This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Which government do you trust? The Mitt in the mirror. UTA's agree to reduce executive pay.
Happy Thursday. Jimmy Fallon played Mitt Romney's reflection in a funny bit on the Tonight Show that included this exchange about Romney's upcoming charity "fight" against former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. Mitt Romney: "It's for charity what is the worst that could happen?" Romney's reflection: "That's true. I guess it won't be the first time we lose to a black guy." Romney: "Touche." [http://www.people.com/article/mitt-romney-tonight-show-evander-holyfield" target="_blank">People]
Topping the news: A survey found that Utah Transit Authority executives' pay is within a normal range but the retirement and bonus packages are high. As a result the board voted to reduce the pay for new executives. And the outgoing general counsel is getting a doubly generous pension. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2333177-155/uta-report-salaries-arent-higher-than" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625010/UTA-board-approves-new-pay-plan-for-executives-managers.html" target="_blank">DNews] [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/uta-total-compensation-comparison-report-released/15523/ySJYY9-4O0aSh4dSMvy-xQ" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> Utah's Republicans trust the state government most, while the state's Democrats favor city governments. The federal government? It gets low marks from everybody. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/5195-poll-utahns-trust-state-and-city-governments-more-than-the-feds" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Rich political donors are upset that they are losing political clout to... the super rich. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-2016-campaign-the-lament-of-the-not-quite-rich-enough/2015/03/24/f0a38b18-cdb4-11e4-8a46-b1dc9be5a8ff_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost]
-> Here's a look at the new seating arrangement in the White House press room and you can see just how much the media has changed since President Barack Obama took the oath in 2009. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/25/how-the-seating-chart-of-the-white-house-press-room-has-changed-in-1-cool-graphic/?v=2" target="_blank">WaPost]
Tweets of the day: From @https://twitter.com/AaronTWalker" target="_blank">AaronTWalker: "Thinking UT should bring back the guillotine. Maybe France can ship one. Of course, the Leg would have to budget an executioner..."
Happy Birthday: Rep. Jason Chaffetz, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra Miller
In other news: Gov. Gary Herbert signed 56 bills into law Wednesday, including one outlining how the state will pick a new prison site, one overriding a Salt Lake City ordinance that required drive-thrus to serve cyclists and one to require outside investigations of officer shootings. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2333142-155/herbert-gives-ok-for-prison-site-selection" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/governor-signs-bill-for-enhancements-to-benefits-f/40029/czZYBc9tUUiEdoZk8UCWHg" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> Herbert's office announced that meetings to hammer out a Healthy Utah compromise will begin in early April, but will take place behind closed doors. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625011/Meetings-to-resolve-Medicaid-expansion-will-be-closed-governors-office-says.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Although supporters say reinstating the firing squad gives Utah a good backup plan in case lethal-injection drugs aren't available, some are saying the move will tarnish the state's conservative image. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2330788-155/does-firing-squad-law-tarnish-utahs" target="_blank">AP]
-> Amid citywide excitement over Google's new announcement that Google Fiber is coming to Salt Lake City, competitors aren't so happy. [http://kuer.org/post/not-everyone-excited-about-google-fiber-salt-lake-city" target="_blank">KUER]
-> In the wake of legislation that will deregulate Salt Lake City's taxi cab industry, David Everett, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker's chief of staff, says he has already received complaints of price gouging. [http://kuer.org/post/taxi-deregulation-spurs-reports-price-gouging" target="_blank">KUER]
-> The Utah Smoke Free Association says the vapor industry is standing by a bill that would put stricter regulations on e-cigarettes. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/utah-vapor-industry-supports-new-law-restrictions/35353/6KmPNTawyECDr1cDTR1iMw" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> A federal trial was kicked off yesterday to determine whether cops had the right to search a woman's car in Cedar City in 2008. The driver previously said she believed race to be a factor in the traffic stop. [http://fox13now.com/2015/03/25/federal-trial-begins-over-whether-cops-had-cause-to-search-womans-car-driver-claims-race-was-a-factor/" target="_blank">Fox13]
