Morning must reads for Thursday, February 23, 2017

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Thursday, February 23, 2017

Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 54th day of the year. There are 311 days remaining in 2017.

The group pushing a tax hike to pay for schools plans to stick around for a while. Lawmakers pump the brakes on some parts of their tax plan.

The clock:

• 14 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature (3/9/2017)
• 257 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
• 333 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 378 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 622 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1349 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Here are the stories making news in politics this morning:

• SCOOP! The organizers of "Our Schools Now" say they will bring back their ballot initiative to raise taxes for Utah public schools in 2020 if they fail in 2018. They also are exploring possibly pushing for a sales tax boost instead of an income tax hike [Utah Policy].
   
• Lawmakers are backing off income tax changes this year but still plan to push forward with reinstating the state portion of sales tax on food [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Sen. Orrin Hatch says he believes President Donald Trump will take action on overturning the Bears Ears monument [Utah Policy, Tribune, Deseret News]. Here's a podcast of our conversation with Hatch [Utah Policy].
   
• Sen. Jim Dabakis' plan to raise taxes on wealthy Utahns to increase school funding dies a quick death [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• A House committee resurrects a bill allowing Utahns to carry concealed weapons without a permit. The bill also includes protections against domestic violence. The move came without much notice [Tribune, Deseret News].
   
• The Trump administration rescinds rules allowing transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity. The decision was opposed by Secretary of Eduction Betsy DeVos [New York Times].
   
• Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wants Congress to act on tax reform by the end of the summer. He also set a goal of economic growth of 3%, which is a rate that hasn't been seen in more than a decade [Wall Street Journal].
   
• President Donald Trump's disapproval ratings keep rising. A new Quinnipiac University poll gives trump a 38% approval rating while 55% of Americans disapprove [Politico].
   
• President Donald Trump's campaign staffers said they were able to keep him off Twitter by making sure his media diet included a "steady stream of praise." If that wasn't available, they would reach out to friendly media outlets to get them to play ball [Politico].
   
• The Utah Transit Authority adopts new bylaws to ensure their meetings are open to the public [Tribune]. North Odgen Mayor Brent Taylor was finally allowed to take a seat on the UTA Board. He claimed he was blocked because he promised to push for reforms for the organization, but officials counter it was because his father works as a train operator for the agency [Tribune].

On this day in history:

• 1836 - The siege of the Alamo began in San Antonio, Texas.
• 1945 - U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi and raised the American flag. The moment was captured in a Pulitzer Prize winning photo.
• 1991 - President George H.W. Bush announced that the allied ground offensive against Iraqi forces had begun.
• 1995 - The Dow Jones industrial average closed at more than 4,000 for the first time -- at 4,003.33.

Today At Utah Policy

Hatch praises Trump, says he's "confident" president will take action on Bears Ears
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Sen. Orrin Hatch is "very confident" President Donald Trump will take action on rescinding the Bears Ears National Monument....

Podcast: A conversation with Sen. Orrin Hatch
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Sen. Orrin Hatch discusses Donald Trump's first month as president....

'Our Schools Now' vows to be back in 2020 if ballot initiative fails in 2018
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
The Our Schools Now group is willing to discuss modifying their citizen initiative petition to include raising the sales tax, or a mix of sales and income tax hikes, or even a phase-in of tax increases for public education, UtahPolicy is told....

Weekly survey: What economic impact will the loss of Outdoor Retailers have on Utah?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Now that the Outdoor Retailers Show is leaving Utah, what sort of economic impact do you think that will have on the state? Give us your thoughts....

Income tax changes may be put on hold; Lawmakers still eyeing sales tax on food
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Lawmakers may be pumping the brakes on a massive tax reform package they started floating last week....

Policy News

Senator Lee talks trade and reinvigorating America's middle class at WTC Utah forum
Senator Mike Lee spoke to business leaders Wednesday at a World Trade Center Utah hosted forum about navigating globalization and creating policies to help America’s middle class. ...

Introducing the Skyline Challenge: A partnership with Salt Lake City
When we think about Utah’s air quality challenges, we often focus on vehicle emissions, but don’t often consider the contribution our own homes and office buildings have to local air pollution....

Ninth annual Utah Bike Summit planned for March 14 in Ogden
Hosted by Bike Utah, the ninth annual Utah Bike Summit, scheduled for March 14 in Ogden, offers opportunities to grow the bicycling community, interact with the Utah Department of Transportation, hear new ideas, network, and learn. ...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Utah is sticking its neck out for small amount of internet sales tax

Editorial: Utah makes right call to step back from lands suit

State's lands stance costs future bike shows

House calls for more frequent school bus inspections

Utah Senate gives early nod to medical marijuana research bill

Hatch touts Bears Ears rejection, Obamacare repeal during visit to Utah Legislature

Utah Senate sees sales tax change as priority, puts income tax reform on pause

Utah lawmakers set out to wrangle wild horses from BLM's control and earmark them for slaughter

Democrats look to fix party fouls

Utah Senate keeps abortion language out of telemedicine bill in first vote

Brokered deal allows 'reformer' to join UTA despite nepotism concerns

Gehrke: What's bogging down Utah's liquor law overhaul? Too many cocktail chefs behind the Zion Curtain

After long controversy, UTA adopts new committee structure

Bill would increase penalties for drug crimes near homeless shelters - against the intent of the JRI, some say

Agent grilled about why feds backed away from charging Swallow, Shurtleff

Deseret News

Op-ed: Re-empowerment of the states and Utah's HCR 6

A. Scott Anderson: Pharma's opportunity to keep prices in check

Lawmakers want feds to rein in wild horse problem - or Utah will

Bill will require two annual inspections of school buses

Should failure to disclose HIV or AIDS be considered rape?

GOP legislative leaders still working on tax reform plan

Hatch tells state lawmakers Trump looking at Bears Ears, Grand Staircase

Lawmaker wants to fuel food trucks' success by simplifying licensing

Bill aims to put mass transit funds where Utah populations need it most

Bill protecting voter registration information held by committee

Lawmakers consider letting voters rank choices for candidates

Lawmakers support making drug dealing near homeless shelters a felony

Defense attorney, FBI agent go toe-to-toe in John Swallow trial

Students present resolution to protect undocumented classmates

Equality Utah says bill sponsor 'acknowledged merit' of lawsuit against State School Board

Lawmaker revives concealed carry bill, leaving critics 'dismayed'

Other

Senate committee recommends bill to reduce regulations on food trucks (Daily Herald)

N.O. Mayor Brent Taylor sworn in as UTA board member, despite nepotism policy (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Gorsuch's charm offensive may be working (Politico)

'We have laws': Trump supporters in Arizona cheer new guidelines on deportation (Arizona Republic)

John McCain Makes Secret Trip to Syria in Midst of U.S. Assessment (Wall Street Journal)

Ryan tours Mexican border on horseback (The Hill)

Trump administration withdraws federal protections for transgender students (CNN)

Democratic divisions on display at DNC debate (CNN)

Trump: Budget proposal will focus on spending cuts (CNN)

Poll: Senate should confirm Gorsuch (The Hill)

Trump seeks jobs advice from some firms that offshore US work (Business Insider)

Automakers Call on EPA Chief to Ease Fuel-Efficiency Standards (New York Times)

On NAFTA and Mexico, Trump Faces a Balancing Act (U.S. News & World Report)

Wise Words

The Press
"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson

Lighter Side

A Good Start
"There were demonstrations across the country . . . . to protest the president's immigration policy. Immigrants were encouraged to skip work today for what they called "a day without immigrants," or as Steve Bannon calls it, "a good start." Jimmy Kimmel