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Letter: Utah’s Legislature shows nothing but contempt for its citizens

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) L-r Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper addresses fellow House members, detailing his proposed medical cannabis bill. Utah legislators voted to change the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, the bill that officials, Prop 2 opponents and medical marijuana advocates crafted and pitched as a compromise, Monday, Dec. 2, 2018 during a special session. Lawmakers voted for an overwritten version of the ballot initiative.

Just days after Utah’s Proposition 2 was approved, Republican lawmakers removed and replaced it with legislation approved by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Rushed thru with remarkable speed, it became law. There was not a single embarrassed, ashamed, guilty, uncomfortable look by Utah’s Republicans for the contempt shown to Utah’s voters.

Their contempt continues with the:

1) Unnecessary move of the Utah State Prison (developers and real estate agents in the Legislature to personally profit with prison land vacated),

2) Punishing the ‘Democratic’ Salt Lake City and County by placing new prison in Salt Lake City and ensuring cost overruns by deciding (contrary to the citizen’s desire) the new prison be placed in an unsuitable location, with inappropriate soil foundation unable to developed without costly remediation,

3) Refusal to expand Medicare for several years to help least among us (contrary to the wishes of Utah’s citizens),

4) Deliberately creating difficult procedures and policies to discourage citizens’ initiatives,

5) And numerous other undertakings behind closed doors.

Because the Legislature cavalierly ignored Utah’s citizens, we now have what LDS leadership ordained — Proposition 2 destroyed.

Richard Egan, Salt Lake City

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