-> After a report from the public, federal environmental agencies are investigating reports of illegal dumping of concrete materials that are contaminating the wetlands at the Jordan Narrows. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2323599-155/feds-probing-concrete-mess-in-jordan" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/feds-investigating-possible-illegal-dumping-in-uta/25536/c45HBnLB4USE0V9_uXVicg" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> Orem Mayor Richard Brunst is technically a part-time elected official, but he recently expressed his desires for a raise to compensate for what he says is a full-time job. [http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/orem/orem-mayor-wants-full-time-wage/article_21c47f02-912c-5880-a049-b402f2f5415e.html" target="_blank">Herald]
-> The Municipal Council has announced a new program, called the Provo People's Lobby, that will help residents generate legislation online to be presented to the city council. [http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/peoples-lobby-allows-government-involvement-from-home/article_3927a258-74a3-5a97-9ce0-8a4c4a9ed6bb.html" target="_blank">Herald]
-> Bureau of Reclamation commissioner Daniel Beard has come out to say his agency should be abolished and the Glen Canyon Dam should be torn down. He says water issues should be solved at the local and state levels. [http://www.standard.net/Environment/2015/03/25/Former-Bureau-of-Rec-chief-argues-against-dam-building.html" target="_blank">Standard]
-> Another attempt to tear down the old Granite High School in South Salt Lake, this time for a housing complex, was rejected yesterday without public comment. [http://fox13now.com/2015/03/25/proposal-to-put-housing-units-at-site-of-granite-high-school-sent-back-to-drawing-board/" target="_blank">Fox13]
-> A yearly study was released ranking Utah's counties by health, with Morgan County coming in as the healthiest and Carbon County as least healthy. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2328508-155/study-analyzes-vast-health-differences-in" target="_blank">Trib] [http://fox13now.com/2015/03/25/healthiest-counties-in-utah-see-if-your-area-ranks-on-the-list/" target="_blank">Fox13] [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/annual-county-health-rankings-rank-the-healthiest/41365/rlaaJBSV-UCWhUdX6owBfg" target="_blank">ABC4]
Nationally: In a speech to a joint session of Congress yesterday, Afghan President Ashram Ghani thanked America for its tax dollars and said his country is on its way to self reliance. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765670683/Afghan-president-says-his-country-owes-profound-debt-to-US.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/afghan-president-to-congress-we-owe-a-profound-debt-to-u-s-troops-20150325" target="_blank">NationalJournal] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/world/asia/ghani-addresses-congress-eager-to-rebuild-afghan-us-ties.html?_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes] He also warned of the threat the Islamic State poses to his country and the region. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/politics/afghanistan-ghani-congress-speech/" target="_blank">CNN]
-> After revelations that Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, both potential 2016 presidential candidates, used their personal email addresses to conduct government business, a House committee passed a bill that would prohibit IRS workers from using private emails for work-related business. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765670735/House-panel-passes-bill-banning-IRS-from-using-private-email.html" target="_blank">AP]
-> Although Defense Secretary Ash Carter expressed openness to the idea of lifting the ban on transgender people in the armed forces, U.S. military leaders are expressing reservations. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765670701/US-officials-Military-worries-about-easing-transgender-ban.html" target="_blank">AP]
-> The Supreme Court announced a decision Wednesday that will make it easier for women to sue their employers for failing to accommodate a pregnancy. [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/supreme-court-pregnancy-ruling-ups-peggy-young-116392.html?hp=r1_3" target="_blank">Politico] [http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2015/03/25/supreme-court-backs-pregnant-ups-worker/" target="_blank">Forbes] [http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/politics/supreme-court-ups-pregnancy-case/" target="_blank">CNN] [http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/25/395297544/supreme-court-revives-pregnant-ups-workers-discrimination-lawsuit" target="_blank">NPR]
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— Matt Canham and Erica Palmer
http://www.Twitter.com/mattcanham" target="_blank">Twitter.com/mattcanham and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer