Budget surpluses, Obamacare and Jeff Sessions digs in. Your Wednesday morning political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 207th day of the year. There are 158 days remaining in 2017.

Sen. Mike Lee gets good favorability ratings from Utahns while Sen. Orrin Hatch isn't as popular. Lawmakers will likely have a big budget surplus in 2018. The Senate votes to take up debate on health care, but a proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare was voted down.

The clock:

• 20 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)
• 104 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
• 180 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 225 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 468 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,196 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• NEW POLL: Sen. Mike Lee gets a 53% favorability rating from Utahns while Sen. Orrin Hatch sits at 49% approval [Utah Policy].
   
• Good news for lawmakers. Utah's economy keeps rolling along, meaning they will likely have a sizeable budget surplus next year [Utah Policy].
   
• Gov. Gary Herbert gives Provo Mayor John Curtis his endorsement in the GOP 3rd District primary [Utah Policy].
   
• Sen. Howard Stephenson explains why he plans to vote for Tanner Ainge in the 3rd District GOP primary election [Utah Policy].
   
• Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch vote to begin debate on the Senate health care bill [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Healthcare advocates rally in downtown Salt Lake City urging Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee to vote against the Senate plan to repeal Obamacare [Deseret News].
   
• All three of Utah's House members vote in favor of financial sanctions against Russia for interfering in last year's presidential election [Tribune].
   
• Sen. Orrin Hatch stands by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the face of repeated attacks against him by President Donald Trump [Tribune].
   
• Ballots for the August 15 primary election were mailed to voters on Tuesday [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Financial estimates say if the ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana passes, it would cost Utah taxpayers $3 million in the first year, with another $1.8 million every year after that [Fox 13].
   
• A state ethics commission dismissed a complaint against Draper Mayoral candidate Michele Weeks, who is challenging incumbent Troy Walker because they felt it was politically motivated. Weeks was accused of writing a letter in a city-funded newsletter that some thought was political speech [Tribune].
   
• The Salt Lake City Council approves transit advocate Alex Cragun for a spot on the Utah Transit Authority board [Tribune].
   
• The Outdoor Retailers Show begins its final run in Salt Lake City before moving to Denver [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• A new report says Utah's coal mining industry is dying while renewable energy and outdoor recreation are giving a bigger boost to the state's economy [Tribune].

National headlines:

• After voting to begin debate on health care bills, the Senate votes down a proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) [New York Times].
   
• Here's how the Senate finally got to the point to bring their health care proposal to the floor for a vote. Sen. Mike Lee was still undecided on Monday according to an eyewitness who described a text message conversation he was having with colleagues [Politico].
   
• Sen. John McCain returns to the Senate after a brain cancer diagnosis and blasts his colleagues for "getting nothing done" after he voted to bring the health care proposal to the floor for debate [Washington Post].
   
• President Donald Trump continued his assault on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, saying "We'll see what happens" when asked if he was going to fire Sessions. People close to Sessions say he has no intention of resigning his position, despite the attacks from Trump [Washington Post].
   
• Republican Sen. Susan Collins left her microphone on following a committee hearing where she and a colleague were caught on a hot mic criticizing President Trump. Democratic Sen. Jack Reed said Trump was "crazy" while Collins said she was "worried" about Trump's inability to grasp the details about the federal budgeting process [Washington Post].
   
• President Donald Trump holds another campaign-style rally in Ohio. He promised a group of his core supporters that he would still build a wall on the border with Mexico, make good on his promise to spend a trillion dollars on infrastructure and boost the U.S. economy [Politico].
   
• Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is "taking a little time off" amid reports he's considering stepping down from the State Department [Business Insider].
   
• Poll: Half of those who voted for President Donald Trump think he won the popular vote last November (he didn't) [Politico].
   
• Scary! American intelligence agencies say North Korea could have a working intercontinental missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States within 12 months. Previous estimates said it would take Pyongyang roughly four years to achieve that level of technology [New York Times].

On this day in history:

• 1788 - New York became the 11th state to ratify the Constitution.
   
• 1947 - President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, creating the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
   
• 1953 - Fidel Castro began a revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba.

Today At Utah Policy

Poll: Lee gets good favorable ratings from Utahns while Hatch is less popular
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, who has yet to start a 2018 re-election campaign, is still under water in his favorability ratings among Utahns, a UtahPolicy.com poll shows....

Utah's economy still red hot; Lawmakers will likely have a healthy budget surplus in 2018
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
The state could close the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, with a $130 million surplus in its two main funds the Education and the General Funds....

