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Richard Piatt reporting While many may have the day off for the holiday, Utah legislators will be getting to work as they convene the 2006 session.
It looks like money is once again going to be an issue for lawmakers, but in a different way this year.
It's the calm before the storm in the House chamber. Next week the microphones there will broadcast the process of Legislating.
Behind the scenes, the wheels are in motion for sharp debate centered on money.
Rep. Greg Curtis, (R) Speaker of the House: "The underlying, biggest issues are going to be the budget."
In basic terms, the Legislature has a billion dollars extra to play with this year. Already there is a clamor for it.
This year, there seems to be consensus --from the Senate, the House and the Governor---about what the priorities should be.
Tax reform and tax cuts, boosting public and higher education funding, and for road-building projects are among those.
Now, to sort out who gets what.
For Democrats, A-number-one on the list is a long-term boost to education.
Rep. Ralph Becker, (D) House Minority Leader: "It's time for us to make up for lost ground and pushed the state into the 21st century."
But devoting money to education long term might conflict with the desire to remove the sales tax on food---an expensive proposal.
The house speaker is doubtful both can be done.
Rep. Greg Curtis, House Speaker: "They work in cross purposes with each other. If you pull more money from the general fund for education, then how do you use that money to eliminate the sales tax on food. "
For the quiet and clubby Senate, a wait and see approach to tax cuts and budgets.
But at the same time, there is no shying away from things like a proposal to consider parental notification of abortion, teach intelligent design in public schools, or to eliminate gay-lesbian clubs from high schools.
Sen. John Valentine, (R) Senate President: "So called social issues are important because they drive how we see ourselves as a state. And so we will spend time on those kinds of issues."
There is also a list of bills that are making an annual reappearance this year: Hate crimes, stricter seat belt laws, tuition tax credits. This could be the year for each of them, but that's what some people said about them last year.
