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Richard Piatt ReportingGovernor Jon Huntsman is calling for hope and vision for Utah's future. In his third state of the state address the Governor called for an extraordinary destiny for Utah. It is an ambitious plan. The Governor isn't afraid to invest a lot of money in state priorities that have been crying for cash for years.
It was a warm greeting for The Governor and First lady at the Salt Lake National Guard Air base. In a military mess hall the Governor honored Utah soldiers and outlined his vision for Utah's future. First, with education.
Jon M. Huntsman Jr., Governor of Utah: "My complete education proposal, which includes a nine percent increase in compensation, represents the largest total public education budget in our state's history."
It is an unprecedented commitment to public education, an 18.2 percent increase over all. Included is all day kindergarten, reducing class size and teacher bonuses.
The Governor is also pushing to keep the strong economy going. With more income tax relief, cutting the sales tax on food, the state will be competitive in the business world, he says.
The Governor wants to lift the cap on the Children's Health Insurance Program,CHIP; invest in an anti-Meth campaign, and invest more in road projects.
Gov. Huntsman: "My budget allows us to do this without incurring new debt."
The Governor also announced ethics reform in his office, done through executive order. He called for a cooling off period before state employees can lobby lawmakers and a ban on nepotism and gifts in the executive branch.
Afterward, there were cheers over that point from the House Minority Leader.
Rep. Ralph Becker, House Minority Leader: "The ethics issues are ones that he takes to heart, and what we as democrats take to heart. But we're having a hard time convincing our colleagues."
Legislative leaders expect spirited debate over where and how the surplus will be spent. They will say some of the Governor's proposals do seem attractive.
Sen. John Valentine: "He's experimenting in some areas, some areas he's going tried and true paths. We like some of those exposures."
Rarely does the Legislature agree with everything the Governor sets forth. That means a certain level of tension is built into the system, and this year that tension is 1.6 billion dollars big.
