State lawmakers need to get back to business and start addressing the state's real problems rather than spending so much time telling -- and retelling -- the feds to back off, say minority party members.
Now two-thirds of the way through the state's 45-day legislative session, that's the message Democratic lawmakers want to convey to their far more numerous counterparts across the aisle.
"I never imagined that we would spend so many of our precious and limited hours challenging the federal government," said House Minority Leader David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City.
"I have listened carefully to every presentation of every message bill that has come before us," Litvack added, "and I have yet to hear of any constructive ideas which actually help solve the important issues we face as a state."
Democrats are outnumbered more than two to one in the House and Senate and have little power to stop, or even slow, a raft of states' rights measures that are sailing through the Legislative process. Among these is Rep. Carl Wimmer's HB67 to allow Utah to opt out of federal health care reform. These efforts are part of a larger national effort being advanced by the conservative Patrick Henry Caucus.
Sen. Minority Leader Pat Jones voiced concerns these bills could land the state in court and siphon off sorely needed dollars for legal defense during a year of budget shortfalls.
"Our taxpayers can ill afford to pay for costly court battles at the same time we are increasing class sizes in our public schools, increasing tuition in our colleges and universities and making cuts in critical programs," Jones said.
Jones also worries that opt-out bills could cause the state to miss out on as much as $1.3 billion in federal health care funding and $310 million in federal education aid.
A video released this past week by the Patrick Henry Caucus, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qhrdM5NecM, raised the rhetoric to a new and embarrassing level of disrespect, Litvack added.
"I haven't heard the word 'secession' yet," Litvack said. "What we're seeing doesn't reflect the majority of Utahns."
