State Legislative Process Episode 1

>>Hello. My name is Bill Sederburg, President of Utah Valley State College. Prior to becoming a College President, I served for twelve years in the Michigan State Senate. I enjoyed that experience greatly. During those twelve years I learned that the average person in the public really doesn’t understand the state legislative process very well, nor how to go about influencing the state legislative process. That is when Professor Rick Griffin of the UVSC Political Science faculty asked my whether I would be willing to join his project to create a class on the state legislative process. I jumped at that opportunity. In tonight’s session we are going to be talking about the powers of the governor and his ability to help shape and set the agenda that the state legislature is going to go to work on for the future of this state. Governor Huntsman will be giving a State of the State Address at a National Guard Armory in Salt Lake County within the next week, at which time he is going to outline his vision for the state of Utah. In political science and according to Professor Rosenthal, we refer to that as the power of initiation. I brought along a poster from the National Guard. It symbolizes the power of the National Guard. Their motto is on it, “Forever Proud and Free.” We expect Governor Huntsman to really use the National Guard setting as kind of a symbolic indication of the Governor’s support of our National Guard troops. You might find this kind of interesting as a factoid that Governor Huntsman is the Commander in Chief of the Utah National Guard. He shares the role of Commander in Chief with the President of the United States. He is also, according to the constitution, Commander in Chief of the “unorganized militia” here in the state of Utah. If we ever get attacked from Wyoming, or Oregon, or somebody, he will have to get the unorganized militia organized. But as Commander in Chief of the National Guard, we are going to be hearing from Governor Huntsman what he thinks of the National Guard, but also his ideas and dreams for the state of Utah. The state legislative process is critical to the citizens of Utah, whether it is protecting the quality of the water that we drink, whether it is setting the speed limit on Interstate 15 that we drive on regularly, or whether it is funding higher education or setting the quality standards for Kÿ12, the state legislature is intimately involved in affecting our lives on a daily basis. And thus we start with setting the political agenda, the powers of the governor, the powers to initiate ideas and hopeful influence the agenda for the state of Utah. I am going to now turn it over to Professor Rick Griffin who will set the night’s program’s agenda, and talk about our learning objectives in this program. Thank you.
>>[music]
>>Welcome to State Legislative Process. I am Rick Griffin, and today’s episode is “Setting Legislative Agenda.” In particular we are going to look at the Governor’s role in this process. Our two main lesson points for today are the governor as a statesperson, and the powers of the governor. Lesson point number one: Governor as a statesperson. As governor, he or she has a duty to respond to important issues in the state: education, transportation, economic development, crime issues, etc. The governor takes this responsibility seriously, for the governor is largely defined by how well the state does. It seems like it is never too early for governors to focus on their historical legacy, or on other words, what the governor did for the state during his or her time in office. What is Governor Huntsman’s legacy? It is still developing. However, we get an idea of what he would like his legacy to be from his 2006 State of the State address. “My direction as governor is simple and focused. First, to seek enhanced economic freedom for all Utah citizens. Second, to insure our education systems matches our children’s dreams, with their unique, individual abilities. Third, to provide a transportation system that will allow our state to maintain its position to home to America’s best quality of life. Fourth, to leave to our posterity the greatest legacy or all, a sense of humanity, and respect for our land and our way of life.” As a statesperson, the governor must address the most important issues in the state. This brings us to today’s viewer question. What do you believe is the most important state issue facing Utah? Please e-mail your responses to . Our second lesson point is the powers of the governor. Most folks know that the governor is the Chief Executive of the state. He or she makes sure that the laws are faithfully executed. But along with being the Chief Executive, is the governor also the Chief Legislature? Many political scientists would say yes because of the powers of the governor in the legislative process. One important power is the power of initiation. For example, the governor can give special massages to the state on any issue he or she wants. He or she can thank the troops and their families for their service in Iraq, or the governor can announce a probe or an investigation on a particular problem in the state. The governor can give the state a special message on any issue at all. Case in point: Governor Huntsman’s January 13, 2006 press release stated, “Governor calls probe on gasoline prices. Salt Lake City Governor John Huntsman today directed the Utah Department of Commerce and Utah’s Energy Advisor to probe the ongoing high cost of gasoline in Utah, which he termed as remarkably high.” Another example of the governor’s power of initiation is special sessions. Article 7, Section 6 of the Utah State Constitution states, “On extraordinary occasions, the Governor may convene the Legislature by proclamation, in which shall be stated the purpose for which the Legislature is to be convened.” A Special Session was recently called by Governor Huntsman on December 4, 2006. The special session was called to re-district the state into four congressional districts, based on the 2000 census. A bill was proposed to the U.S. Congress to apportion two new seats in the House of Representatives, one seat for the largely Democratic District of Columbia, and a fourth new seat for largely Republican Utah. The matter, however, was stalled in Congress. We will be watching the issue closely for the next several months. The best example of the Governor’s power of initiation, however, is clearly the State of the State Address. The governor’s address is always a big event, especially in California, where a familiar face delivered the speech last year.
