20050129 State Central Committee

Long Notes from meeting including reports from Governor Huntsman (Jon), Lt. Gov. Herbert, and US Representative Cannon.

@0903
Welcome Joe Cannon

Prayer/Pledge TBD
Wendell Jacobsen

@907 – Gov. Huntsman
Pledge makes me emotional sometimes. Our party reflects who we are and what we believe in .
I am Jon. I respect my title. I am also a father and I like that title better than others. You can call me Governor or Jon. It is a privilege to serve. It is all about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Once you complicate it, it is dangerous. I have to remind myself. When people ask me to describe my role that is what it is. I get yelled at and criticized. I get run out of restaurants and homes. I salute all of you who have run for office. You get out on Saturdays, you participate and debate and perhaps don’t agree. It makes me pleased to be with you.

I’ve got an agenda that is broken down to 4 categories and I am doing the 4 things that I talked about
The economy, education, quality of life and governance.
You should implement what you talk about. I will stumble and fall and want you to give forgiveness. I am doing a high wire act in the office during the day. I get pummeled by my kids when I get home after leaving the office.
The other day a Senator said that we are doing what we promised. I am not in this for a title or placque. I am in this to do something. I am glad that I got to know you through the delegate and convention process. I had to get out in living rooms and talk to all of you. It made us have a dialogue. I love this system. At the end of 4 years, if you don’t like what I am doing, kick us out.
We are looking at cutting corp. tax. We want registry reform. Why do we have to pay 30k /year to CPA because we have so much complexity. I am taking a
shellacing because of it. But you let the entrepreneur do their best, and they create jobs. We need to defend that system. I am going to continue fighting for that.
Education, I am still talking about tax credits and we need to find fixes for education. My kids have done good and bad. I have a brother who was not a good
match with the mainstream. We need choice for the parents. We might find that we will have something at the end of this session.
Third, we need to talk about Quality of life, transportation, water, infrastructure. Gary is the best Lt. He needs to step up and deal with transporation and that part of the future of Utah. I love it when I wake up and the media, have been waiting to say that the honeymoon is over. You have to negotiate the middle ground. I put out a budget. The Congress is doing their thing. Our relationship is working. I talk to John Valentine and we talk and communicate. I am still married to the same woman after 28 years we are still on a honeymoon. I don’t see why the honeymoon has to end with the Congress as well. We will work together for longer than just 1 month. The biggest issues that no one wants to talk about, we are moving through slowly and will make it.
Governance is the fourth. We have too many inefficiencies. The condemnation rained down on me. How dare he dismiss an office. I said that I would change it and I have. We need to be at the top of our game. We are down to a few people who have a vision and know how to get there. We are going to talk more about shaking things up. We are going to touch all the areas. If I don’t get re-elected, that is fine. I am here to make sure that the party is respected through it all.
This is a party of the coming generation. I want young kids to connect with a republican official. We need to relate to the coming generation. We need to bring them along. I have to go speak at a gang conference. I want to be part of your life and you to be part of mine. We may not agree, but I am giving it my best. I am a proud servant who believes in doing his best. We need turn over in office. I mean term limits like I said on the campaign. You have made me proud, I would like to make you proud. Thank you.

@921
(Dana) Motion to amend agenda and add business item to discuss balloting for next August. 2nd
(Solomon) Motion to defer recommendations til next meeting
(Janna) Motion to discuss 7.2 now
@934
Big debate – over committee; any binding business shall be included; but
@942
yet another vote approving the agenda

14/17 of executive committee dismiss Mike Ridgeway from State Central Committee and is a Precinct Chair. The County Committee is processing this request.

Whereas …

(JC) I would normally recognize the County’s action. I know that the Chair of the County disagrees with this action. I will allow some discussion to occur.

Tiana Holman (SLC Chair) – We had disciplinary hearings. We have followed rules as best we could. We feel that all we could do was remove him as a Precinct chair. We stated State and County Delegate titles in our notice. We said that Ridgeway would come to a hearing. We did not assume that we had authority to remove him as a State Committee. We did not remove him as a State and County Delegate. This item was added in the last 15 minutes rushed through our meeting 2 days ago. I ruled it out of order, it was misrepresented that they said we could do it.

