Senator Goodfellow and Senator Mayne had birthdays in August and September. We hope they both celebrated their special day with family and friends doing just exactly what they enjoy most! (Well, second most for Senator Mayne–it’s not duck hunting season yet.)
by Senator Scott McCoy
District Two
Today I read an article in the Salt Lake Tribune suggesting that the Salt Palace Convention Center be named in honor and tribute to the late Governor Cal Rampton. While Governor Rampton surely deserves a lasting tribute, I don’t think the Salt Palace is the right fit. Sure there seems to be a natural alignment between Governor Rampton’s legacy as the champion of economic development and the Salt Palace as an engine of economic development for our state, but when I heard it, it just didn’t seem to ring true.
There is another option for a fitting tribute to this great man and civic leader. Our impressive international airport, the gateway to Utah, should be renamed the Calvin L. Rampton International Airport. The airport is as much a symbol of Utah’s modern economic ascendancy as the Salt Palace. I also think it simply has a better ring to it. It might also be easier to accomplish since the name of the airport falls under the purview of Salt Lake City.
Thank you, Governor Rampton, for your leadership and example. God Speed.
by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
Congratulations to House Minority Leader Ralph Becker on Tuesday’s victory in the Salt Lake City mayoral primary. Representative Becker and Dave Buhler are the final two in the race to be decided on election day, November 6. The upside is that if Ralph is elected mayor, Salt Lake City will benefit from his knowledge and expertise. The downside is that if Ralph is elected mayor, Capitol Hill will lose an outstanding legislator.
On behalf of the Senate Democrats, I congratulate Ralph and his fine election team. As I mentioned to Ralph yesterday in my congratulatory phone call, I wish him luck in representing the second best city in Utah!
by Senator Ross Romero
Senate District 7
I am writing to address the problems of obesity and to offer some solutions. Nearly 2/3 of the American population is overweight or obese, and physical inactivity is responsible for an estimated 200,000 deaths per year. I contend some of the solutions to obesity lie with community planners in designing communities which are walkable, have trail opportunities, bike lanes, parks, schools and retail space. There are other solutions which require parents and other community participants. Parents and lawmakers can insist on having healthy snack alternatives in vending machines in our schools, encourage walking to and from school and talking with our youth about why it is important to eat healthy. Just as we condition our children to buckle their seatbelts when they first get into the car, we should be encouraging our children to think about eating more healthy and spending some time during the day exercising.
I was reminded about the importance of developing an active living community when I recently participated in the Salt Lake County tour which included visiting the Daybreak community. The Daybreak community is a good example of integrating healthy living and exercise into the development of a community. I would encourage you to consider looking at opportunities to add your voice to creating more active living places to work and live as the Daybreak community has done.
Finally, I encourage you to review the website www.activeliving.org. This website was brought to my attention as a state legislator, and I thought it was worth passing on to encourage further discussion about how to make our communities more active and healthy.
Last month, Senator Mike Dmitrich attended the Utah Mining Association’s 92nd Annual Convention in Park City. At the request of the Association, he presented two awards to legislators, one to Senator Howard Stephenson and one to Representative Wayne Harper.
Done-Finished-NOT!
Unbeknownst to Senator Dmitrich, a surprise was in the works! He was not allowed to exit the stage. He learned he was not only a presenter of awards but a recipient, as well. The Utah Mining Association awarded him a Prazen bronze statue (by renowned sculptor Gary Prazen) entitled “Coal in My Veins” for lifetime legislative achievement. He extends his sincere appreciation to the Utah Mining Association for acknowledging his contribution to Utah’s mining industry and government.
Congratulations, Senator Dmitrich!
“Coal in My Veins”
P.S. Click here for info about Gary Prazen, the sculptor.
by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
The month of August in Utah’s coal country has been disconcerting. On August 6, 2007, a collapse occurred at the Crandall Canyon mine near Huntington, Utah. Six miners are trapped. During the underground rescue attempt, another collapse occurred on August 16 killing three rescue workers and injuring six others. (Underground rescue efforts have now been suspended.) Six boreholes have been drilled near the area where the miners were working August 6, but no signs of life have been detected. A seventh hole is now being drilled, and a robotic camera will be lowered into an earlier hole to search for signs of life.
The past three weeks have been grueling for the residents of Carbon and Emery counties. I have personally met with many of the residents, Governor Huntsman, Robert Murray, co-owner of the Crandall Canyon mine, Richard Stickler, assistant secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, and many other key personnel. Sincere efforts have been made to rescue the trapped miners, but to no avail.
At this time of angst, I would like to express my concern for the trapped miners and their families. They have experienced emotions that none of us can fathom, and I certainly hope for a positive outcome. Also at this time of tragedy, I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the three rescuers who perished and my appreciation to the six rescuers and their families who were injured in their courageous attempt to locate the trapped miners. I hope those who were injured will soon return to good health.
The severity of this tragedy has prompted four congressional investigations, and a fifth may materialize. Governor Huntsman has appointed a Utah Mine Safety Commission chaired by Scott Matheson, former dean of the University of Utah Law School and United States Attorney. The governor has asked me to serve on the Commission, along with former U.S. Senator Jake Garn, Huntington’s Mayor Hilary Gordon, Price’s Mayor Joe Piccolo, Representative Kay McIff, Dennis O’Dell, Safety and Health Director of the United Mine Workers of America, and David Litvin of the Utah Mining Association. Governor Huntsman states, “A significant part of this review will be an assessment of the role of state and local government relative to the federal government and private industry in ensuring mine safety. My objective is to promote mine safety, without partisanship and without oppressive regulation of free enterprise.
Coal mining provides a livelihood for many miners and their families in my Senate district. It should be noted that other coal mines in eastern Utah continue to operate safely. The safety record of Utah’s coal mines has been good until the Crandall incident. I hope this incident demands increased emphasis on safety for our miners. Coal production is a vital component of Utah’s economy. The Utah coal mining industry employs nearly 2,000 people. In 2006, 25.5 million short tons of coal were mined at a value of over $570 million. Coal provides more than 50 percent of our nation’s electrical generation, validating the immediate requirement for high levels of safety for miners.
In the past century, great strides have been made in mine safety. Unfortunately, our progress can be diminished when accidents occur resulting in death and/or injury. J. Brett Harvey, president and CEO of CONSOL Energy Inc., delivered the keynote address at last week’s Utah Mining Association convention, and referring to his operation, he stated succinctly, “…safety trumps everything else we do. It trumps production, it trumps profits, it trumps all other rules, policies, and procedures. (CONSOL operates 20 mining sites, including the small underground Emery Mine in Utah.)
I look forward to working with the governor on the Utah Mine Safety Commission and also offer my services to other investigative entities to accomplish our safety ambitions.
Birthdays are for senators, too!
Senator McCoy (on the left) and Senator Davis (on the right) celebrated
their birthdays last month on Interim Day.
Three candles???
It would be politically incorrect to reveal their ages.
by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
Senate District 27
As you are probably aware, I just returned from a legislative trip to the Liaoning Province, Utah’s sister state, located in northeastern China. Below is a brief synopsis of many hours spent with government officials in China.
I would like to compliment Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble on his exemplary conduct in leading our legislative delegation. Without exception, Senator Bramble made a conscientious effort to include all members of the delegation, both Republicans and Democrats, in all presentations made to the Chinese officials. We owe him a big thank you for his efforts.
China is a rapidly developing nation with great resources and needs. Utah, particularly rural Utah, can benefit from the relationship we are building with China’s Liaoning Province. Utah’s expertise in technologies for safely and cleanly using our natural resources, as well as our educational and cultural resources, can greatly benefit Liaoning Province while helping Utah to succeed in today’s world economy.
Liaoning is rich in natural resources, just like rural Utah. Unlike rural Utah, though, the Chinese have struggled to make advances in mining, exploration, and extraction technologies. Also, they have not made great strides in mine safety as we have. During my visit, I was able to discuss these concerns with leaders in the Liaoning Province, and I am confident Utah can export its expertise and mine safety equipment to China to help decrease the number of mining deaths in their province. The provincial officials also discussed other mutually beneficial partnerships, like coal gasification, utilization of coal-bed methane, and uranium mining.
We also met with educational leaders and discussed possible cooperation with educational exchanges. At Liaoning University, we saw a modern university with a strong desire for educational partnerships in America. The Chinese are building universities at a startling pace, trying to move their economy from low-skilled manufacturing jobs to higher skilled ones. As other countries like Vietnam become more competitive in low-skilled manufacturing, this is increasingly important for China. Many of their students study in the United States, which gives us the opportunity to influence China’s future leaders and encourage political reforms we hope will accompany China’s economic growth.
Other visits were to high-tech parks and manufacturing facilities. These are modern facilities with a young and diligent workforce. These industries are growing quickly and attracting more and more workers. There are many opportunities for foreign investment and for understanding the characteristics that make China such an attractive place to do business.