>> Thank you very much Lieutenant Governor Bustamante. I think you have a new career as a comedian. Very nice. Senate Pro Tem Perata, Speaker Nuñez, Minority Leader Ackerman and Assembly Minority Leader McCarthy, my fellow servants of the people, ladies and gentlemen, it's great to be back in this chamber. Now what a difference a year makes - a year ago USC and I were #1- what happened? People recently have said to me, "Arnold, I bet you wish you were back in the movie business?" I say, "No, not for a minute."
>>That may be the strongest governor in the nation that we have just seen. How about in Utah? Article 7 Section 5 of the State Constitution reads, “The Governor shall communicate by message the condition of the state to the legislature at every annual general session, and recommend such measures as may be deemed expedient.”  The governor responds to important state issues in the State of the State Address. The goal is to set the legislative agenda. What issues will Governor Huntsman cover in this upcoming State of the State Address? President Sederburg recently discussed this question with Stephen Kroes and Randy Wright.
>>Thank you, Rick. We are here at my office today to talk about the powers of the governor when it comes to initiating public policy in the State of Utah. We take this from Alan Rosenthal’s book that we use, The Decline of Representative Democracy. One of the arguments that Rosenthal makes is that a huge power of the Governor of any state is to initiate legislation and policy through a variety of means. One big means is through the State of the State Address each year. And in this conversation today we are going to have two guests join us. One is Stephen Kroes, who is President of the Utah Foundation. Steven joins Utah from California. He is a leading expert on state public policy issues. We also have Randy Wright joining us today. Randy is the Editor of the Daily Herald in Provo. He is responsible for their editorials. He keeps close tabs on what the public is thinking here in the mid-central Utah area. So gentlemen, we are delighted to have you join us. And let’s just jump right into the conversation. Steve, I will throw the first question out to you, and Randy, just jump in and add comments, as well. What do you see from the Foundation’s research in their review of public policy as the issues that the governor is likely to be thinking about as he prepares for the State of the State, and starts to initiate public policy?
>>Well, certainly public education is always one of the most important issues facing this state, with the largest percentage of the population in school, compared with any state in the nation. That is always a top concern.
>>Kÿ and higher education, or just Kÿ?
>>Well, Kÿ is the number I am thinking of right now. In higher education, I am sure we are very high, as well. Two years ago, during the governor’s race, we did a survey called the “Utah Priorities Poll,”  and sixty-five percent, I think, of Utah’s said that public education was the number one issue. And that was hands-down. 
>>And when they say that, it is one thing just to say, “Oh, public education, we like little kids. They are cute, they are nice. We know they are important to our future.” What do they mean? Is it funding of Kÿ education? Is it quality? Is it not enough athletics? What do the say about Kÿ?
>>We asked some follow-up questions to try to understand that better, and we were surprised that the number one issue on their minds was actually teacher quality. And then funding came down at about third or fourth on the list. But teacher quality, class size, and funding and then some other issues were in there. But there is some concern, especially out in the rural areas of the state, that they can’t get enough highly-qualified teachers. 
