Goodbye to an Old Friend

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
District 27

Last month, my old friend, former Representative Gerald Woodmansee passed away at the age of 77. Since I’ve been on the Hill for 40 years, I believe I am the only current legislator who served with Jerry. He was a fellow House Democrat from 1969-1978.

Representative Gerald Woodmansee
Click here for Jerry’s obituary.

Jerry was a visionary legislator, promoting futuristic ideas long before their time. So visionary were his ideas that he sometimes had a hard time passing his bills. In 1973, he sponsored HB 45 to create the office of Lieutenant Governor. In 1975, he sponsored legislation to allow Court discretion in granting visitation rights to grandparents in divorce cases.

In 1976, he sponsored and passed HB25, Utah Indoor Clean Air Act, which prohibited smoking in public places or public meetings except in designated smoking areas. When designated, existing physical barriers and ventilation systems shall be used to prevent the toxic effects of smoke in adjacent nonsmoking areas.

Several times, Jerry sponsored legislation to provide funding for the purchase of the Devereaux House, and finally in 1978, HB 1, Devereaux House Appropriation, passed. After lobbying his colleagues for several years, he had the support he needed for the purchase. (Believed to be the first mansion constructed in Utah, the Devereaux House was the venue early Utah Territorial leaders used to entertain visiting VIPs. It was built in 1857.)

While serving with Jerry, we often played handball and I could NEVER beat him. Now I know the reason why. In Jerry’s obituary, it states, “…he regularly visited the Deseret Gym where he…gained recognition as a state handball champion.”

Representative Woodmansee was a wonderful friend. I will miss him.

“It’s time,” he says, “to move on.”

Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich will not seek re-election in 2008. This year, he will celebrate his 72nd birthday, having served the majority of his lifetime in the Utah Legislature. “It’s time,” he says, “to move on.” Senator Dmitrich was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 1968 at the age of 31 and has served continuously in the House and Senate for 40 years, honorably representing Utah’s citizens in eastern and southern Utah.

In 1991, while serving in the House, he was appointed to the Utah State Senate and then elected to the Senate in 1992. Since 2001, he has served as the Senate Minority Leader. While in the House, he also served as House Minority Leader from 1983 to 1990. Throughout his political career, he has been a resounding voice for public and higher education and for the health and economic stability of Utah’s families. Backed by 30 years of experience in the coal mining industry, he has served on many natural resources committees and provided invaluable expertise to the state. This past year, he served on the governor’s Utah Mine Safety Commission following the mining accident at the Crandall Canyon Mine.

Senator Dmitrich and his wife Bo reside in Price USA (as he calls it). They are parents of three and grandparents of three. Senator Dmitrich is looking forward to spending more time with his family and more time (you guessed it) playing the wonderful game of golf.

Senator Dmitrich remarked, “I would like to thank the constituents of the districts I have represented over the years for allowing me the privilege of serving them in the Utah Legislature. I also appreciate the friendships I have formed on both sides of the aisle during my legislative career.”

Pres. Valentine Marries Two Valentines on Valentine’s Day

James Peterson, married his sweetheart Chanta Quiterio, on the Senate Floor.  They were married on Valentine’s Day by Senate President John Valentine.  Hmmm…very amusing! The groom, James Peterson, is a long-time friend of Senator Mike Dmitrich.

She’s Doing It!

Senator Karen Mayne was featured today in The Salt Lake Tribune in an article entitled, “Karen Mayne tries to carry on for beloved late husband as conscience of the Senate.”

Well, she’s not just “trying.” She’s doing it. Senator Mayne knows the process and cares about her constituents–just like her late husband, Senator Ed Mayne. She hardly needs coaching at all.

She has already surveyed her district and held a standing-room-only town meeting last weekend, attended by over 100 people. Senator Mayne has defined her priorities and is ably filling the shoes of her husband, Senator Ed Mayne.

Equalization of School Capital Funding

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader

In the past general election, east side Salt Lake County voters approved the split of Jordan School District, the largest school district in the state. The district split created capital outlay inequities among school districts, some experiencing increasing enrollment and others decreasing enrollment, resulting in greater or lesser needs for school buildings. Last year, I served on the Equalization Task Force, the objective of which was to design a fair method of equalizing the statewide financial burden of constructing school buildings. Senate Bill 48 emerged from the Task Force, and we support this proposal as a viable plan.

The bill, now SB 48, Second Substitute, “Equalization of School Capital Outlay Funding” (Sen. Dan Eastman), increases by $28.5 million the ongoing funding to the Capital Outlay Foundation Program, which provides state funding to school districts that receive less property tax revenues per pupil due to their smaller property tax base per pupil. The bill also increases the combined capital-related property tax rates a school district must impose to receive full funding from .0024 to .0030 and allows for proportional funding if a district imposes a rate below .0030.

End of an Era - The Passing of Senator Ed Mayne

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader

Earlier this year, we reported that Senator Ed Mayne, Assistant Senate Minority Whip, had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Senator Mayne passed away yesterday morning (Sunday, November 25, 2007) at the age of 62, while serving in his fourth Senate term. We express our sincere condolences to his wife Karen, his children and grandchildren, his parents, and all members of his family.

His passing marks the end of the Ed Mayne Era in the Utah Legislature. He fought the good fight for Utah communities his entire life, and in the past several months, he has concurrently fought his own personal battle against a formidable opponent–cancer. We are so sorry the disease has prevailed.

