More than 1 million furloughed government contract workers may never see a penny in back pay from the shutdown and they’re the lowest-paid employees who depend on a federal paycheck. The 2019 Legislature opens with a call for a record tax cut. And Utah home prices have spiked.
Happy Tuesday! While the 800,000 federal workers furloughed during the country’s longest shutdown will receive back pay now that government has resumed full operations, more than 1 million contract workers may get nothing. Federal contract workers are among the lowest-paid employees of the government: the janitors, cooks and guards, among others. They are not guaranteed getting a dime in reimbursement for the paychecks they missed. [WaPost]
Topping the news: The Utah Legislature opened its 2019 session with new House Speaker Brad Wilson calling for a record tax cut of at least $225 million. [Trib] [KSL] [KUER]
-> About 300 people rallied at the Utah Capitol for lawmakers to allow the voter-approved Medicaid expansion initiative to take effect without restrictions that would delay, restrict or derail the plan to insure some 150,000 low-income residents. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13] [KUER] [ABC4]
-> Utah home prices have spiked and sales have slowed. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: @nedprice: “The DNI, FBI Director, CIA Director, among others, will be testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee tomorrow in open session. Among the many questions that need to be asked: Has Trump's shutdown--and the prospect of another--left the country less safe and, if so, how?”
-> @BenWinslow: “Because I'm seeing it in my mentions, some people are upset that #LDS Church leaders gave the opening prayer of the #utleg. Technically, the prayers are non-denominational. I've seen Muslims, Jews, Hindus and other faith traditions give them. Even non-faiths. #utpol”
-> @MacyLewis6: “If @SpencerJCox runs for governor in 2020, Utah will be very lucky. He has first hand experience being Lieutenant Governor, he is honest, kind and genuine, he is not afraid to speak his mind on important issues, he has integrity, he is hilarious, and the list goes on.”
-> @gopTODD: “Now I’m confused. Utah Speaker of the House Brad Wilson lives in Kaysville with his wife, Jeni. If that’s the case, how did his wife just get elected as Salt Lake County Mayor? #utpol”
Happy Birthday: to House Speaker Brad Wilson.
In other news: A new Tribune-Hinckley Institute poll shows that 60 percent of Utah voters approve of the Legislature’s job performance — a vastly higher percentage than reflected in a poll two years ago. Gov. Gary Herbert scored even higher with a 73 percent approval rate. [Trib]
-> Utah Chief Justice Matthew Durrant made a swift proposal to legislators Monday morning during the annual State of the Judiciary address, where he said more court funding is needed to pay for new and current judges. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13] [KSL]
-> Sen. Mitt Romney was voted president of the Alfalfa Club, a swanky, secret political and business-related group that has prominent members of great influence. [Trib] [Politico]
-> A Utah Policy poll found that Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Fox News commentator Jason Chaffetz are currently ranked as the front-runners for Utah governor in 2020, although a quarter of voters have yet to decide. [UtahPolicy]
-> Provo leaders are pushing for a second terminal to be built at the Provo Airport at a cost of $14.5 million. If that funding is not secured within a couple years the city stands to lose $8 million in federal grants. [Trib]
-> United Utah Party Chair Richard Davis said legislators have opened files for more than 1,200 bills and only made a quarter of them available to the public. Davis condemned the practice and called for all filed bills to be made public. [Trib]
-> Utah spent an estimated $66,000 to keep the national parks up and running throughout the 35-day federal government shutdown. [DNews] [KSL]
-> Columnist Robert Gehrke writes his version of the speech he imagined House Speaker Brad Wilson might — but wouldn’t — give Monday morning on the first day of the 2019 legislative session. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley illustrates what lawmakers might be plotting as they begin the annual session. [Trib]
Nationally: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi extended an invitation to President Donald Trump to give his State of the Union address on Feb. 10, an offer the president quickly accepted. Their conversation was held over the phone and lasted about 12 minutes. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]
-> Acting Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker announced during a news conference that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian election interference is close to its conclusion. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]
-> President Trump tweets out his support for a push by some states to allow Bible literacy classes into public schools. “Starting to make a turn back? Great!” he tweeted shortly after a discussion of the move on “Fox & Friends.” [Politico]
-> After recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, the Trump administration announced that the United States will be imposing steep sanctions against Venezuela’s primary state oil company in an attempt to force current President Nicolas Maduro from power. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]
-> The Congressional Budget Office declared that the federal government shutdown cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion. [NYTimes]
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-- Dan Harrie and Sahalie Donaldson
https://twitter.com/danattrib?lang=en, https://twitter.com/SahalieD?lang=en