>>Randy? In central Utah?
>>Well, I would agree with that. You know all of the editorials that we write, and you look at the response on our website, and the response I get from readers by telephone and so forth, education does rank very high. I think the squeeze comes because Utah has about fifty percent greater household size than the national average. And its average wages are not high, compared to the rest of the nation. And so you have this kind of a squeeze in the home. You know, people will have a lot of kids, but do they have as much disposable income as someone else in another state? Not necessarily.
>>What do you hear from your readers? Is it the quality, as Steve was saying, the quality of instruction, of the experiences of the students?
>>It is. I am not sure quite how to interpret it. I mean, everyone is behind their teacher, like they are behind their firemen and their police.
>>And their state legislators.
>>Right. Hopefully.
>>You say that with a little cynical smile. But it is true that when you look at congressmen or state representatives, everybody thinks that their own person is great, but the rest are crooks.  
>>But the teachers in Utah, I think they do a fine job given the amount they are paid, given the classroom size, they produce pretty good pound-for-pound result out of the classroom.
>>What do you think the governor is going to talk about? The State of the State, the governor is going to propose a budget on Kÿ education. If you think about what you are hearing, what do you expect the governor to talk about?
>>He will hit all the boiler plate issues. He will hit education, he will hit critical infrastructure in Utah, transportation, all these things. And I think that by and large most of the state will go to sleep.
>>But not you. 
>>No, not us.
>>Not you guys, I take it.
>>Well, I believe he is going to propose something on class size reduction, and I say that with a little bit of trepidation.
>>Didn’t you do some work in California on this issue?
>>Mostly as an observer of what was going on. And California had some large surpluses, budget surpluses in the late 90s, they decided to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade, and it was good for a while for those who had children in those grades, but it caused all kinds of problems because they had to find more space, the children were meeting on the stage,  in the auditorium, or in the faculty lounge, and all kinds of different places because they didn’t have enough room. They didn’t have enough teachers. They hired a lot of teachers without certification and with emergency credentials that weren’t the same quality. And then once the kids got into fourth grade they had class sizes of forty children in some of them.
>>So let’s say you are speaker Curtis. You hear the governor give a good, rousing speech, and suggest lowering class size. Randy, do you think the folks in Utah County would say that is a good idea?
>>Oh, sure, everybody will say it is a good idea, but I think the governor needs to go beyond a single speech. This is really about leadership. It’s about setting an agenda, about hitting a message over and over again. He needs to be on the campaign trail again to get these things into people’s heads, to really express the importance of these issues.
>>To use some of his other powers to really make the case?
>>Absolutely.
>>Let’s shift gears a little but. Second issue. What do you expect? So you have the expectation that the governor is going to talk about Kÿ. What would be the second issue?
>>I think it is definitely transportation. 
>>Do you agree?
>>I agree. 
>>And I think in a state like Utah it has to be. I think we have to have a focus on investment area, on places when the budget is surging like it is, and we have got some extra funding,  to put it into some investments that will pay off in the future. Transportation is certainly one of those. Education is another one where the work that we do for children today will pay off for the rest of their lives. One of my biggest concerns is that as we look at the budget over the last the years, it is health care and some other year to year operational needs that have been taking all of the growth out of the budget. There is not enough room in the budget for investment in the future. And we have got to try to figure out how to control that health care juggernaut in order to put some money into investing into these other two areas.
>>Which reminds me, I have to ask you about this spending cap legislation that the legislature enacted a couple of years ago. It is going to have a very significant impact on that conversation. First Randy jumped in here and you sounded pretty conservative in your other answer about maybe it isn’t just money. Roads, it seems to me, is all about money. Commentaries on that?
>>It is all about money, and where are we going to get it. There is a Mountain View Corridor, for example, on the agenda right now. We have got a freeway that is to be built between Pleasant Grove and essentially the Interstate 80 near the airport in Salt Lake. How do you pay for these big projects? I think it is one thing to stand up and identify the needs of the state. The real tricky part where the rubber meets the road, in this case, is how do you pay for the darn thing? And this is expensive stuff, but it is necessary. And the Wasatch is going to grow by a million people in the first decade. 
