20040331 UVSC Governor Debate

All the candidates except Olene Walker showed up

MS – Marty Stephens
FL – Fred Lampropoulos
NK – Nolan Karras
JHunt – Jon Huntsman Jr.
GH – Gary Herbert
PH – Parley Hellewell
JHans – Jim Hansen
GB – Gary Benson
@1900 Swen Swenson – Student Body president – Welcome, Pledge and Introduction of Bruce Lindsay

Bruce Lindsay:
MS. Walker is in Canada on a trade mission despite a early invitation from UVSC.

Opening
JHunt
Thanks delegates and UVSC. I am running because I am proud of this state, love this state and know it can do better.
I believe the goals and aspirations will not be met on our current economics. We need more money. The only way is economic growth through jobs; higher paying and more of them. Ambassador twice, worked in the private sector, prepared ready and able to do the job.
NK
I am from Roby in Weber. Thanks.
30 year career in financial positions. CPA for a number of companies. Investment advisor and served on Scottish power board. Served 1989-90 as Speaker of the House at the end of my 10 years of legislature work.
Chairman of state board of regents which oversees this institution.
I am prepared to be governor.
FL
I am the CEO of Merr medical systems with 1300 employees. No VC used to build the company. Had a chance to work from outside and I am the outside guy. I am also the Chairman/CEO of Tuahcahn. Delighted to be part of this debate and like the open dialogue.
MS
4 issues we should focus on in this campaign:
1) public education: quality, funded, choice
2) ED system that works to bring jobs to this state
3) Efficiency – Grace of Reagan’s period (10’s of millions)
4) Recognize that he/she is steward of freedoms. Need to be more Life, Arms, Parents rights and Group rights to protect from Federal government.
GB
I am in the race to address issues that are not being discussed but are important. I am from Parowan, raised in Orem.
In the race because of corruption. Government encroaching on all levels.
>600k people live below poverty
>500k people have no insurance
>200k children go to bed hungry
I have answers for these problems.
JHans
We need to address what we bring to the table. I bring 12 years of city councilman. 22 years as a member of Congress. Arms closing … Hill Air Force Base largest assest that we have. There is a link between Federal and State government. My experience can bring that to the State of Utah. Some of the fresh ideas are really fun, but as Ross Perot said ” The devil is in the details”. We need to find and talk about them
PH
This college is in my district. We need to talk about so much, but we need more than soundbites. Go to my site in order to find out what I am for. We are all supporting the same platform Republican. We haven’t gottent that. Smaller government. Lower taxes, School choice.
We need a Governor who has courage, so I am asking for your vote.
GH
I appreciate being here having served as your county commissioner
1) your experience (where you have come from)
2) your vision (the future)
3) your leadership (competence)
Governed well at the County level so I can do it on the state level. I am prepared to take us to the best position. I come from Local government. I will change the one size fits all.

Questions
Board of Regents in UT is appointed by the Gov. Would you support a bill to have voted members.
NK) With a Board, we can force mission and roles to be equal. The current way is the best. My appointments would represent a variety. As the Chair of the current Board, I have tried to steer our Board to not micromanage the tactical issues.
FL) I support the current practice. There is however competition and duplication between the institutions.
MS) I differ on one point (board should be appointed politically and this area has been misrepresented). We have too much bureaucracy that we need to slim so that the local Boards can have more input.
GB) History of education and have seen a number of other states handle it, appointment is the way, but the Board of Trustess need to have more authority locally. We just need to tweak the system.
JHans) Marty’s idea makes sense. We need better representation, still should be appointment.
PH) Appointment. Problem with local needs. We weren’t getting support from Gov. Leavitt because there were too many people from Salt Lake. I agree with Marty.
GH) Board has 16 members with 1/2 and 1/2 from Rep. and Dem. Nominations should come from local area. We used less money and developed a good product, but did not have adequate representation from UT county.
JHunt) Not convinced that we need a Board of Regents. I look at Pres. Sederburg here at UVSC. 40% of your students are getting funding vs. UU with 60%. How do you make the decisions?
You should just have the local Board of Trustees. We need greater flexibility, more speed. Empower Trustees by localizing power.
Rebuttal
FL) Applied tech should be moved out from the schools. We have too many overeducated and underskilled. My company has 500 new jobs but I don’t have anyone to hire.
NK) Regents would like to know how best to spread the money out. The legislature limits us, so we need more flexibility from Congress.
JHunt) Funding will have a larger base UVSC has 27-28K now. We will expand. It will be the largest in the state.

