came through the door. I couldn’t have been more pleased. It was a fun campaign.

Bill was pleased when his former constituents remembered him. He was delighted when he was invited to ceremony to mark the privatization of Dutch John, allowing people who had been leasing homes from the federal government to finally buy them. It was an issue he had pushed in Congress that did not pass until after he was gone and the measure was picked up by Senator Bob Bennett.

Bill stayed connected to the Party narrowly beating me in a race for the National Committeeman position in 2004. I had hoped until the last moment that he would withdraw in my favor. He didn’t. But we always maintained a good friendship. In the end, he cast his vote as I would have for Barack Obama.

Bill was a good friend. When Jim Humlicek, who had worked with Bill during his first campaign, died suddenly from a heart attack a few years ago Bill had recently had surgery and the funeral was his first public appearance upon leaving the hospital. He wanted to make sure that Wendy and the boys knew he would be there for them.

I expect a number of people to pay their respects to Bill in the coming days and to return the compliment to Jacquelyn and the boys.

He will be missed.

Orton Story: Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert

It was with great sadness that Jeanette and I learned of the passing of Congressman Bill Orton.  As a former Utah County Commissioner, I worked with Bill in our respective roles as public officials and as candidates on the campaign circuit and came to respect him as a dedicated public servant and a devoted husband and father.

Although we were members of different political parties, I always found Bill to be a public official governed by integrity and independence.  Current and future office holders would do well to follow his example in representing their constituency.

Jeanette and I send our prayers to Jacquelyn, Will and Wesley during this most difficult time.

Gary R. Herbert
Utah Lieutenant Governor

Orton Story: Rob Miller, State Party Vice Chair

From Rob Miller at Utah Amicus

Former Congressman Bill Orton was the national committeeman for the Utah Democratic Party when Chairman Wayne Holland and I were first elected to office. Not many days passed before Bill Orton began assisting our efforts and opening up to us for counsel.

Bill had a true desire to see our candidates win and our party grow. He would assist the party by traveling the throughout the state, speaking at events that brought us both new members and donors.

I can remember calling Wayne one night after attending an event in Utah County where Bill was the keynote speaker. ” He was on fire Wayne! It was a home run! He connected with everyone in the room!” Wayne gave me laugh, the one that tells me he is pleased, and then said, “He’s just a great guy, isn’t he.”

In the fall of 2007, Wayne and I took Bill to lunch to ask him to run as the Democratic candidate for Utah State Treasurer. This would be the first of several on the phone, and in-person conversations with Bill about this race.

Unfortunately, our idea had one flaw, Bill was scared he might win. He was just simply enjoying raising his two boys, Will and Wes, with his charismatic and loving wife Jacquelyn, too much to commit to that race.

Instead of running for state treasurer, Bill decided to continue assisting county parties, and to aggressively campaign for then senator, and now president, Barack Obama.

Bill was adamant that Barack Obama could win the presidency, and he was the first person to inform Wayne and I, with no uncertainty, that The Republican National Committee would not nominate Mitt Romney as their candidate.

A few days before our state delegation traveled to Denver for the 2008 Democratic National Convention I received a call from KSL asking what Democratic “Big Name” would consider blogging for their website. After a brief discussion the only name they were really interested in was Bill’s, so we got them connected, and that’s how former Congressman Bill Orton became a blogger, like his two boys, Will and Wes.

Watching Bill interact with his family in Denver was a real treat. It made me miss my children, and it inspired me to take my children with me to political events more often.

I believe the photo above expresses what I’m trying to communicate about Bill’s interactions with his boys better than anything I could ever write or say, but I’ll add this, I am truly grateful to have watched that interaction, and to have witnessed the above moment, and to have captured it to share with you now.

Over the time Wayne and I were able to work with Bill we were very aware of the struggles he faced due to his back injury he suffered when a mentally unstable man confused Bill with someone else, tackled Bill, and fractured Bills back. There were times that Bill was noticeably in pain, but it didn’t keep him down too long, and we were relieved to hear that he was finally finding some relief.