>>So watch out.
>>So watch out.
>>In this editorial you wrote, “Should we have a toll road?” and you editorialized about that. Is a toll road going to be the answer for us?
>>Well, it is certainly one solution that the legislature can look at. You have got to get the money from somewhere. The toll road gives you the money up from because a private investor will come up and build the road for you, and then they will amortize the road for you over twenty years, and then from there on they will make a profit on the road. But we have argued in our columns that we think the state should be making that profit. If we could come up with the initial investment capital to build that road, we ought to do it that way.
>>Just have the state do it instead of give the profit to a private firm. You did look at this?
>>And the idea that private company could come up with the finding, they are going to borrow that money up front, and the borrowing is going to be based on the collateral of the future revenue stream from the tolls. The state could do the very same thing.
>>You are a believer the state can do it actually as good as the private sector?
>>Well, I think the private sector is an interesting option to look  at, but I don’t think the idea…many people have been talking about this idea, saying we need to go to the private sector because they can put the capital in up front, and it is their risk, not ours. But the state can do it the very same way, and the revenue bonds that the state would sell would carry lower interest rates than a private sector bond, and it might actually be more economical.
>>I don’t think the state can do everything better than the private sector, but there are certain areas that I think that you can look at in detail that are general benefits to society. And roads are a general benefit to society. And the old saying that a rising tide lifts all ships, it is really true. When you enable commerce and you enable freedom of movement over the roads, you are helping the whole economy.
>>Let’s shift gears just a little bit. We have talked about two hot-button issue s that we expect to see in the governor’s State of the State message. Let’s discuss what…are there going to be any surprises? If you were advising the governor, and we are going to talk to Mike Mower a little bit, the governor’ s Chief of Staff, and is busy writing the State of the State, what kind of surprises would you throw in there? Something that would grab the headlines, so that Randy, when writes his next editorial, say, “Well this is really kind if interesting.”
>>Well, I guess it is pretty predictable. I think a likely surprise would be a tax cut. Maybe that is not a surprise, so…
>>We are in a Republican state. 
>>With the surplus starting to run large again, I think it is quite likely the Governor is going to even propose a limit to the full flat tax, instead of making it as an option.
>>Now what, with all the needs, like Kÿ with the lowest spending in the country per student for Kÿ, higher education, which I am biased about, but certainly we are kind of low on the funding side, transportation needs are huge in the state, what is the appeal of the tax cut? Randy, I have only lived here three years, but I haven’t seen a huge public outcry for tax cuts compared to some of these other issues.
>>We have a Harold poll that we ran in connection with an editorial that asked the question, “What should we do with the surplus?”  And the overwhelming response was, “Put it into education,” which was not surprise to me, and “Put it into the roads.” And people were not saying, “Give it back to us.”
>>So what is the appeal? Steven?
>>The appeal partly comes because we have a high tax burden, and there are few states like us that are small economies where the tax burden, as a percentage of the income, is really pretty high. And people think of places like Massachusetts as a high tax place, but we have a higher tax burden that Massachusetts. I am not saying that means we have to have a huge tax cut, but that is where legislators see these numbers of our tax burden having risen in the last twenty years. The Taxpayer’s Association says it is the fourth highest in the country. We say it is about fourteenth, because we don’t think it should include tuition and some of the optional fees that people pay that aren’t really taxes. But still, fourteenth is not really low. It is pretty high. 
>>That is interesting, Because I think nationwide you would think Utah is low tax.
>>But we have a very low property tax. The property tax is a really good deal in Utah, although this year it has gone up a lot for a lot of people. 
>>Because of the valuations?
>>The valuations are going up, and take my house, for example. The assessor hadn’t been around for five years to reassess, so it all happened at once, an it was a big increase.
>>So you gave him some milk and cookies, and said, “Welcome.” Let’s take a break right now, thank you, and we are going to come back and talk a little bit about the process that the governor uses, and the power the governor uses throughout the year to get some of these things accomplished. So, thank you.
