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Morning must reads for Friday, March 3, 2017

Friday, March 3, 2017 - 2:00pm
Utah Policy

Lawmakers set to boost public school funding by $200 million next year

By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor

 

 

 

Utah lawmakers are looking to boost spending for public education by 4% this year while fully funding expected student growth.

 

UtahPolicy.com has learned budget negotiators have agreed to a 4% boost in the weighted pupil unit, the basic unit of school funding.

Read more

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Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Friday, March 3, 2017

 

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 62nd day of the year. There are 303 days remaining in 2017.

Lawmakers plan to boost public education funding by $200 million next year. Swallow found not guilty. Herbert would support reinstating sales tax on food. 

The clock:

  • 6 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature (3/9/2017)
  • 106 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University (6/17/2017)
  • 249 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
  • 325 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
  • 370 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
  • 614 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
  • 1341 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL: DR -

  • SCOOP! Lawmakers plan to boost public education funding by $200 million next year. It includes a 4% increase in the WPU, $70 million for student growth and $8 million for classroom supplies [Utah Policy].
     
  • Want to understand what happened this week on the hill? Watch our week in review [Utah Policy].
     
  • Jordan Garn takes a satirical look at the effort to remove the "Zion Curtain" [Utah Policy].
     
  • Bob Bernick praises the efforts of lawmakers to tackle reforms this year [Utah Policy].
     
  • Some minority legislators say a slight modification to Utah's self-defense law adds to the bias against the state's minority citizens [Utah Policy].
     
  • Shocker! Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow is found not guilty on all charges in his public corruption trial [Tribune, Deseret News].
     
  • U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions decides to step away from any investigations about the Trump campaign and Russia after revelations that he met with the Russian ambassador after denying under oath he had done so [Washington Post].
     
  • Rep. Jason Chaffetz was the first Republican in Congress to say Attorney General Jeff Sessions should recuse himself from those investigations [Utah Policy, Deseret News].
     
  • Utah House Republicans still haven't come to any consensus on tax reform this year, including restoring the sales tax on food [Deseret News]. Gov. Gary Herbert says he would not oppose reinstating the sales tax on food [Tribune].
     
  • Gov. Gary Herbert says he supports the bill to take down the "Zion Curtain" as well as lowering the blood-alcohol level for a DUI [Tribune].
     
  • Congressional Republicans are preparing their Obamacare replacement bill in secret. Sen. Rand Paul tried to get a copy and was rebuffed by his own party [Washington Post].

On this day in history:

  • 1931 - President Herbert Hoover signed into law a bill making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the national anthem.
  • 1991 - Motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police in a scene captured on amateur video.

 

 

 

Today At Utah Policy

Lawmakers set to boost public school funding by $200 million next year
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
Utah lawmakers are looking to boost spending for public education by 4% this year while fully funding expected student growth....

Bob Bernick's Notebook: Some good reform efforts
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Two items this week as Utah legislators rush to finish off the 2017 general session, which ends at midnight next Thursday....

The Zion Wall is coming down, coming down, coming down
By Jordan Garn
Editor's note: The following is satire. Rep. Brad Wilson unveiled legislation that, among other things, will tear down the so-called Zion Wall....

Minority legislators object to modification to Utah's 'Stand your ground' law
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Over the objections of two racial minority members of the Utah House, representatives passed a bill that would “clarify” that judges and attorneys can’t bring up objections to the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law in any lawsuits where a per...

'Never drink anything bigger than your head' - Bernick and Schott on politics #319
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott explain everything that happened during week #6 on Utah's Capitol Hill....

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on Politics #319
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott run down week #6 on Utah's Capitol Hill....

Weekly survey: Should Utah restore the sales tax on food
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Legislative leaders are coalescing behind a plan to restore the state portion of the sales tax on food. Do you agree with this idea? Let us know in our weekly survey....

Chaffetz says Sessions should recuse himself from Russia investigation
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Rep. Jason Chaffetz said Thursday morning that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should recuse himself from any investigation involving the Trump White House ties to Russia....

Local Headlines

 

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Juvenile justice reform would save young lives and tax dollars

Editorial: Bad gun bill caught in crossfire

What's a humane way to kill an animal? Gas-chamber bill dies after Utah agencies split on method

'Good teachers deserve to be rewarded': Bonus bill sails through Senate committee

Idea for runoff elections killed after Utah GOP reneges on deal

New emissions requirement targeting Utah County nears passage

Gov. Herbert supports 'Zion Curtain' bill and lowering blood-alcohol content limit for DUI

Gov. Herbert won't oppose hiking sales tax on food

Rolly: A toast to Utah liquor reforms - one step forward, two steps back

New gas-tax bill emerges, would raise levies higher, faster

House OKs bill to enhance penalties for drug dealing near homeless shelters

Proposed crime of livestock harassment gets closer to becoming Utah law

Reactions to Swallow acquittals from the players, the politicians, the jurors and more

Utah's biggest political scandal ends with zero convictions as jury clears Swallow

Deseret News

Greg Bell: All Utahns, including stay-at-home mothers, must prepare for the workforce

Editorial: Swallow verdict an opportunity to assess ethics, transparency and money in politics

Utah lawmakers call on federal government for 3-digit suicide hotline

Utah lawmakers hope Trump administration grants flexible Medicaid funding plan

Getting or renewing a driver's license may get more expensive

Committee sends abortion rule bill to full House

House burns midnight oil without reaching agreement on tax plan

Utah bill: Stand your ground even if safe escape possible

'Napoleon Dynamite' star visits Utah Legislature

Salt Lake leaders file brief supporting transgender bathroom access

Gas tax formula change expected to increase prices at the pump advances

House committee advances helmet law for riders under 21

Social media reacts to the John Swallow 'not guilty' verdict

Troy Rawlings: Swallow verdict was 'predictable to any prosecutor'

Chaffetz among first high-ranking Republicans to call for A.G. recusal on Russian issues

Jury acquits John Swallow of all charges

Other

Op-ed: Federal overreach is bad, according to Jason Chaffetz. Except in D.C. (Standard-Examiner)

Editorial: Gov. Herbert says Zion Curtains don't work. That's a good reason to scrap them (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Press coverage of Trump in first month of office: 88 percent 'hostile,' says new study (Washington Times)

Trump's advisers push him to purge Obama appointees (Politico)

Terror Threat to U.S. Airports Said to Grow as al-Qaeda Rebounds (Bloomberg)

Lawsuit against BuzzFeed over publishing ex-spy's dossier moves to federal court (McClatchy)

Sessions Removes Himself From 2016 Campaign Investigations (Bloomberg)

Touring Warship, Trump Pushes Plan to Expand Military (New York Times)

Paul Ryan's feeling confident about repeal-and-replace. McConnell not so much. (Washington Post)

Interior secretary repeals ban on lead bullets (The Hill)

EU Parliament Seeks To Reinstate Visas For American Travelers (NPR)

Carson and Perry sworn in (The Hill)

EPA halts inquiry into oil and gas industry emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas (Washington Post)

Wise Words

Remember Peace and Brotherhood
"The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Lighter Side

Kale!
"Another big story is Trump's ongoing feud with the media. Especially his tweet where he called the press "the enemy of the American people." And the American people said, "No, that would still be kale. No one likes kale." Jimmy Fallon