Bill was also somewhat accident prone. During a conversation with Jacquelyn on the phone she asked me, “Did Bill tell you how he really broke his leg?”

“He told me he slipped on the ice in the driveway.”

“He didn’t tell you why he was walking out to the garage? He was walking out to the garage to sneak a coke! He hides them out there because he doesn’t want us to drink all of his cokes! It serves him right!” Jacquelyn said jokingly while laughing.

For Wayne and me, Bill Orton was a great counselor. Throughout my last two terms as vice chair Bill always returned my phone calls. You can easily guess who called whom more often for counsel, but he always gave thoughtful advice, he was always willing to help. His friendship was very much appreciated.

Wayne and I, like so many Utahns, will miss Bill’s character. He had a unique way of connecting to people, and he truly followed his conscience, and the conscience of his constituents, even when doing so didn’t sit well with other Washington and Utah Democrats.

What an honor it has been to have worked with Bill, and to have had the opportunity to get to know his family. My prayers and best wishes are with them now, and I’m interested to see where life takes his two boys. Will, Wes, you are both amazing people like your parents, and if you ever need anything just call. I promise I’ll be there for you, like your dad has been with me, and the Party, and so many others.

Orton Story: Bennion Spencer, former Congressional nominee

I have heard it said that "we become like those things we love."

Former Congressman loved Utah. With the tragic passing of Bill Orton we have lost a part of our great state.

Bill Orton served as my Campaign Chairman during my 2008 race for Congress. I was the Democratic Candidate in the 3rd District.

Bill help set the moral tone of the campaign. He helped me develop a message that saw hope for the future. He had no stomach for negative campaigning.

At a time when we thought we would be running against Chris Cannon the man who defeated Bill Orton he wanted our campaign to show him the greatest respect.

At a low point in the race I remember it was Bill’s wife that lifted my spirits, she was truly an extension of Bill’s political character.

Bill always told me to give the voters the best I could he said they deserve it.

Bill Orton enriched my life. He left me better than he found me. I am a better person because of him I will miss him dearly.

May the Lord be with his family.

Bennion Spencer
Former Candidate in Utah's 3rd District

Orton Story: Pete Ashdown, former US Senate nominee

From Pete Ashdown’s Journal

In January of 2005, I had a meeting with Bill Orton.

My campaign for U.S. Senate was in the exploratory stage, and I had heard through the grapevine that Bill was considering running.

I had never met Bill before, but he worked nearby and came in to talk with me without even knowing what the subject was. We talked for over two hours that afternoon.

He detailed how he had tried to negotiate with President Clinton and Bruce Babbitt before Grant Staircase Escalante was declared a National Park. They overrode his concerns and left him out of the process. He exclaimed to me the concern of his constituents, “If you’re a Democrat and your own President doesn’t listen to you, then what good are you?” He said, “And you know, they were right!”

Bill Orton was the last Democrat to represent Utah’s third district. If President Clinton had listened to the Democratic congressman from the region in question, and made Utahns stakeholders in the process of creating a National Park, Bill Orton would have continued to be elected every time he ran.

I asked Bill why he considered himself a conservative Democrat instead of running as a Republican. “Because I couldn’t live with myself!” “I couldn’t get out of the shower each morning because I wouldn’t be able to get clean!” he laughed.

Bill told me that he was considering running for U.S. Senate, but the pains due to his back injury were preventing him from doing so. He told me that unless a miracle cure happened, he couldn’t do it. I waited until March before I realized that miracle wasn’t coming.

When it came time for the 2006 Democratic State Convention, it was necessary to select a party member to put forward my nomination. Bill Orton was my first choice and I was deeply humbled when he accepted. In spite of losing his written speech, he gave a fantastic, firey, and fluent oration that had the crowd cheering. He was a hard act to follow.

