This week also ushered in many of the bills we have been working on during the interim period, with several of our proactive land-use bills already being scheduled and heard in committee.  The compromise transfer of development rights bill (SB115), compromise historic districts bill (SB118) and our development standards bill (HB273) have all had their first committee hearing and are on the reading calendar for full consideration.

Each bill has been modified to address the concerns of the ULCT… Read More

So, while brief, here is the outline of meeting dates and times for your review.  We will be providing daily updates and bill status/tracking sheets for you each day.  Please use our website or email distribution list to keep up to date on all of our musings.

Significant 2012 Legislative Dates

-  Jan 23^rd: Opening Day of Legislative Session

-  Jan 25^th: ULCT Local Officials’ Day on Capitol Hill (7 am – 2 pm)

-  Jan 30^th: ULCT Legislative Policy Meeting (Room W30 — Noon)

-  February 6^th: ULCT Legislative Policy Meeting (Room W30 — Noon)

-  February 13^th: ULCT Legislative Policy Meeting (Room W30 — Noon)

-  February 20^th: NO MEETING (PRESIDENT’S DAY)

-  February 27^th: ULCT Legislative Policy Meeting (Room W30 — Noon)

-  March 5^th: ULCT Legislative Policy Meeting (Room W30 — Noon)

-  March 8^th: Last Day of the Session

-  March 28^th: Last Day for Governor to Sign or Veto Bills

Key Resources

-  ULCT Bill Tracking Service: www.ulct.org or via email distribution

-  Municipal Bill Committee Schedules: ULCT email distribution

-  Utah Legislative Website: www.le.utah.gov

-  2012 Utah Bill search page: http://le.utah.gov/~2012/2012.htm

-  Utah State Code: http://le.utah.gov/Documents/code_const.htm

1) Residential construction year-to-date, which was flat and is now up 3.4% (the light color changed from yellow to green)

2) U.S. consumer sentiment index, which had risen from the mid-50s to 60.9 in October, is now up to 69.9 in December (this light was changed from red to yellow)

3) Statewide local sales tax for the past three months were up 6 percent in our November report, are now up almost 8%.

In addition to the city managers meeting, ULCT staff was also able to meet with the Governor to discuss his budget and the implications of his recommendations to the state legislature.  In addition to that discussion, we were able to follow up with video interviews with the Governor and legislative leadership to provide greater context and detail to the Governor’s budget.  Those interviews will be available on the ULCT website (www.ulct.org) by week’s end. Read More

As expected, following the 15.9% increase last month, the December 1% sales tax distributed to local governments fell by 1.7%.  Remember, the December distribution represents mainly October sales.

On a fiscal year-to-date basis (September through December) the 1% tax is up 5.5%, indicating an economy that is turning around.  Our latest “baseline” forecast is looking for 7.9% growth in FY2012, with a “pessimistic” estimate of 2.4% (if there is a European recession).

The largest city in the state, Salt Lake City, saw its distribution fall 0.4%, not as far down as the statewide average.  Murray’s distribution was up 9.3%, perhaps due to continued rebounding in auto and truck sales.

Click on the following links for more: 1% Tax Distribution Dec 2011

The meeting will focus on transportation as we welcome guest speakers Andrew Gruber of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Nicholas Wyatt of the United States Senate Committee on Finance (Senator Orrin Hatch), Stuart Adams of the Utah State Senate, Greg Hughes of the Utah State House of Representatives, and Linda Hull of the Utah Department of Transportation.

See the agenda (LPC Agenda 12-12-11) for more details

Land Use Task Force

The Land Use Task Force took and unexpected twist last week as it learned that Sen. Niederhauser’s Transfer Fees Bill had been offered to address Legislative Interim testimony that had accused a certain Wasatch Back County of cronyism in its administration of its land use code.  Sen. Niederhauser quickly acknowledged that while a good transfer fee bill may be beneficial legislation, he was looking for a deeper inquiry into how to stem the appearance of limitless discretion and the potential for cronyism in land use administration.  His concern appears to be with those few counties that grant urban densities in unincorporated areas, without clear methods.  After a fair amount of pointed discussion, it appeared that he was focused on an aberration and that he did not intend to undermine land use discretion generally.  Needless to say, this turn of events captured the group’s attention for most of the meeting.  Look for this issue to carry over into next interim’s discussions.