>>Have you ever wondered what goes into the making of the State of the State Address? It is typically a long calculated process, with many individuals advising the governor of what he or she should cover in the speech. The speech can’t be too brief. The governor has supporters to mention, key points to make as he or she articulates their legislative agenda. Similarly, it can’t be too long. Networks won’t usually cut into the rest of their prime time lineup, not even for the governor. It, indeed, has to be just right in many ways. The place of the event, the guests in attendance, props to be used, and even what the governor is wearing, all must be carefully considered. To gain further insight into what all goes into the making of the State of the State Address, President Sederburg met with Mike Mower and Amanda Covington, two experts on the subject.
>>Thanks, Rick. Today we have two people that really know the inside process of advancing the governor’s agenda. Amanda Covington has joined us. Amanda was the Deputy of Communication for Governor Olene Walker and put together a State of the State message, and worked on the communications package for Governor Walker in 2004. Amanda is currently the Director of Communication for Rich Kendall and the Board of Regents. Rich Kendall is the Commissioner of Higher Education. So Amanda thanks for joining us. We also have Mike Mower who is currently the Chief Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Huntsman. Prior to that he was Director of Governmental Relations for Mayor Billings of Provo, and put together State of the City messages. So now you are bust writing the governor’s State of the State for the state of Utah. So we are going to start first with Amanda. We have a little clip from Governor Walker’s 2004 State of the State message. I think it is in the House Chamber before the Capital started the restoration. And let’s see a little bit of Governor Walker’s State of the State message.
>> I am committed to the following three priorities: First, we must keep our AAA bond rating. Why is this important? Simply because it not only saves the State of Utah, but also school districts, millions of dollars. Second, it is also important that we retain our state and education employees. Too often, after we invest in their training and development, we lose some of our most capable people. Third, maintaining quality education in our state is essential. Education is the basis for our future prosperity, and it is a key to individual success. 
>>Very interesting. I was really struck with that clip about the interest in the bonding rates. It doesn’t seem like a very sexy political issue for somebody to stand up and say we have really got to be concerned about the bonding ratings, and stuff. What was the strategy with that State of th e State? 
>>Well, I think Governor Walker had one year in her term, and so what she really tried to do was get a lot work done, and then set a platform that she could create a lasting legacy. One of those main issues was tax reform. So she wanted to set the stage with the AAA bond rating to talk about our financial structure in the state of Utah, and how highly regarded we are. I don’t think many citizens, which is a primary audience of the State of the State, actually understand and comprehend how important a AAA bond rating can be.
>>So you weren’t expecting people all around Utah to start clapping and cheering, going on about the bond rating, but it is just setting the stage for what is going to come in the top priorities.
>>She had a few priorities, and they were really things that set her agenda, that she hoped would create a dialogue, and conversation, and legislative action. So she was really trying to jumpstart a process that would carry out throughout the year. 
>>Before we started taping, you were making a comment about the dress. And I am going to kind of vary from our plan here, a little bit. But how much work goes into deciding what to wear at something like that?
>>Well, I have only worked for a female governor, not a male governor, but I can tell you that there was lot of thought about color, and what she was communicating through her dress because now it is television audience. It is not radio, and it is not read. You don’t read it. So we were trying to communicate that she was confident, that she had a position of power, but also that she was a sophisticated, wonderful woman at the same time. So a lot of thought does into the color scheme, and the actual accessories.
>>I think most men would not even think about that. I watched the video, and thought, “Oh, that’s nice.” I didn’t think about that. Now Mike Mower, you at the time were a citizen working for Mayor Billings improve, writing your city messages. What did you think when you saw that clip, and originally what did you think about it? 
>>Well, I have always been impressed with Governor Walker. And she does a great job. Frankly, I hadn’t focused on the accessories.
>>My guess would be that you wouldn’t know what...
>>Interestingly enough, we didn’t with Governor Huntsman, but I can appreciate from a communications standpoint when basically what you have is twenty-eight minutes for the governor, male or female, to speak to the people of the state of Utah, and you recognize that it will be primarily their face, their personage their, and so you do focus on things.