I ran into Bill a few times after the election. Last year, at the Salt Lake Valley Science and Engineering Fair he was especially proud of the work his son Will had done for his entry. It demonstrated the gravitational attraction between bowling balls and was far beyond what standard science fair entries cover. Bill beamed when he told me that a University physics professor had said that the entry was beyond the level of what his graduate students were capable of. It was apparent to me that Bill was a committed and loving father, even if it meant clearing out the garage for a month for a science fair experiment.

Bill Orton died this weekend in an accident at the age of 60. He was the very model of a Utah Democrat — honest, forthright, connected, and capable. He was my mentor and my friend. I will miss him.

Orton Story: Richard Davis, Chair Utah County Democratic Party

From the Utah County Democratic Party

Bill Orton's passing is a sad moment for us.   Bill was a paragon of principle.  He wanted to do the right thing in government and didn't care much about the politics of the consequences.  He was a model for Democrats in Utah County because he was a public servant who believed that the voters would be attracted to a moderate who eschewed strong partisanship and extremist ideologies.  His success as a Democrat in Utah County has been a guide for us as we attempt to reinvigorate the party.  I'm glad we were able to honor him with the naming of the Orton Circle while he was alive.  We will miss him greatly.

Richard Davis
Chair

Orton Story: Bob Aagard, former Party Staffer

Here’s one from The World, According to Me

I only had a few interactions with Former Congressman Bill Orton.

One was at a Christmas party for the Utah Democratic Party staff members in 2007. Bill was sitting next to me, and my friend/coworker Alan was sitting across from him. Alan has only lived in Utah for a few years, and was fairly new to the political scene. In the middle of the meal, he looks at the Congressman and says "Who are you, what do you do?"

Congressman Orton thought it was funny.

At the Democratic National Convention in Denver, he was getting his sons involved with blogging. It was fun to see him interact with his sons.

When he ran for Governor in 2000, he became the first Democrat I voted for.

With news of his passing, I have yet another person in politics I wish I had gotten to know better.
-Bob

Orton Story: blogger Obi wan liberali

From Obi wan liberali at The Utah Hornet's Nest

I just heard the news that former Congressman Bill Orton had lost his life in an ATV accident at Little Sahara. Bill Orton came to the Congress via one of the worst political mistakes in recent memory, when Karl Snow's campaign to replace Howard Nielson produced an add showing Karl Snow and his family, and a single Bill Orton and his. Even in conservative Republican land, that add was offensive enough to land Bill Orton a job as a Democratic Congressman in one of the most conservative districts in the country.

And Bill Orton took advantage of the situation. He worked hard and did his homework. I remember watching him at meetings discuss in detail issues that were complex. He took his job seriously, and served his constituents well. He was a bit conservative for my taste, but given his district, I was willing to cut him some slack.

After losing his Congressional seat to Chris Cannon, he remained active in the Democratic party and ran a very respectable race for Governor, I believe, in 2000. Bill continued to speak out on issues important to him and remain involved. And all Utahns owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to our state.

I very much appreciated the times I was able to work with Bill over the years. I didn't always agree with him, but always respected him and I wish the most sincere condolensces to his wonderful family.

Orton Story: Marc Bohn

From Marc Bohn at Times and Seasons

Presidential campaigns aside, one of the first political races I can remember paying attention to growing up was the 1990 congressional race between Karl Snow and new comer Bill Orton to fill retiring Rep. Howard C. Nielson’s 3rd District congressional seat.

I was 12 at the time and delivered the Utah County Journal, a free area newspaper. While Snow, a Republican, had initially had been considered a shoe-in to win in one of the most conservative districts in the country, the race grew increasingly competitive as election day neared. After the Utah Republican Party ran a now infamous ad that called into question Bill Orton’s “values,” the tide ultimately turning against Snow. The ad, which compared a photograph of Karl Snow’s large family to one lone shot of a then-unmarried Bill Orton, stuck with me through the years, in large part because it ran in the paper I delivered.

The Journal, a free publication circulated several times a week, didn’t seem to get read much. As a carrier, it was not unusual for me to see stacks of unopened issues pile up on people’s doorsteps, and I actually had an ever-growing list of people specifically requesting not to receive it. After this ad ran, however, I had people on my route calling me because they couldn’t find their copy (this was both a first and a last).

