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Click here for large image of “SJR 22 Saves the Day!”
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Short commentary on “SJR 22 Saves the Day!”
Short commentary on “Release the Dogs”

SJR 22 Saves the Day!

Commentary

SJR 22 helps fix the “spending bias” that exists in Utah government spending.  It tips the balance of power back to the sacred relationship between citizens and their elected representatives – and away from voracious special interests that lobby our elected representatives.

There’s a reason state spending goes up and up over time: the “spending bias.”  Put 20 special interests around a table, dump a pile of cash in the middle of them and every one of those special interests would fight to the political death over every dollar.  Not one of them would ever say, “We’ll make do with what we have.”  Not one of them would ever say, “You know, some of our programs are ineffective.”

That’s the “spending bias.”  It is the opposite of discipline, deliberation and the best interests of Utah into the future.  SJR 22 corrects this “spending bias.”

SJR 22 restores and rightly prioritizes where political power should concentrate: citizens and their elected representatives.  By placing a reasonable limit on spending and requiring revenues that exceed that limit for the year to flow to savings and investment, SJR 22 takes away from special interests the annual feeding frenzy to grab as much cash from the Legislature as they can.  It forces government agencies to get serious about spending and it reduces political pressure on our elected officials in the budget-making (and spending) process.

Release the Dogs

Commentary

SJR 22 has brought out the worst in special interests and their lobbyists.  By “worst” we mean that special interests will say anything to kill this measure.

• They will try intimidating our elected officials with political threats.
• They will try ridiculing our elected officials by arguing that “enlightened leaders” don’t need “handcuffs” placed on them.
• They will try scare tactics by comparing SJR 22 to failed attempts at spending limitations in other states.
• They will try condescension by saying “trust us…we know what’s best…there is no problem to fix.”
• They will try flattery by reminding everyone that “Utah is the best managed state” so why tinker with a good thing.
• They will try tired clichés like “don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.”

And why would special interests do all of this?  Because they refuse to let go of their current power advantage when there are no constitutional limits on what can be spent for their pet programs.