>>So twenty-eight minutes, and you mentioned speaking to the public, not just the legislature?
>>Well, it is interesting. The address is, of course, primarily for the legislature. However, it is basically the only time throughout the year that the governor has twenty-eight minutes of prime time television to share his or her massage with the entire state. And so when you are crafting the message, you have to realize you can’t use insider terms that the public may not understand, for example WPU, which is the weighted pupil unit. Most of the public won’t understand that is the amount of money we spend per student. All of the legislators would understand that, but you have to write your speech…
>>You have twenty-eight minutes to make you point, get in, and get out.
>>And craft with both audiences in mind.
>>Well, we have a little video of Governor Huntsman’s first State of the State message. On this one, he is in Fillmore.
>>Yes.
>>Is that the old territorial capital? The capital of Utah was under construction, so I guess we had to move out. So let’s take a quick look at his first State of the State message.
>> My Administration's policy priorities focus on four common-sense fundamentals - this card that 
I carry in my pocket is a daily reminder of these priorities - economic revitalization, education, quality of life and governance. Each one of these priorities has purpose in helping shape our tomorrow, each a reminder of our common destiny. And so today we must begin to pay less attention to party affiliation or which branch of government we come from and focus more on using our differences to strengthen our communities, our cities, and our State. The economy will be central. In recognizing the task ahead, we must be realistic about our competitive position as a State.
>>Well, that was exciting. It is fun to see the governor. I think each time he does something like that he gets a little bit more sophisticate; he gets a little bit better. But what took you to Fillmore? What was the logic behind going to the old Territorial Capital?
>>Well, the first thought in mind was the capital was under reconstruction at the time so we couldn’t hold it in the House Chamber, which is where it has always been held, and we actually wanted to do something off the Wasatch Front. The governor has strong family ties to Fillmore. Ironically, one of his grandmothers had been the caretaker of the Territorial Museum down there.
>>And it is a fact that he has relatives buried in the cemetery, I remember.
>>Yes. So he has strong ties to Fillmore. It was the state’s first territorial capital. And it was a change, as far as messages go, to stand back and pay homage to those who had come before us, as we look forward into the future. We actually had to check constitutionally to see whether the Governor could give his message there.
>>I was going to say, doesn’t the constitution say that the State of the State has to be delivered…
>>From the capital city.
>>From the capital city. Which is interesting, so what we did is, prior governors had done hand-written State of the State messages similar to what the founding fathers had done in our history, so we legally checked into it. And what we did is we actually checked an actual copy of the State of the State, presented it to the House, presented it to the Senate here in Salt Lake before we left, and then went to Fillmore for the televised event which took place later that day. But the actually State of the State was delivered by hand to the Senate and House offices, and then the televised version was what viewers saw from Fillmore.
>>Amanda, as you look at that clip of what Governor Huntsman was doing, and you had to look at it from a little bit different perspective, maybe, from the average citizen. Any thoughts crossed your mind as to the use of the props of the Territorial Capital Building and style?
>>Sure. I thought it was a phenomenal idea. I mean, I think it really endeared the citizens to the governor. I think they really felt that he was a governor of the people, and I think that it brought him home to maybe a rural part of the state where a lot of people always feel like all of the politics take place in the capital city. So I think for him it was very symbolic, because that really was how he campaigned, and really what kind of a governor I think he wanted to establish himself.
>>A coming home, if you will, at the same time. 
>>Sure.
>>How do you go about putting together a State of the State message? 
>>Well, I think each governor is different. They all have different styles. For example., Governor Walker outlined her speech on her own. She identified her priorities. She spent several hours. She did most of her best work in the middle of the night.
>>Really.
>>Two or three a.m.
>>She would just wake up and say, “I have a bright idea. I have to get this into the State of the State.”
>>I have decided that most great leaders are insomniacs. I think that is the case. 
>>Well, that’s interesting. 
