This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ahh. Another legislative session, another opportunity for Rep. Ken Ivory to waste our taxpayer money on his federal overreach fetish ("Panel endorses spending $350K to teach legislators about federalism," The Tribune, Feb. 4). The last time, it was millions of our dollars that the Legislature set aside to spend on New Orleans lawyers so we could find out whether it's plausible for the state to confiscate federal lands. (A free answer: It's not.)
This time, Ivory's project will only cost us $350,000 to educate our legislators on his views on how the federal government has pushed us around and how we can stop it by standing up for our constitutional rights. That's correct: "only" $350,000 to develop a curriculum.
But, come on, that curriculum really isn't necessary. Everyone knows where Ivory stands on this issue and it won't take $350,000 for him to make the point. Ivory will expound on the topic for free, over and over, throughout the legislative session.
There are better ways to use that money for education. Perhaps put it into real schools and educate real students.
Marc Jackson
Salt Lake City