In our meetings with government leaders at the city, provincial, and even national level, we learned that China needs the resources of states like Utah to continue its economic reforms. These visits help foster the cooperative environment that can lead to genuine reform in China, both economically and politically. Utah has talent and ingenuity ready to be shipped around the world in the form of people and products. These people and products can benefit China and Utah simultaneously. This is what we discovered in our meetings in China as we built relationships to cooperatively move forward in our shrinking world.
by Senator Scott McCoy
Senate District Two
Recently a constituent called me in distress. He is involved in a case with DCFS. Here are the facts in a nutshell.
Frank is an openly gay man. He is a business owner and has a long-term partner he has been living with for the past 14 years in a home that they own. They are financially stable and do not require aid from the state or federal governments. Frank is an uncle to a four-year-old boy. His brother, the boy’s father, is a drug addict and presently incarcerated. At one point, DCFS took the boy out of the father’s custody and placed him with his grandmother. Frank and his partner helped the grandmother raise the boy for the last two years. They have an established relationship and bond with the young man. Unfortunately, recently the grandmother passed away from cancer and the boy is now in state custody. The boy’s father wants Frank to have custody. DCFS has evaluated Frank and his home and has determined that Frank and the home are fit to raise the boy. Frank is the boy’s blood relative. There are no other living or competent blood relatives to raise the boy.
So this seems like a no-brainer right? Frank should be given custody and should raise him, right? That is not the case. Frank was denied approval by DCFS. How can this be you ask? Well, here is the wrinkle (injustice). Remember that Frank is a gay man, a characteristic that fortunately by itself does not disqualify him from receiving custody of his nephew and raising him. However, also remember that Frank has found his way into a stable, long-term relationship with his partner and they live together, i.e., they cohabitate. This fact, that Frank and his partner are in a stable, long-term relationship and live together, disqualifies them from receiving custody of and raising his nephew under Utah Code Ann. 78-30-1.
Yes, because Frank and his partner are in a stable, long-term relationship, one that happens to be a gay relationship, they are not allowed to adopt and raise Frank’s nephew, even though the biological father wishes Frank and his partner to do so and despite the fact that Frank, as a single gay man, could adopt the boy if only he were not in a stable, long-term relationship with his partner. So, Frank’s crime here is that he was able to form a stable, long-term relationship with his partner. As a result, guess what happens to Frank’s nephew: he goes into the foster care system and goes to live with strangers until one day he might be adopted.
To me, this makes no sense and demonstrates why Utah’s policy prohibiting gay adoption simply does not make sense. This policy, in this case at least, will tear a family apart and contradict the parental wishes of the biological father.
by Senator Scott McCoy
Senate District Two
Rep. Carl Wimmer is floating a bill that would increase the size of the State Board of Education from its current 15 members to 29 members. It would model the 29 board positions on the current 29 state senate districts. Worst of all, it would require candidates for the State Board of Education to declare party affiliations and subject these candidates to the political convention process (and ultimately straight party ticket voting).
Wimmer’s bill is a solution in search of a problem. The reason this bill is being sought is simple: the State School Board has shown itself to be a truly independent, nonpartisan governmental entity. This, of course, raises the ire of the current Republican leadership because the State School Board has refused to say “how high?” when the Republican leadership says “jump!” The nerve! We have discovered a governmental institution (a constitutionally established one at that) that refuses to mindlessly answer the beck and call of the Republican leadership. Isn’t it obvious that if we don’t reign in this uppity institution, other state agencies and institutions might start getting similar ideas. So how do we get this errant institution back under the thumb? One way is to make sure we pack it with individuals more beholden to Republican leadership than the people who Republican leadership has picked for them to represent.
If Wimmer’s bill were to succeed, then the State Board of Education would simply become another partisan arm of the Republican leadership subject to their gerrymandering and the extremism of the party’s delegates. No longer would sound independent legal analysis and public policy rule the day. One need only look to the most recent voucher controversy to understand this. In that case, instead of the legal analysis that HB 174 was meaningless without HB 148 (a position proffered by an independent State Board and endorsed unanimously by the state’s highest court), we would have the flawed legal reasoning of the Attorney General and the Republican leadership being implemented, resulting in an illegal and unwanted taxpayer funded voucher program.
Politicizing the State School Board will not result in better education for our kids. It will only result in Republican leadership getting their way, right or (mostly) wrong, once again.