It has been a privilege and honor to serve with Senator Ed Mayne, advocate of working families in both his profession and his public service. He led and inspired all who knew him. Ed was passionate and compassionate, a loyal friend, and a fierce contender, right to the very end. The void created by his passing will never be filled.

“Ed was a champion,” Senator Gene Davis, Senate Minority Whip, remarked. “When Ed spoke, he spoke for and to the working men and women of Utah. He stood up for families be it a working wage, health care, education, or seniors. Senator Mayne championed the common person.”

Senator Ed Mayne’s legacy dictates that we, the Utah Senate Democrats, attempt to continue to carry Ed’s Olympic Torch on behalf of the men, women, and children who reside in the great state of Utah.

Thank you, Paul Rolly, for your endearing tribute to Senator Mayne. Click here to read the article. Click here and then click on the link “View a collection of photos here” to view an outstanding slide show/photo album of Senator Mayne assembled by his son Paul.

The Message of Referendum 1

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader

For the past few days since last Tuesday’s election, I have reflected on the results of Referendum 1 and the voluminous follow-up commentary.
Even though 62 percent of voters in Utah rejected school vouchers, 38 percent of Utah voters were in favor of school vouchers, believing they offered a win-win option for parental choice and public school funding. The message of the voucher vote is clear. The high voter turnout, coupled with both the YES votes and the NO votes, indicates that Utah’s citizens are cognizant of the challenges facing public education and want something done about it.

Although I do not support using public funds to subsidize private schools, I do support using public funds to meet every child’s needs through our public education system, which is the option chosen by the overwhelming majority of Utah’s students. I believe the Utah Legislature should listen to the public and, together with teachers, parents, students, and taxpayers, fortify our public education system so it will appropriately meet the needs of all students. In my opinion, the preferred outcome of the voucher election is a superior public school system, and I hope the players in education will take advantage of this opportunity to secure the lifeline of our public schools.

At the end of the day, parents still have the choice of two education systems in Utah, public and private, and both are excellent options.

Congratulations, Mayor-elect Becker

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader

It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? MAYOR BECKER

Congratulations to House Minority Leader Ralph Becker on snagging a new office in the City & County Building down the street from the Capitol. Ralph brings to the office many years of experience in public service. Although he will be missed on Capitol Hill, we look forward to working with him on issues pertaining to Utah’s highly regarded capital city. Way to go, Ralph.

Voucher Costs Will Exceed Savings

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader

On November 6, 2007, voters in Utah will vote for or against the implementation of HB 148, Education Vouchers, passed by the Legislature in February 2007. HB 148 establishes a voucher program to funnel taxpayer dollars to private schools. The amount of a voucher ranges from $500 to $3,000, depending on family income and size. Families at EVERY income level are eligible.

CHOICE is the nucleus of the voucher program. Parents can choose to send their child to a private school and use the voucher to offset the cost. In actuality, if the voucher law is implemented, parents WILL NOT be making the choice. Private schools will be making the choice. Private schools will exercise their prerogative to accept or reject students according to their subjective criteria.

Fewer than half of Utah’s counties have private schools in their communities. Rural legislators who voted for the voucher program have done a disservice to their constituency. Private school is not an option in their districts, and therefore, the voucher program is not applicable to rural Utah.

Prior to voting November 6, please read the Impartial Analysis of Referendum 1 in the Voter Information Pamphlet. If you are a newspaper subscriber, you should have received a copy with your newspaper within the past two weeks. You should have also received one in the mail. If you do not have a copy of the pamphlet, they are available at public libraries and in all county offices. The entire pamphlet can be viewed online at http://www.utah.gov/ltgovernor (click on the red arrow at the upper left). You can also call Lieutenant Governor Herbert’s office at 801-538-1041, and one will be mailed to you.

During the first five years, the taxpayer will pay the cost of the voucher to the private school from the General Fund AND a portion of the per-student state funding to the school district from the Uniform School Fund for each student who accepts a voucher. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst estimates the total cumulative General Fund cost to be $429 million just for the vouchers for years 1 through 13 (when the voucher program is fully implemented). A tax dollar is a tax dollar, and it is naive to presume that citizens will feel no impact by funding vouchers from the General Fund. Voucher proponents erroneously assert that the implementation of vouchers will bring savings to our public schools. Read the Impartial Analysis carefully and you will see that costs will exceed savings.

Voucher proponents assert that the implementation of vouchers will reduce class size. There is no guarantee this will happen. Even though some students may leave the public school system, fixed costs remain unchanged. There are still buildings to construct and maintain, teachers and staff to pay, utilities to pay, supplies to purchase, etc. If enrollment decreases by a class size, a teacher may be terminated and the students redistributed among a fewer number of teachers, which may result in even larger class sizes.

A typical request for an appropriation of state funds entails a grueling process of accountability before, during, and after the monies are appropriated. I am wondering why taxpayers would vote to forego accountability for their tax dollars by giving a blank check to private schools where there will be essentially no oversight of monies spent.

The public school system is exactly that-education for the public-an opportunity for EVERY school-age child to have a quality education. Utah is a public school state; 96 percent of Utah’s children attend public school. The core issue is whether or not it is in the best interest of our public education system to subsidize private schools. In a state with the lowest per-pupil expenditure in the nation, it makes sense to spend our limited resources for the benefit of the 96 percent. I urge you to vote against Referendum 1 on November 6.

Way to go, Ralph!

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!