That was my first memory of Bill Orton. Over the years there would be more, as Rep. Orton remained our Congressman through high school and into my first year of college. He managed to win re-election handily in both 1992 and 1994, surviving the tidal wave that hit congressional Democrats that year, and he likely would have won in 1996 had it not been for the residual anger Bill Clinton’s decision to unilaterally designate the Grand Staircase-Escalante as a National Monument produced among Orton’s constituents, a decision made with essentially no notice to Orton or the rest of Utah’s congressional delegation. As a result, Orton lost narrowly to Chris Cannon in the ‘96 election, though I remember him performing very strong in a debate against Cannon held at Brigham Young University a few weeks before the election (the first and only political debate I’ve ever attended).

In 2000, Orton made another run for office, this time for governor with education being the focus of his platform. Despite long odds against a popular governor, Orton made a race of it, eventually losing 55-42%, a marked improvement for Democrats from Governor Leavitt’s staggering 75-23% margin of victory in 1996.

A tax attorney by trade, Brother Orton returned to the practice of law after his electoral defeats, but stayed active in the community and served as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention last year where he cast a vote in favor of Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee. He also remained active in the Church, serving in numerous callings.

My lasting impression of Brother Orton can only be that of a good, decent and dedicated individual, who was both civic-minded and politically engaged. Not overly-partisan, Orton was a political moderate who helped to found the conservative “Blue Dog Caucus” in the House of Representatives after the Democrats’ shellacking in ‘94. Despite ideological differences, he was well-liked and respected among his Republican counterparts in Utah.

In the end, I believe he not only left an indelible mark on the state of Utah, but left it a better place as well. At a time when Democrats in Utah had become increasingly scarce — especially Latter-day Saint Democrats — he helped the party by remaining a competitive candidate and bucking the stereotype many in Utah had of Democrats.

In a 1998 interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, Elder Marlin K. Jensen may well have been alluding to Bill Orton, among others, when he spoke of “the notion that may prevail in some areas that you can’t be a good Mormon and a good Democrat at the same time,” and said that “There have been some awfully good men and women who have been both and are both today. So I think it would be a very healthy thing for the church — particularly the Utah church — if that notion could be obliterated.” Bill Orton did his part to help obliterate that notion and spur a more robust dialogue on public policy in Utah, and for this reason both the Republican and Democratic parties in Utah are better today.

Bill Orton’s passing this weekend at the relatively young age of sixty is a loss for all Utahns. My heart aches for his wife and two young teenage boys, and I pray that they will be comforted during this difficult time. If you have any thoughts or memories about Bill Orton you’d like to share or if you simply wish to extend sympathies to his family and friends, feel free to do so here.

Share your stories of Congressman Orton

There is a rich legacy that Congressman Bill Orton leaves behind. Much of it is the simple stories of day to day action -- not the big things that made the news.

We would like to collect stories to share on this blog and/or privately with Congressman Bill Orton's family.

Take a moment to share your thoughts. They would be appreciated.

Please feel free to share with us by writing to orton@utdemocrats.org.

Party Mourns former Congressman Bill Orton

Former Utah Congressman William "Bill" Harvey Orton died at approximately 4 PM on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from injuries sustained during a roll-over accident on an ATV at Little Sahara Recreation Area in Juab County, Utah.

Bill was born on September 22, 1948 to Donald W. and Caroll Orton in North Ogden, Utah. He attended public schools in Ogden, graduating from Ben Lomond High School, and later studied at Weber State College. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology/Archaeology in 1973 and completed a Juris Doctorate from Brigham Young University in 1979.

Prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990, Orton was a tax attorney in Utah and Washington, D.C. He also worked as an IRS auditor and regional training instructor, founded his own business, and served as an adjunct law professor, a corporate counsel, and a director on corporate boards. He is a former chairman of the Real Estate Tax Institute Advisory Board in Washington, D.C.