Traffic congestion in UT and SL valley.
Would you raise taxes?
What about Legacy HWY?
FL) Traffic fuels the economy.
Support Legacy highway
Support Centennial
Against increase of tax of fuel
Big concern since Jim Hansen got stuck in traffic personally. HWY 36 where there is danger.
Toll Road is good since it is user based. Truck drivers paid based on time and delivery, so they need an alternative
MS) Need more consideration than 15 seconds.
Long term planning committment vs. taking immediate credit for it
I carried Centennial legislation
Support Legacy
Support mass transit in local areas
Fuel tax increase by state, not county (people will shop)
GB) Additional taxes to fund transportation needs
Support Toll Road (which I have traveled before) It works since its user based
Light rail, mass transit.
Park and Ride location increases.
Ask businesses to go to alt. work schedule (4 day workweeks)
JHans) Long range planning started in Farmington. 75% of us want to live on Front. I helped plan Legacy since LA trucks passing through UT would be faster. Congress has almost passed a $374 billion bill. UT could get something out of the “Demonstration project” if someone knows how to get the monies.
PH) SLC solved their problems. We need to elect a governor from Utah County.
Would veto net tax increases.
If we don’t solve it UT county won’t grow without it.
GH) Transportation and traffic is a huge cost to the County. to reconstruct the Provo to Point of the Mountain is $1 billion. Planning isn’t the problem, implementation is because the monies that were allocated were taken. We should not have lost the court battle for Legacy.
JHunt) Priorities
No to gas tax
No to a toll road (bureaucracy)
Priorities set in 1995 by Centennial … need to go back to the local communities. So we need to reassess.
Solve State Street to PG.
I15 growth
NK) Support Legacy HWY, sorry for the lawsuit…there is equal blame.
I went to Mountain Land planning (locally) to review their plans for this area. On their shopping list it assumes the gas tax needs to increase 5cents every 6 years. I suggest 0.25cents for the entire State to spend as it deems appropriate.
Rebuttal
PH) I mentioned an idea…we have taken money from roads and put it in to education which is wrong. The private sector educates kids better than public.
GB) Need to add the peak hour lane on UT county I15 segment.
JHans) We are dependent (59%) on outside oil. John Kerry killed the energy bill in the Senate.
GH) Need collaboration with local government

Are you for UT tax structure reforms
MS) Task force started by Gov. Walker. Likely looking for increase since Reform usually equals Increase. Everyone should pay something for the cost of government. Not in favor of reform just to increase. We don’t need more regulation. I don’t need more Cash because it would get confused and could get lost. We need to have Cleaner/Leaner government.
GB) UT has one of the highest tax burdens in the country. I support Forbes flat tax. Food should be excluded. The solution is not increase or reform, its cleaning up the waste and mismanagement in government.
JHans) It amazes me about how conservative our stat is. MA is 5.3% vs. our 7%. I am told it is because UT people want more. Too many exemption opportunities for some, so some peole want to move to NV and WY. I agree with Marty.
PH) I agree with Marty what he said about reform being tax increase. National level resumption tax.
GH) What is the best mouse trap and way to extract money from the population. Sales, Property and Income tax for taking money and running government. We are low on Property and High on Sales. I’d like to see tax cut from State so that the locals could increase their tax.
JHunt) Rein in growth. We need to be competitive with sharp, transparent, flat tax codes. I agree with Income and Sales Tax.
NK) Property, Sales and Income tax is the right thing. We have to rethink our system. I am not happy with the tax commission. Not everyone is paying.
FL) No government has shrunk it size. I suggest a Constitutional amendment to limit growth of government to Growth of State Domestic Product. Eliminate state tax for deployed soldiers. Suggestion to eliminate food tax, but you need to make it up.

Rebuttal
PH) We do a 12 to 18 month budget in advance and let the Depts. know what it is. We allocate money to Dept. We need to to instead start Base Zero budgeting. Would solve problems.
MS) People who provide service should be levying tax. Local government should be getting the services and should be required to collect what they request.
JHunt) Corporate exemptions should be done away with.

UVSC receive $2400/student;
WSU $4300/student;
Students hit with 14.5% increase
What will you do about this
GB) Related to balance of power between Trustees and Regents. Agenda should be set by the Trustees. They should go to the legislature to make their case.
JHans) It has a lot to do with the programs they are teaching. Mining being taught in Southern Utah. Kids in Utah with $4000.00/kid from the Fed government vs. $9565/kid in DC, but the educational outcome in UT is different because families care. Got to look at what the schools are offering and go from there.
PH) We need a governor from UT county [clap from GH]. 4.5 senators from UT county with SL 9 senators. UT senators are lucky to get Vineyard elementary funds since we have had to fight for everything that we have gotten.
GH) I have highest regard for the Board of Regents, but the choices are made on politics vs. need. The schools may have different issues, goals, direction. Representation should come from regions.
JHunt) Discrepancies exist. I have high regard for what has been done here by the local leadership. We need greater focus on post-secondary education so that we can help students find their right areas.
Greater credit transfer ability.
Tuition should be more market based (more for CS vs. Arts).
NK) Chair is elected and not selected. I am happy to defend the Board. We don’t have the lattitude because of the legislature. The President of UVCC made from 2 years to 4 years a brilliant transition. It was done in a very inexpensive way. You have adjunct professors and have done well. You should celebrate that.
FL) We need to expand the pie. I would recommend to you that a bill should work more transparently to spread technologies from the University out to private companies. My company has 4 programs with Capstone at BYU now. We are spending $100k/year on the program. Today I have hired 2 new BYU students.
MS) UVSC was caught. The legislature held higher education harmless from cuts. UVSC however had the highest growth rate! We weren’t able to put more in the school. As we come out of the downturns. Those schools should get priority, those schools that have been under funded. This problem happens because the Board of Regents wants to spread money “evenly”.

