It's the political equivalent of pole vaulting over the Wasatch Front. The Legislature has set the bar way too high for citizen ballot initiatives, making it nearly impossible for the people to exercise their constitutional right to make laws.
Salt Lake Tribune Editorial
A bar too high
April 20, 2010
Fine editorial in today's Salt Lake Tribune, chastising the State legislature for restrictive regulations undermining the right of the people to enact laws through the constitutionally provided citizen initiative process and urging the legislature to "lower the bar":
• A bar too highDo we believe today's editorial will spark action in the legislature to lower the ridiculous high signature numbers bar? Fat Chance!
This morning's editorial follows up Friday's disappointing news wherein Kim Burningham, leader of the initiative group Utahns for Ethical Government, conceded publicly for the first time that the UEG drive probably fell short in at least some Utah districts:
• Ethics initiative probably out for this year's electionSadly, we learn from the latter story that our own Weber County was one of the areas where the UEG petition drive probably came up short:
In Weber County, an estimated 4,400 signatures were submitted, far short of the 7,250 that would be needed to reach the 10 percent threshold, even if every one of them is valid.Happily however, gentle readers, the UEG is not ready to simply throw in the towel. The UEG website will soon resume accepting electronic signatures; and petition sponsors inform us that within the next week or so, the organization will be seeking extra Weber County volunteers to assist in the commencement of a stepped up hard-copy Weber County signature drive. Even in the event that petition sponsors failed to meet the April 15 deadline with the requisite signatures to place the initiative on the November 2010 ballot, they'll now be shooting for a new mid-August deadline, to qualify the initiative for the 2012 ballot.
In that connection, we invite any WCF readers who'd like to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to hit the streets to put the Weber County petition drive over the top, to contact us via our email contact link in the upper right sidebar. We'll be compiling a list of those readers who'd like to get involved, and will attempt to help coordinate our WCF volunteers to work with UEG sponsors, in assisting during the next four months toward the UEG's renewed petition signature gathering effort.
Duty calls, Weber County proponents of robust ethics reform in Utah. If we seriously desire true ethics reform in our state legislature, this may well prove to be our last chance.
8 comments:
I feel that it may be time for the Citizens of Utah to succeed from the State. Send a message to the crooked over powered legislaters.
I'll commit a reasonable amout of time to calling friends and to otherwise work on the petition drive.
I've just sent you an email with my contact information
Please count me in!
The only contact the legislatures desires from the citizens is a large campaign contribution. Thanks for the money, now go away and leave me alone.
I think that I would like the American Indians to have my land, after all they were here first.
The very complacency that kept people from signing the two very important petitions is the same thing that keeps getting these integrity challenged incumbents re-elected.
People in Utah, especially a whole passel of them that vote, are just simply too unaware and trusting in those who presume to be called to high position. In addition to the normal cluelessness that a great number of people suffer from, it seems to be a side consequence of the teachings of certain religions about the infallibility of those called to leadership positions.
Sen. Bob Bennett is in serious trouble.
Good, the giant weiner needs to go away.
I agree with what blackrulon said. Most elected officals only care about what the people want when they need something from them. As soon as they get the money or anything else they need, the heck with everyone else.
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