Orton is the founder and charter member of the American Inns of Court, and organization that has been sanctioned by the United States Supreme Court and now has over two hundred chapters at law schools across the nation. He is a member of the Utah, Washington, D.C., and American bar associations and has served on various task forces for the American Bar Association Tax Section. A popular speaker at continuing education programs, Bill Orton has taught courses in forty-five states to more than 15,000 tax attorneys and accounting professionals. He has also taught tax law and accounting courses at several colleges and universities.

In 1990 Republican incumbent Howard C. Nielson decided not to seek reelection to a fifth term to the Third Congressional District seat, which he had held since its creation in 1982. Orton entered the contest as a Democrat and defeated Republican Karl Snow with 58 percent of the vote in what was considered a strong Republican district. He won reelection to a second term in 1992 over Republican Richard Harrington with 62 percent of the vote.
Orton's congressional committee assignments include the seats on the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, where he serves on three subcommittees: the subcommittee on Financial Institutions Supervision, Regulation and Insurance; the subcommittee on International Development, Finance, Trade and Monetary Policy; and the subcommittee on Economic Growth and Credit Formation. He was also appointed by the Speaker of the House to the special Task Force on Government Waste, and he chairs the Conservative Democratic Forum Task Force on Tax and Budget.

In 1996, Orton was very narrowly defeated by Republican Chris Cannon during his bid for a fourth term. He left Congress as his third term expired in January 1997. Utah and national political pundits blame Orton's loss on the creation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument without local input.

Following his departure from Congress, Orton resumed the practice of law and was a member of the legal counsel of the plaintiff in Idaho Potato Growers v. Ruben, the case in which the line-item veto was ruled unconstitutional. He also joined Advantage Associates, a consulting firm made up of former politicians. In 2000, Orton unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Michael Leavitt for the governorship winning 43% of the vote.

Bill served as a member of the Democratic National Committee from 2004-2008 and supported the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama for President of the United States.

He recruited the talents of a number of people who served on his Congressional staff and campaigns including Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, Communications Director for the office of the United States Attorney for Utah Melody Rydalch, Women's Democratic Caucus Chair Billie Gay Larson, the late DNC member Jim Humlicek, Niles Elwood, Wendy Archibald, Abbie Froerer, David Parkinson, former Emery County Attorney Patricia Geary, Jennifer Jolley, Missy Larson, Sheldon Kinsel, John Smith, Scott Olson, David Lemon, Karen Hale, Marla Kennedy, Adam Bass, Alan Thompson, Megan Risbon, Ben Holbrook, Kathryn Everton, and many, many more.

Bill was married to Jacquelyn and had two sons, Will and Wesley.

The State Party is greatful for Congressman Orton's continued activity with the party organization and as a mentor to a number of candidates. Our prayers are with his family. We thank them for sharing him with us.

Huntsman's decision to limit commission's scope unfortunate

The Deseret News is reporting Governor Huntsman has instructed his Commission on Strengthening Utah's Democracy to drop ethics and redistricting laws and procedures as study items.  This is disappointing and undermines the ability of the commission to actually make recommendations that would in fact strengthen the democratic process in Utah.

The commission's mission statement, presumably soon to be amended to reflect the Governor's instructions to drop any study of ethics or redistricting, states:

A large majority of our citizens consider the reported scandals by certain Utah government officials to be "serious" and are demanding ethics reform.  Simply put, Utahans want and deserve a system that they can believe in and that works for the benefit of all.

The reason for dropping ethics and redistricting, two of the five items the commission was charged with providing recommendations on, is quite simply Republican legislators wanted the governor to drop them and he caved.  According to the Deseret News, House Majority Leader Kevin Garn and other Republican leaders made clear ethics and redistricting were the legislature's job and not the governor's and told him to back off.

