Morning must reads, May 2, 2017

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads, May 2, 2017

Good Tuesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 122nd day of the year. There are 243 days remaining in 2017. Today is the 103rd day of Donald Trump's presidency.

Matt Holland and Evan McMullin are the frontrunners to replace Jason Chaffetz. Gov. Gary Herbert and lawmakers are headed toward a showdown over special election rules. Congress is pushing for another Obamacare repeal vote.

The clock:

• 18 days until the Utah Republican State Convention (5/20/2017)

• 46 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University (6/17/2017)

• 189 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)

• 265 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)

• 310 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)

• 553 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)

• 1,281 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• NEW POLL: 3rd Congressional District voters pick Evan McMullin and UVU President Matt Holland as the frontrunners to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz if he steps down early. Most of those voters also expect him to run for governor in 2020 after he leaves Washington [Utah Policy].
   
• A fight between the Legislature and Gov. Gary Herbert is brewing over what rules they'll use for a special election to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz if he steps down. Republican senators are set to meet Tuesday evening to try and find a path forward [Utah Policy].
   
• Rep. Ken Ivory has been replaced as the chair of the House Natural Resources Committee [Utah Policy].
   
• A ballot snafu during the Utah County GOP Convention has one person threatening a lawsuit and could have big implications for some of the most prominent political offices in Utah [Utah Policy]. 
   
• University of Utah President David Pershing announced he would step down from his post. The move comes after a failed attempt to oust the head of the Huntsman Cancer Institute [Deseret News, Tribune]. Here's a deep dive into the controversy that led to the resignation of Pershing and the head of the University of Utah Health CEO Dr. Vivian Lee [Deseret News].
   
• Rep. Jason Chaffetz is returning to Washington following foot surgery so he can be there for a vote on legislation to repeal Obamacare [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Congress is pushing forward on a vote to undo the Affordable Care Act, but it's unclear whether Republicans have the votes [CNN]. House Republicans may push for a repeal vote and leave the heavy lifting to the U.S. Senate [Washington Post].
   
• Congressional budget rules prohibit bigger deficits after 10 years, which is a big hurdle for President Donald Trump's proposed tax cuts. Republicans in Congress are considering changing those rules to make it easier to pass Trump's tax plan [Wall Street Journal].
   
• What's in the spending bill Congress passed to fund the government through September? More money for defense and none for Trump's border wall among other things [The Hill].
   
• Uh oh. Jared Kushner had a real hard time filling out his financial disclosure form. He failed to report he has a stake in a real-estate finance startup as well as several loans from banks [Wall Street Journal].
   
• The top ethics officer in Washington is crying foul on the Trump administration giving out secret waivers to former lobbyists so they can take jobs in in the federal government [New York Times].
   
• Rep. Mia Love called the police saying people were parking outside her house and taking photos of her children over the weekend [Tribune, Tribune].
   
• Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor, who is a trustee for the Utah Transit Authority, is demanding that the chairman of the board of trustees, Robert McKinley, and vice-chairwoman Sherrie Hall Everett resign following a "personal attack" against him on Facebook [Deseret News].
   
• Salt Lake City Councilwoman Lisa Adams announces she won't seek another term this year [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Rep. Lynn Hemingway wants to regulate ticket scalping in Utah and possibly cap the prices people can charge for reselling tickets to events [KSL].

On this day in history:

• 1890 - The Oklahoma Territory was organized.
   
• 1994 - Nelson Mandela claimed victory in South Africa's first democratic elections.
   
• 2011 - al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, then quickly buried at sea.

Today At Utah Policy

Poll: 3rd District Voters pick McMullin, Holland as frontrunners to replace Chaffetz
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A new poll of registered voters in Utah's 3rd Congressional District shows the race to replace outgoing Rep. Jason Chaffetz is wide open....

Fight brewing between Utah lawmakers and Gov. Herbert over special House election rules
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
We may be headed for a showdown between GOP Gov. Gary Herbert and state House Republicans over what to do if U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz resigns his seat....

Lawsuit threatened over Utah County GOP ballot controversy
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A ballot snafu at the Utah County Republican Convention could have big implications for some of the top political offices in Utah....

Rep. Ken Ivory replaced as chair of House Natural Resources Committee
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
UtahPolicy has learned that Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, has been replaced as the House’s chair of the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee....

Policy News

Hatch highlights 'Once-in-a-generation' opportunity on tax reform
In a speech on the Senate floor, Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) discussed President Trump’s tax plan and highlighted a variety of provisions that will help lay the groundwork for a comprehensive overhaul that will make the tax code fairer and more effe...

Utah House and Senate applauds executive order to review Antiquites Act
Last week President Donald Trump signed an executive order to review National Monument designations, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah....

Refugee Justice League announces new website
The Refugee Justice League today announced the publication of a new website – www.refugeejustice.org – that highlights their mission to promote and defend the Constitutional rights of all refugees in the United States of America....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

SLC sewer rates may double, officials say your waste is worth it

Salt Lake City Council to have two open races after Lisa Adams announced she won't seek second term

Why S.L. County leaders believe they can reduce crime by sending inmates to other county jails

Rep. Mia Love calls police about people taking pictures of her kids

After foot surgery for pre-existing condition, Chaffetz to return to vote on Republican health care bill

Rolly: Republican purists take it on the chin in Utah County GOP slugfest

Attacked online, new UTA board member wants the chairman and vice chairwoman to resign

May Day protesters rally at federal building in Salt Lake City

University of Utah president stepping down; successor will pick permanent Health Sciences V.P.

Deseret News

Ben Tullis: Hey, Golden State Warriors, there's plenty for you and your families to see and do in SLC while you're here

Utah County GOP elects Rob Craig as new chairman

Chaffetz set to return to D.C. for key health care vote after being released from hospital

Second S.L. Council member won't seek re-election

Rep. Mia Love tells police people took pictures of her children, home

EPA reclassification for pollution puts Salt Lake, Provo in 'serious' category

Hatch says Congress has once-in-a-generation chance for tax reform

Sen. Mike Lee introduces bill to ensure internet innovation

UTA trustee calls for chairman, vice chairwoman to step down over 'personal attack' on Facebook

U. president announces plans to resign, calls for search for his replacement to begin

County announces plan to expedite opening of new jail beds

The inside story: Power and money at center of U. controversy

Other

Gary Gygi not running again for Cedar Hills mayor seat (Daily Herald)

National Headlines

GOP on verge of losing health care vote (CNN)

Trump Says He'd Meet With Kim Jong Un Under Right Circumstances (Bloomberg)

N. Korea warns of nuclear test 'at any time' (AFP)

Energy, Alzheimer's and ISIS: What's in the New Budget Deal (NBC News)

May Day rally turns violent in Portland, Oregon (Washington Post)

GOP struggles to find ObamaCare repeal votes (The Hill)

Donald Trump: We're going to 'open up' libel laws (Politico)

Internet's biggest players duck net neutrality fight (The Hill)

The Supreme Court Just Strengthened the Fair Housing Act (Slate)

Trump Study of Gas Tax Could Run Afoul of GOP, Rural Voters (Bloomberg)

Will Trump 'Do a Big Number' on the Big Banks? (New York Times)

Wise Words

Law
"The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy." Benjamin Franklin

Lighter Side

YAK Meat
"Federal agents just seized 300 pounds of yak meat that was illegally smuggled into JFK airport. And yet somehow JFK still smells less like yak meat than LaGuardia." Jimmy Fallon