(JC) Do we agree with SLCC or do we disagree.
[LONG DISCUSSION about Mr. Ridgeway]

@1014
College Republicans – I have had a great time doing this. All good things have to come to an end. My car is loaded and I am leaving for DC. I have been interviewing with Americans for Tax Reform. I want to pass the torch and hope that the grassroots can improve. I am proud to present Zach Howe. I believe
that he will bring victory in 2006 and 2008. The college group is now at the adult table. We will have a meeting in June and I will hopefully be running with the new National College candidate. I am chairman of the Dry Caucus to bring milk and cookies.
@1019

Minutes Candace Daly
Business
Recommendations of the Constitution and Bylaws
7.2 Officer Neutrality
@1021 Discuss and Act (vote pass)
Submit some grammar/plural changes.
@1044 Passed as amended

out 7.5 Platform amendments
out Constitution XII Caucus amendment
out Additional recommendations of the Party Chair
(personal – C&B action)
Report from C&B and next meeting about ???

@1047
October meeting voting
We picked up IRV 3 years ago and have learned a lot. Preferential voting has its value. We got different results in the Convention than I expected. We are trying to determine the multiple round voting.
I recommend multiple round voting at our organizing committee in August. It is about those who are wiling to stay vs. Nominating (oversized committee). Our smaller committee should have the chance to go through the choice.
——–
This problem with multiple round voting can be solved by electronic. We need to look at this.
——–
Until we get this in place we need to force the delegates to stay.
——–
Can we compromise?
——–
People stay at this Convention versus leaving early. We have been concerned about people voting and leaving. Multiple lets us do business during the convention.
——–
Candace Daly – We used IRV and there was a lot of confusion. We had problems during the last election, but there have been more concerns. We have had people not understand it. We shelved them so that we would not get a big media problem. We need to resolve the IRV problems before we do it again.
——–
Additional ballots is not part of IRV
Dealing with Quorum and resolutions issues we have not seen what is going on.
I enjoyed voting for Gov. Huntsman, he wasn’t my first choice, but I was proud to have him on the vote.
I am from Sevier 3 hours drive. To attend and drive hours and hours. IRV lets us take care of the important business.

@1105 Voting for multiple at Organizing committee

REPORTS:
Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert – Where would I rather be, but right here. Thanks for being dedicated. This is the nerve center of the party. I enjoy learning myself. I know that you have had a little bit of taste of the governor in the past 3 weeks. We have had to get a budget together in a few weeks. The weather and disasters. We have been busy, but are doing really good. You will enjoy Huntsman. He is refreshing and very open. We have appreciated the relationship with the legislature. We have great people there. In spite of what you read in the papers there is a lot of openness. We can disagree agreeably and with resprect. We would like to elevate republican party pricncipals. There is no honeymoon, so we want things to be the same todady as four years from now.
Transportation is a large issue. I am the point man. It is billions of dollars in cost to put togther the infrastructure that will get us there. I know that Becky Lockhart has given us some good ideas. We need to get a solution to this problem. Transportation is critical to our economic growth.
Secondly we have heard a concern about those who are off the 4 major utah counties. We have put together a rural affairs office and have asked Gayle McKeachnie to help us. He is a rural guy that will help us with RS2477. We want him to help us with accessing Utah’s great natural resources. His office will help us have a strong impetus. Again as we bring the state together it is importrant to know that we have a healthy rural Utah.
It’s an exciting time. We have a lot to do. We are at a significant crossroads. We want all the best. We sometimes differ on the process, but we are having a discussion. We need to treat each other with respect and learn from each other. That is our pledge and hope. Thank you for your service.

Rep. Chris Cannon – Thank you. This takes a phenomenal amount of patience. We appreciate it. Thank you for coming here. You are the backbone. I rely on you guys. We lost some battles this time. We need to focus on winning them back. Let me talk about Washington. Our friend Harry Reid is going to be hard to deal with, but we hope that we can get somethings done. 52% of people in America have stock. Only 8% have more than 1,000.00. Most people don’t have enough in it. If we could get more money in to the “ownership society.” Those who have a chance to direct some of their Social Security moved to Shares, then people will be more involved. Bush is offering the option of opting out to personal accounts. We will let people ‘bid in’ what they will give to Social Security. I asked some of my staff, what would you put in to get away?”
Some of us are willing to Buy out of it NOW. One more thing. Business Week said that the SS trust fund doesn’t run out till 2040. How many of you believe that there is a SS trust fund. Even Business Week is off on this issue. We have to raise tax in 2019 to stop the outflow. When I retire, we hit a crisis.
Who gets taxed? It is not the wealthy. Poor people pay 15%. Middle income pays some of the taxes. The people who are paying taxes are the ones who are making jobs. The doctor gets hit with lots of taxes.
Heinz Kerry has millions of dollars. She has increased her wealth. She only had 5 million in income last year. She paid less than 15%. When democrats say taxing the wealthy. We need your faith and prayers to get the right legislation this year. I think you are going to see some very interesting stuff passed.
@1118

Delegation Reports
done Governor Huntsman

Senator Hatch
David – Congratulations to you. It could not have gone better as far as managing all the candidates. With Senator Hatch’s campaign I will be running it. That campaign started as soon as the election was over. The best way to prepare in 2006 is to get out here. We need your input, advice, and counsel. Cell 550-3789
Dave Hansen.