While it is true the legislature has the responsibility under our constitution to write legislation and to draw up new districts every ten years following the census, it does not follow the Governor or anyone else can't or shouldn't provide recommendations.  After all, the state constitution also gives the governor power to veto whatever the legislature passes and gives the rest of us the right to provide our two cents worth on any issue being considered either by the legislative or executive branch.

It is ironic a commission supposedly charged with "strengthening democracy" would be instructed not to look into certain areas that influence how people perceive the democratic process.  It is impossible to take their work seriously if they have been told to ignore issues that may or actually influence the public's faith in government and drive down voter participation. 

If voters feel their vote doesn't count because the redistricting process enables legislators to pick their voters instead of enabling voters to pick their legislator, or stop voting because they have lost faith in government due to real or perceived ethical problems the commission should be able to say so and offer recommendations to remedy the situation.  What the governor has done with this action is undermine faith in a commission we were told was created to strengthen the democratic process, but it is now obvious was just a feel good exercise.

The Tea Bagger Inquisition

Complaint 

by Coolest Family Ever

Count 1:  Lying - Party Perpetuates Clinton Surplus Myths

Count 2: Idolatry - idolizing Clinton as Republicans do Reagan

Count 3: Heresy - Democrats want to be taken seriously as fiscal conservatives

Count 4: Hypocrisy - Is deficit spending always bad or just when you aren’t in control of the taxpayer credit card?

Response

Count 1: Denied - We stand by our statement that when Bill Clinton left office, it was projected that by now our national debt would be paid off.

Evidence submitted: http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Fri_Dec_29_151111_2000.html

Count 2: Denied - The Clinton administration had some significant accomplishments — deficit reduction being one of them. The Democratic Party is justifiably proud of those accomplishments.

The Clinton administration also had its flaws as any Democrat who lived through the massacre of 1994 and felt the shame of the President’s actions during the Lewinsky scandal can tell you.

Count 3: Denied - It is your supposition that the Democratic Party would “want to be taken seriously as fiscal conservatives.” That would be incorrect. Democrats are fiscally responsible.

Count 4: Denied - Very few things are “always” or “never” including the moral imperatives against deficit spending. Prudent investment that includes deficit spending can be very appropriate. Winning WWII is an example, and so is getting through the current fiscal crisis.

Bush’s increasing debt for national security would be understandable if it weren’t accompanied by two massive tax cuts that did nothing to increase productivity, an irresponsible prescription drug benefit where the real cost was hidden from the Congress and no cost controls were permitted, failure to live by “pay-go” standards, and an unprecedented number of Congressional earmarks.

The Obama administration favors spending at this time to ameliorate the fiscal crisis and to do so in a manner that invests in long-term productivity that makes it easier to pay down the costs when the crisis abates. There are legitimate quibbles about the details, but the responsible nature of this principle is sound.

Judgment

Complaint dismissed – lacks factual foundation

h/t jason the

CEU could be a gem. What say you, Regents?

It comes as no surprise that politicians think about voters. They call them constituents so as not to appear craven. The Utah Board of Regents are accountable to politicians and, indirectly, the constituents they serve.

So in Utah, that means a focus on the four Wasatch Front counties of Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Weber where 75% of the population lives. Another ten percent live in Washington and Cache Counties in the southwest corner and north. The southeastern counties of Carbon, Emery, Grand and San Juan make up less than two percent of our population.

While the populations of Grand and San Juan Counties have seen slow growth during the last twenty years, Carbon - alone in Utah - has seen declining population of nearly six percent, and Emery’s population has been essentially flat.

This matters because Utah’s college overseers recently ordered a review of the viability of the College of Eastern Utah (CEU) that serves these southeastern counties. Their press release says, “While every state college and university is facing challenges in the current economic climate, CEU’s challenges are unique. The potential state budget cut of 17  percent in 2011 hits CEU particularly hard, since an average 88% of its budget has been funded by the state over the past ten years (compared to an average of 63% for all state colleges and  universities). CEU also faces enrollment challenges since the number of high school graduates in its region peaked in 1998 and has declined by 23% since then. The number of high school  graduates is also projected to continue to decline by approximately another 10% over the next ten years. These facts have raised questions about the future of the College of Eastern Utah.”