The group added direction to the Eminent Domain for Trails bill, requesting additional restrictions on the use of condemnation with respect to trail lengths and multi-jurisdiction trails.  The PRC also identified opposition within its ranks that the ULCT will attempt to quell before the session begins.  The Task Force also approved the revisions to the Impact Fees bill and the Development Standards bill.  Both bills are off to Leg Research.  The last Task Force meeting for the interim is scheduled for Monday, December 12 at 2:30 p.m. after LPC.  At that meeting, we hope to achieve a resolution for the Fines for Nuisance abatement issue, and to get to consensus on Sen. Niederhauser’s Transfer Fee bill.

Late in the week, we learned that the State Engineer’s Office intended to pursue a bill to reverse the Jensen v. Jones and Big Ditch decisions without addressing certain serious concerns identified by the ULCT over the interim.  This is a bold move on the State Engineer’s part because legislators, who are known for their expertise in water and who are also keenly interested in these issues, have relied on the State Engineer’s promise to resolve issues that the ULCT has raised.

Water nutrient Core Group:

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality invited ULCT to represent local government on its internal Nutrient Core Group.  The Division of Water Quality is developing a plan for establishing quality standards for nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.  This week’s meeting brought together several potential stakeholders.  First, science representatives explained the potential negative impact of excess nitrogen and phosphorous on humans, drinking water, biology, water recreation, and the environment.  For example, the excess nutrients could lead to the death of plants, animals, and fish, and threats to human health.  Second, agricultural representatives expressed concern that increased nutrient regulations would increase the cost on Utah farmers and ranchers.  Third, a representative of Publicly Owned Treatment Works argued that the potential regulations could cost local governments and special service districts over $1 billion to comply.  Only a handful of water treatment facilities in Utah utilize the most modern technology, and the Division of Water Quality subsidized the construction of several of those facilities with grant money.  The next meeting will be January 12 and ULCT will continue to fight state and federal unfunded mandates on local government and maintain water quality.

Newly Elected Training

ULCT went to Logan on Saturday morning to meet nearly 80 new council members from 18 different cities and towns.  The legislative team explained ULCT’s role at the legislature and how ULCT will communicate legislative updates to our members via our website.  We also explained our new federal outreach and sought recommendations for questions for the congressional delegation.  We hope that we didn’t overwhelm the new officials—approximately 150 upcoming bills, state and federal unfunded mandates, and budget shortfalls—and we appreciated their attention, interest, and community service.

DOUG MACDONALD

Estimates from CBO economist using several different economic models show that, contrary to some opinions by radio and talk show hosts, the economic impacts of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 & 2012 (ARRA) were more positive than is currently believed by most of the American public.

Real GDP increased between 1% and 4% during the second and third years of the bill’s impact, 2010 and 2011.  The unemployment rate would be -0.5% to 2% higher without the federal dollars passing through the economy.  ARRA impacted employment favorably too by increasing it 1% to 2% in 2010 and 2011.

Mayor Yeah Samake and ULCT's Cameron Diehl

SALT LAKE CITY – A delegation of mayors from one of the poorest countries in the world is looking to Utah to learn skills for efficient governmental leadership.  The group is led by a Mali mayor with strong Utah ties… in fact; he is now running an impressive campaign to become Mali’s new President.

Yeah Samake, who was born in Mali and was one of few in the country able to pursue an education as a youth and then abroad.  He received his Master’s Degree from Brigham Young University and then returned to his hometown of Ouelessebougou to teach English and help increase literacy in his own country.  In Mali fewer than 20 percent of adults can read and write.

Ouelessebougou is actually one of the most advanced cities in Mali, yet it has no water treatment facility, no public safety, poor transportation systems and ongoing threats to public health.  The country of Mali is rich in its resources such as gold and cotton but has no practical and efficient processing methods.

As Mayor of Ouelessebougou, Samake is trying to improve conditions in his community and raise the level of ethics in his country’s government. His push for transparency in a developing democracy is building confidence among communities, improving programs and services, raising tax collection rates, and bringing people out of the shroud of illiteracy that has dominated Mali for generations.

Samake is Vice President of the Mali League of Mayors, an organization with a membership of 704 mayors throughout the nation. On December 4, Samake is bringing a delegation of mayors from Mali to Utah to learn how to efficiently run various divisions of public services and lead their cities.

The delegation is looking to Utah with its tradition of municipal efficiency and international humanitarian service, to provide hands on training in a variety of valuable services.  It’s also an opportunity to foster long-lasting relationships between Utah city officials and Malian leaders.

The ULCT Mali Summit, scheduled for December 5- 8, 2011, will provide informal training in various governmental operations including how to conduct public meetings, how to address infrastructure needs, and the ethical responsibilities of being an elected official.

If you’d like to get involved as a host family or as a French interpreter, contact Cameron Diehl @ the Utah League of Cities and Towns at 801.328.1601, cdiehl@ulct.org or www.ulct.org .