Rebuttal
GB) UVSC must decide which programs are their centers of excellence. Look at satellite campus costs, like the one at the Mall. UVSC should trim its budget.
NK) Within the Board of Regents we do not want Universities to become college.
GH) Nolan was not put in because of politics, it was his credentials. However there is the opportunity for the Governor to appoint them all.

Parental rights and safety of children
What is your position and when can gov. intervene
JHans) I imagine this comes up because of the Jensen case that we feel badly about. I have 5 children and 9 grandchildren, but I would be wrong not to turn to medical professionals to help. On the Federal level we have spoken often about what we should do. I don’t know the legislation and language here. I would yield to Marty to hear what he would say about it, if I had the time.
PH) What we have done is I sponsored 8 bills. 2 were passed, but DCFS put too large a budget on the other bills to kill them fiscally. I have been all over the state, Price, St. George, Logan and Ogden. We have major problems. The bills that made it through isn’t going to stop it. The Governor will have to solve this. I am the best person to solve that problem.
GH) Difficult because it requires balance. I am pro-life. The government should have the right to go in and protect the life of the child. I have a day-care center, the DCFS did not follow up on a call that we made and then there was a death of that child a year later. I don’t think it’s as acute as some believe.
JHunt)
1) Unless a parent is deemed incompetent they should not be taken out without the parents permission. It is wrong to have people pulled in for ‘mis-management’ of perhaps treatment with special needs children, like one that I have.
2) Better hiring for DCFS
NK) We are missing quality employees. By the time they are 28 years old we are churning the DCFS personnel. It could be pay and other things. We expect our friend the doctor to take care of the problems. I will support DCFS and expect them to be accountable, to care and have the right people.
FL) I am concerned about this issue. Parents or state On recent Law veto. In one case that I heard about recently a family had a child that they had chained up, DCFS took out that one child, but left the others in the home. We need to have an advisory board.
MS) As I mentioned, one of the 4 issues this candidacy must focus on is Freedoms, including the protection of rights of parents. Education and Human services issues are critical. I won’t talk about specific cases. The state does not know better. If there is criminal behavior, then fine, absent that no removal because parents know better.
GB) DCFS is out of control. That does not mean that there aren’t good people working there.
Parents should have choice.
Proof quantity and quality should increase so that it is shown by DCFS that something really is a problem.

Rebuttal
And what would be a reason for the state to step in?
MS) As I mentioned in my statement, I would limit it to provable criminal behavior.
PH) Gary mentioned balance and that is what we need.
Silence ….

Closing statements
PH
Are things going to be the same or are we going to see change. Arbitration was sponsored by me since the other law said that service could be refused without arbitration. I had the courage to push the bill through. Stood up to IHC.
GH
I know it is a difficult decision between each of these candidates. Remember that it is the perspective we bring. We need to look at things as Utahns. Tired of top down management.
JHunt
Thanks. The one thing that I want you to remember after this evening about me is that I am for jobs and economic revitalization. Who can get it done. Who can get in to any door. I announced 3 months ago with Larry Miller and Jake Garn beside me. Private sector and Public sector. My second stop was here because UVSC students are important and you need to stay in the state.
NK
Thanks. We have doing this for weeks and this is a good group. We need to look longer term. I don’t believe government does a good job. If we dont have change we will continue to have:
Bad education
Same bad government w/ waste
We need to put money in economic development to make the pie bigger.
FL
Legislature passed 8.3 billion budget. That is $3600.00/person cost for government. We need a leader who has built a company and jobs.
MS
Thanks. We have a great slate. You are going to have to make a decision. All of us can think of somebody that has promised something. Until you have a chance to see someone stand in the wind of lobbyists, news media, people, you don’t know who they really are. I stand for Republican principles. Stand with me.
GB
I am glad you care enough to come here. My qualifications are education and experience in government.
1) Whistleblower statute amended to help clean up waste.
2) Immediate hiring freeze until 20% reduction.
3) Return my salary as governor until such time as reduction is complete.
4) Pursue Federal government on their infringing states rights.
JHans
I have enjoyed listening to generalities tonight. New Mexico has less natural resources than Utah, however New Mexico gets more money than Utah. Utah can write grants to make money. Hill AFB needs to be saved and we must have a spokesman. Must be specific.