CEU is not a large institution. The enrollment of nearly 2,500 students is roughly equivalent to each of the ten largest high schools in the state.  It is small and offers a quality experience with more than 400 courses offered in 60 areas of study and 90% of courses are taught by full time professors.

The press release envisions two options: 1)  CEU would become a campus of Utah State University; or, 2) CEU would affiliate with Snow College, where the two institutions would share resources to improve educational programs and drive economic efficiencies while remaining separate institutions to continue its community college mission including open enrollment, skills training, and lower tuition than four-year institutions.

Both options are an affront to the local culture. They are another version of “assimilate or die.”

Many locals are mystified about why this is happening now when after a decade of budget problems CEU has finally gotten itself in the black financially. If it weren’t for the current economic downturn, their problems would be manageable.

While the cost per student is expensive compared to Utah’s other larger institutions, the total cost for this particular institution is miniscule.

Like many changes in rural Utah, this one appears to be coming from outsiders -- the State Board of Regents, specifically. The Regents have changed dramatically over the last decade as the lack of requirements for political and geographical balance have left CEU with no insider to really help tell their story.

Instead, there is little question that the Board of Regents needs some reform to help it serve all of Utah’s population. The Board has become too focused and clubby in recent years.

The recent negative changes in the mission and composition of the Board are not entirely of their own making. The Board has been heroic in trying to get legislators to listen to good sense regarding the effect of their proposed changes to our higher education system. But there has been a deaf ear to communities that have needs and an unwillingness to speak the truth to legislators and the public about what providing these services will cost. They have failed to communicate effectively the nature of the adverse consequences of changing the Board’s composition politically and geographically.

Consequently, the Regents have been bowled over by regional caucuses of legislators who got large enough to insist that their communities be served. Sadly, these same legislators have consistently underfunded the system – placing a growing and unsustainable burden on the backs of our students.

Southeastern Utah doesn’t have the population to gain the kind of clout seen in other areas of the state. More is the pity.

Once upon a time, prior to the college, nearly 100% of the population of the region worked in blue collar industries. The only future that a kid could count on was working in the coal mines.

The college provided new opportunities, new horizons, and a better diversification of the region’s employment. Heck, CEU itself is the fourth largest employer in eastern Utah. For the non-student, it provides entertainment, cultural, arts and sports opportunities that would not exist without the college. Even prospective talent that is looking to relocate to the area wants to see a good hospital and community college.

CEU helps potential students go to college who could not otherwise afford to do so. The young adult who is able to stay in the area with their family costs $12,000 less annually than moving away and paying living expenses on top of college tuition and fees.

There is little doubt that the Regents are making this move in an attempt to try to protect these opportunities and affordability. But thirty days is just too short a period to get any real local input – to determine just how much autonomy and control is needed locally. How about a public hearing before the plan is drafted? Then others explaining some of the options afterward?

If you are among the 2% of the population that lives in the region or just someone who cares about CEU and its local independence, please call the Board of Regents, call Bill Sederburg, call the legislature, call the Governor. Most of them are nice people who will try to listen. Tell them what you think. The clock is ticking. Time is running very short.

There are other solutions that maintain local independence. For example, there is an expanding movement that desires smaller education institutions. Boutique schools are popping up across the country. The charter school movement is growing in Utah. Bigger is not always better. This school could find a real niche that might be rather lucrative - a gem in the Utah higher education system. 

If there had been a St. John’s College type of “great books” program in Utah twenty-five years ago when I embarked on my college career, I’d have been there with bells on – especially if it had been a two year institution.

Utah’s rural communities need to maintain their independent institutions and the Board of Regents needs to help them.

Captain Freed, Pirates Slain

No, these are not the latest names of celebrity children. This was the headline on Yahoo!News about noon on Sunday.