Senator Bennett
Tim Shady – He is at a retreat in West Virginia determining the next years agenda. Some of the decisions about committee has not been made. He has chaired for agriculture with and 80 billion budget. He will chair a subcommittee, just don’t know which one. Senate republic agenda:
1) Social Security
2) Tax reform and simplification
3) Terror
4) Healthy America
5) Class action reform
6) Marriage opportunity relief and empowemrnet
7) Jobs growth and tax
8) Child custody protection act – can’t take minors across state, abortions
9) Opportunities for education
10) Energy plan, keeping secure and competitive

Rep. Rob Bishop
Justin Allan – He got a new committee assignment. Part of the Rules, pretty big deal for a second term congressman. He has to relinquish armed services, research and science and technology. He can be tied to seniority in armed services. BRAC is still number one and tax reform.

done Rep. Chris Cannon

AG Mark Shurtleff
No one.

National Committee
Nancy Lord
Attended RNC winter meeting. We met all day Tuesday and Wednesday. I chose budget committee meeting. The national party has 14 million surplus. Ken

Millman and Ed Gillespie were very targeted. The DNC outraised by 100million. George Soros gave 50million. The RNC is working hard to broaden the base, which they did this year. Average small donation is $67.00. Ken Millman is very exciting. He is very cerebral. Has created 4 new review committees to review what went right and wrong this election. If you have any information, you can get it to me and we will get it to them.
Voter registration (other states have problems)
New technology
Election day activities
Outreach
If you liked something or didn’t like something, let us know.
Western Republican Leadership conference. Cruise to Alaska – 899.00 for inside cabin in September 7 days (3 days business)

Winston Wilkinson
Thank you for letting me serve. I took Jake Garn’s place and this has been a good time to be voted in. We are going to see a lot of exciting things. Ken’s concern is that we will get complacent because we are in power. 2006 and 2008 will be pivotal years for Republican party.
We are trying to change “The Great Society” as the democrats know it. 2006 is going to be so important to the Republican party. The president needs to be real clear. I got to take a picture of him. I am on the Outreach committee. If we can get more than 11% of the African American vote. We need to get to the minorities. We need inclusion, not just “outreach”.

Aux Reports
Black Assembly
Oswald – I concur with Winston’s closing remarks. Something that is significant for this body. Shortly after our organization was founded, there was a split. We have become unified now. I lived in Georgia, where there are a lot more African Americans. Even though we are small in number, we can make a difference.
Within these minorities it only takes a few people to make a difference. We want to make that happen.

Federated Women
Millie – The republican women will be visiting the National capitol. There are 3 of us. There is a 2 year wait to get the Men’s Chorus to come and we get them this year. If you want a good table buy before Feb. 8th.

Hispanic Assembly
Marco Diaz – I want to report today is our 3rd anniversary. We are stronger than ever. We have the support that we need to keep going. President Bush received 44% of the Hispanic vote. Last time it was only 21%. All we need is 10-15% of the Hispanic vote to increase and we will win.

Young Republicans
Matt Sorenson – We just had our first event that Enid Greene spoke at. We will give a report on youth voting during the next meeting. We will try and get information out to you to grow our membership. We don’t have a lot of active members. 254-0365

done College Republicans
Approve Zachary Howell as Representative.

Teenage Republicans
Janna – At this point we are just trying to get them in to the capital while the legislature is in session. We are having a hard time finding someone who is wiling to be a republican teacher in Garfield County and sponsor the organization. Therefore there is no representation for Republicans. Invite you to take a group who will focus on mentoring the youth.
There is a scholarship set up to fund tuition for TAR participant. Anyone who wants to be a State Advisor since I am unable to do it now. They need someone just to track them if nothing else. They are in a real need. If this even remotely interests you. Look to Lynn Price in Salt Lake County. My son is a senior in Alta who is working on this in his area.

Pacific Islander Assembly
Siue – I am very excited. We have been a part of the Utah community, but have not been active. We need to do a lot of work and grassroots efforts. This was my first meeting and it was awesome. It is a good thing. This is what politics is all about. I am looking forward to working with all of you.

@1200
Spencer Jenkins state Executive Director – vote

Next Meeting: St. George May 21st

Adjourn