Yes, I've stepped on the campaign finance reform wagon here in Utah after going to "Activist Training"
hosted by the Utah League of Women Voters, Common Cause of Utah and the Utah Progressive Network. (I know, I know.. I thought
the same thing, "Utah? Progressive? Whachoo talkin' 'bout Willis?") The Utahn House of Representatives and Senate are awfully
backwater, but I didn't realize exactly how backwater they were until now. Utah is the last remaining U.S. state that does
not specify a limit for the intangible gifts a lobbyist or constituant can give an elected official. Under the current Utah
law the limit on tangible goods is $50.00 per official, per lobbyist or constituant, per day. Anything over $50.00 must be
reported by both the lobbyist and the legislator - the names of both parties and the amount of the tangible gift given are
reported to the Lt. Governor's office every other year. However, there is absolutely no limit on the intangible goods the
officials can receive daily from anyone - this includes 'presents' for the official's family such as ski trips, Jazz tickets,
or cruises.
Let me run several facts by you:
- There is no limit on the amount of money an individual can contribute to a candidate in Utah.
- There is no limit on the amount of money an individual can contribute to a political party in Utah.
- While lobbyists are prohibited from making or promising contributions to a legistlator's campaign
during the legislative session, individuals are not.
- There is no limit on the amount of money a political party can contribute to a candidate.
- There is no limit on the amount of money a Political Action Commitee (PAC) can contribute to a candidate.
- The average Utah legislator received $1,000.00 from lobbyists during th elast 45-day session. That's
only the tangible goods they had to report and it's an average. Some Utahn legislators do not accept gifts.
- Utah has no system of public financing for elections.
- Utah has no spending limits for any election.
- Utah has no limit for the amount of money a candidate can take out a loan for campaign financing.
- To get elected to the Utahn House it takes about $16,000.00. To the Senate - $36,000.00. And how
much money do last year's legislative candidates have left in their campaign accounts total? $926,000.00
- Utah has no restrictions on use of campaign funds from previous campaigns.
- What are the candidates allowed to do with that overflow of campaign funds? Anything they want. Granted,
they must report where th money goes from the campaign account, but a transfer to the legislator's personal account is a perfectly
viable option.
- Utah has no restrictions on personal use of campaign funds.
- Utah has no restrction on out of state contributions.
- During the last 45-day legislative period 15 government finance reform bills were proposed - 1 passed.
This bill reformed judicial finance for their campaigns - hardly a worthwhile thing in Utah as most judges are not elected,
ergo they have no campaign funds to reform.
- All of these contributions and campaigns are monitored by the Lt. Governor's office - not an independent
council.
- Present Utah law has only a minor ethics code for candidates which only partially includes disclosure
of conflicts of interest.
- Present Utah law provides a revolving door for candidates who can go directly from being a legislator
to being a highly paid lobbyist.
Talk about some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the entire nation! Seriously. Utahns - like
most Americans - have no clue about these issues. They are not sexy. They have nothing to do with children, yet they do effect
every voter and nearly every other issue brought before state congress. Whose interest are being served in Utah? Special interests?
Conflicts of Interest? Hardly, the Public Interest.
If you live in Utah and would like to do something about these inadequate laws, contact any - preferrably
all - of the following:
Contact your legistlators!
Don't know who they are? Find out right here -
Senators
Representatives
How should you contact them? Email them, writen them, or call them at the office - call them at home,
if they have listed their home numbers. Yes, most of them list their home numbers. What gives you the right to call them at
home when they're not even in session? You are their constituants. You voted them into office, or you have the power to vote
to keep them in office. They want your vote, ergo they will listen to you.
How about toll free numbers, you ask? Well, here you go:
House of Representatives 1-800-662-3367
House of Representatives Republicans Fax 1-(801)-538-1908
House of Representatives Democrats Fax 1-(801)-538-9505
Senate 1-877-585-8824
Senate Republicans Fax 1-(801)-538-1414
Senate Democrats Fax 1-(801)-538-1449
The National League of Women Voters Website
Utah Chapter League of Women Voters - 1-(801)-272-8683
The Utah Progressive Network
1-(801)-466-0955
The National Common Cause Website
The Common Cause of Utah
1-(801)- 533-0876
Currently the Utah Progressive Netowrk is collecting postcards
asking lawmakers to ban gifts from lobbyists to public officials. What do you have to do to participate? Sign a pre-written
postcard saying you support this legilslation and deliver them to UPNet or whoever gave you the card. You don't have to pay
postage. You don't even have to research your own Senator or Representative if you don't want to - UPNet will do it for you.
If you don't care to contact UPNet, contact me and I'll mail you these postcards with the address of
UPNet in Salt Lake where you can turn them in. Grassroots movements can and have made a difference, but only when they have
willing participants.