When I saw the headline, I had just finished listening to the Sunday morning political gabfests and the GOP pundits calling for the United States to become the world’s policeman by intervening in a host of problems from Somalia pirates, to missile launches in North Korea, to fighting drug cartels in Mexican border towns, to uranium enrichment in Iran, to Hamas rockets in Gaza. Notably, they did not talk about genocide in the Sudan region of Darfur, only in Armenia from 1915 to 1917.

Of course, the GOP pundits didn’t call it being the “world’s policeman”, they call it “global leadership”; but, they did liken it to policing theories in NYC under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

The GOP penchant for world domination is not new. One could cite Teddy Roosevelt. But more recently in 1996, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) argued that with the end of the Cold War, "We have an unparalleled opportunity to manage the world."

The costs, though, are real. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has admitted in 1995, “You do not need today's defense budget to defend the United States. You need today's defense budget to lead the world. If you are prepared to give up leading the world, you can have a much smaller defense budget.”

In 1997, Sen. John McCain arguing against being the world’s cop said, “Did the United States have a vital national interest in hunting warlords in Somalia? Of course not.”

What would McCain say today? Almost anything. Let’s look at the record.

In 1992, McCain supported President George HW Bush sending in troops for a humanitarian mission. Then, after the Black Hawk Down incident, McCain introduced an amendment to cut off funding for combat in Somalia and force an immediate withdrawal. The amendment was defeated. Then in his 2002 memoir, Worth the Fighting For, McCain called his amendment “hasty” and wrote that he “regretted” what he came to see as “a retreat in the face of aggression from an inferior foe.”  During the 2008 presidential campaign, he confused Somalia with the Sudan. And, finally, during his second presidential debate with Sen. Obama, McCain said, “We went in to Somalia as a peacekeeping organization, we ended up trying to be peacemakers and we ended up having to withdraw in humiliation.”

Alas, Republicans aren’t alone in promoting the United States as the world’s policeman. It seems a consensus position. President Bill Clinton, in his second inaugural address, said, “America stands alone as the world's indispensable nation.”

So, today, Somalia pirates have caught the attention of a large international contingent. According to Wikipedia, twenty-four countries have -- or will have -- naval vessels in the eastern Africa region to combat piracy. They include the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Sweden.

Of course, piracy is nothing new. Julius Caesar was kidnapped by pirates in 67BC. The Golden Age of Piracy was about three hundred years ago during the decade of 1715–1725 operating throughout the Spanish Main including the Caribbean and the American coast from Caracas, Venezuela to the Delaware Bay. It is widely acknowledged that the piracy was propelled by ineffective colonial governments. North Carolina did not have a single jail at the time of the death of Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard). The Battle of Derne fought in 1805 was the first recorded land battle of the United States on foreign soil and the inspiration for the Marine Hymn lyric about “the shores of Tripoli”. The battle has been described as an effort to free the American slaves in captivity, and put an end to piracy acts between these warring tribes on the part of the Barbary states. Again, weak governing is the problem.

This current incident was resolved by the magnificent United States Navy under orders from President Obama.

The United States got out of Mogadishu once. Will we have to go back?

A former CIA officer, talking to Ken Silverstein at Harper's Magazine, says yes. An excerpt: “We’ve been trying to deal with this from the ocean side, by sending the navy. We can’t afford to patrol that big a piece of the ocean. We need to deal with this problem from the beach side, in concert with the ocean side. We need to work in Somalia and in Lebanon, where a lot of the ransom money has changed hands. But our operations in Lebanon are a joke, and we have no presence at all in Somalia. The U.S. Navy should not have to shoulder this mission alone. Where is the CIA? The pirates have a base of operations and infrastructure. They’re not going out 400-plus nautical miles from shore in shitty boats; they have fuel supplies, docks, mechanics, and support infrastructure, on the beach. It’s all findable and disrupt-able. We need a contingent of agency personnel in Ethiopia and Somalia to go after this infrastructure, leadership and control elements in Somalia, and an aggressive  human intelligence effort in Lebanon to follow, and choke off the money.”

The Bush legacy strikes, again. One more thing to fix, President Obama.