My 2006 Utah Legislative Session Wish List

Often when you read such a list, you will find that it is a demand for more government services, more government regulations, and more government control.  Well, you know from me that isn’t going to be the case.

In fact, my wish list is rather small.  It is a couple of I wants.  But they are wants that I feel are worthy of wanting.  They are wants that don’t take away from others, whether it is freedom or money.  My wish list is (and they are in a particular order):

1. Give Utahns a tax cut.  We have a million dollar plus tax surplus.  If I had gone to the grocery store and they billed my too much, I would only expect them to give me back the portion that they overcharge.  A tax surplus is just that.  You overcharged Utahns and now it is time to pay them back.  Now, I would love the full amount back, but I know that it isn’t going to happen.  So, just be sure that we get some of it back.
2. Increase Utahns’ freedom to educate their children.  I have heard the commercials on the radio, and I have to confess that I haven’t followed the ads close enough to understand what they are asking.  But I know that I want more choice in how I educate my children.  I would like to have greater freedom on what school my child can attend, and some compensation for not sending my child to public school.

I know that there are more issues on the table.  And I personally see them as hype issues, that don’t deserve the commotion revolving around them.  They detract from my number one wish item.  And they quite possibly get in the way of number two.  Hopefully, I won’t be more disappointed in my wishes.  I think on the tax cut issue, I won’t be, but I think I am dreaming on freedom to educate because of some legally binding wording in the Utah State Constitution (see Article 10, sections 1, 2, and 9).

That being said, I do want to praise Utah’s Legislature for its excellence in providing information to its constituents.  I discovered their online Floor Calendar last year, and I think that it is wonderful.   I can watch all the bills or just bills of interest as they pass through the legislative process.  It has also forced me to research and understand the process a little better.  The powers that put this in to place do deserve a hardy pat on the back.

And if you are really into this, you can listen to the whole thing, either live or play it back. Listen to the House or listen to the Senate.

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