Herbert endorses Curtis in 3rd District Race
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Gov. Gary Herbert has endorsed Provo Mayor John Curtis in the 3rd District GOP Congressional primary....

Stephenson: Why I'm voting for Tanner Ainge
By Sen. Howard Stephenson
As a taxpayer advocate for 40 years and State Senator for 25 years, I am extremely concerned that the replacement we send to Washington to replace Jason Chaffez will be as fiscally conservative as he was.  ...

Weekly survey: Will negative attacks on Curtis work?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Outside groups have launched a series of negative attacks against Provo Mayor John Curtis in the GOP primary election for Utah's 3rd Congressional District. Will they work? Vote now in our weekly survey....

Policy News

Consumer confidence in Utah's economy remains high in July
The Zions Bank Utah Consumer Attitude Index (CAI) remained statistically flat in July, dipping a mere 1.0 point from 115.2 in June to 114.2 in July....

The Fox Files: 'An Ambitious Plan'
We have an ambitious Strategic Recruiting Plan (SRP) this year....

Urban Greens Mobile Market returns for a second year with fresh produce for Glendale and Poplar Grove neighborhoods
It's year two for the Urban Greens Market, which means regular availability of fresh, locally grown, and affordable produce to residents in Salt Lake City's Glendale and Poplar Grove areas....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Another Eccles gift to the people of Utah

Editorial: After Ott, stop electing county recorders

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert gives Curtis rare pre-primary endorsement

One of these three things could happen when Utah's 3.2 beer selection dwindles

Utah unions, education advocates organizing march in response to Trump, DeVos policies

SEC investigates Utah entrepreneur, owner of The Falls Events Center at Trolley Square

Three Utah liquor stores are test driving new retail technology that could improve selection

Utah's House members vote to add new sanctions against Russia that Trump may veto

Utah's Hatch backs Sessions as Trump continues criticism of attorney general

Utah headed to $130 million budget surplus, thanks to healthy economy

Hundreds of thousands of Utah primary ballots are in the mail

Ethics complaint against Draper mayoral candidate dismissed as 'political stuff'

Outdoor Retailer reflects on Utah memories as it sets up for what could be its final SLC run

SLC mayor's second choice for UTA board gets council OK

Senate votes down Cruz's health care amendment, Lee among the 'no' votes

Deseret News

Op-ed: The hallmark of the U.'s Department of Economics is its commitment to competing perspectives

Boyd Matheson: The Senate is currently embroiled in chaos created by a complete lack of leadership

Derek B. Miller: Together we can accomplish the governor's goal of 25,000 jobs in 25 counties

Editorial: While society finds solutions, individuals should resist texting and driving

Gov. Gary Herbert endorses Provo Mayor John Curtis in 3rd District race

Utah consumer confidence high in July

Lee no longer a holdout on health care - at least for now

Contract with Koch group allows 'in-kind services'; U. says its independence not threatened

Primary ballots on their way to Utah mailboxes

1 killed in assault as politicians prepare to discuss downtown 'lawlessness'

As Senate takes up repeal bill, health care advocates rally in S.L.

Tanner Ainge differentiates himself from Provo Mayor John Curtis

Outdoor Retailer brings products, politics for last Utah show

Other

Claims, statements of Provo mayoral candidates verified, disputed (Daily Herald)

Gov. Herbert endorses Curtis for Congress (Daily Herald)

Editorial: A piece of federal legislation nobody in Ogden wants (Standard-Examiner)

Park City mayoral forum planned as ballots are put in the mail (Park Record)

National Headlines

Senate Republicans Clear Key Health-Care Hurdle (Atlantic)

Trump takes victory lap on health care vote (Daily Mail)

Trump Eyes Tax-Code Overhaul, With Emphasis on Middle-Class Break (Wall Street Journal)

Scaramucci on Leaks: 'I'm Going to Fire Everybody' (New York Times)

Minneapolis police shooting tests mayor as re-election looms (Washington Post)

Senate Judiciary Committee drops Manafort subpoena in Russia probe (Politico)

Ivanka Trump speaks at Pence fundraiser (Washington Post)

US appeals court blocks DC law restricting gun rights (New York Daily News)

US Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream (Pew)

EPA chief pledges to streamline Superfund pollution cleanups (Washington Post)

House votes to repeal consumer arbitration rule (The Hill)

Wise Words

SJW

"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." H. L. Mencken
 

Lighter Side

Uber

If any of you call an Uber any time soon, you might want to make sure it's not a white Ford Bronco. I'm just saying. That's right, O.J. Simpson was officially granted parole . . . . and could be out of jail by October. When asked what he plans to do first, he said, "Well, catch up on all the shows about O.J." Jimmy Fallon