>>She wrote it mostly in the middle of the night, brought it in, and then it was a team of probably three or four people. And we words day after day on it, any time we could steal away and whittle it down. Then we do research and ask other agencies and experts around the state to provide data and examples.
>>So you have got the outline. It is just like writing a good term paper, students. You get a good outline, and then you put in the details.
>>You put the meat in it. She really wanted to, and I am sure Governor Huntsman is the same way, make it a state-wide address. And so I remember we had a soldier from Delta, whose family, mother of like nine children…
>>Isn’t that a little schmaltzy? I see now that you are putting together this in the National Guard Building?
>>Well, part of this is…
>>What is with the military theme?
>>Well, part of it is we are going to National Guard because right now we have Utah troops, Utah Guardsmen on the front lines in two conflicts, in Iraq and Afghanistan. And so we chose specifically to go to the National Guard airbase here in Salt Lake City to honor those and to recognize those. We have Utah citizens in harms way, and that is something that the governor wanted to highlight. Last year we went to an elementary school in Bountiful. Next year we anticipate we will probably…
>>I am sorry to argue, and I kind of enjoy it, and I am not cynical about it, but if you are looking kind of from a cynical point of view, you would say, “The governor is not the Unites States Commander in Chief.”
>>But he is of the National Guard.
>>He is the Chief of the National Guard.
>>Of the National Guard.
>>And so when the governor went and visited Iraq and Afghanistan recently, he went to see Utah troops, Utah National Guardsmen and women who were serving in those two fields of combat.
>>That’s right.
>>Setting the agenda. So we use it a little symbolically. We have twenty-eight minutes to make the sales pitch, if you will. How important is it in this kind of setting what the legislature will take up over the coming months? Is it the most important thing the governors do, or are there other tools?
>>I would think its relationship is probably the most important thing. That is what gets things done in the legislature. But I think it is like Mike said, the only time the governor has a real captive audience from both the legislature and citizens around the state to say, “These are my priorities. This is what is important. This is why. Let’s get it done.” And so I think it sets the stage. It is really a framework for what is going to come over the next few months, even a year. But it really is the jumpstart into a legislative session. 
>>But it is interesting. Prior governors, in going back and researching what they have done, Governor Cutler once gave a speech that lasted two hours and ten minutes, because he went through each and every state agency.
>>That must have been a real snoozer.
>>Yes. Interesting things he brought up. A lot of the issues are still around a hundred years later. But what the governor found with setting agendas is that a lot of it comes in his budget message. The budget message, though, isn’t presented to the entire state. It is debated primarily in the pages of the newspaper, and certainly among legislators. But this is the chance to speak to Utahans. And sometimes you choose to do it through just text and recitation of the facts. Other times it is helpful to use an anecdote, so the citizens can relate to the issue, or the impact it will have on the mother with nine children from Delta who is dealing with certain issues because her husband is in the military. So you try to use different means to convey the message in twenty-eight minutes.
>>How many drafts do you go through?
>>Well, it is very interesting. Governor Huntsman’s approach last time was that he would outline the speech, and someone has to sit down and initially word-smith it. And then from that time we did approximately fifty-six drafts last year.
>>Fifty-six drafts. And that is because everybody is looking at it so closely?
>>Yes. You change paragraphs, you bring in the attorneys, you bring in the nuances, and you check the cadence of the speech, more importantly you check the facts. And over the three weeks that you are doing it, you may choose to highlight one issue a little more than another issue. Unfortunately you can’t give every area of government the time that you would like to. So you have to pick and choose.
>>You have to pick and choose. Amanda, what do you expect out of Governor Huntsman’s State of the State?
>>Well, I expect great things. I expect that it will be a lot of what he has talked about this past year. His budget message, really, is what I think you will see reflected in the State of the State. I am not a spokesperson.
>>That is why we are asking you. Mike can’t really say everything that he would like to say about it.
>>Sure. So I would say public education, probably all-day kindergarten, will be a big deal. It sounds like economic development again, You have some things with U-Star and some other incentives and initiatives that are going on. Higher education, you have corrections, maybe. I don’t know, safety, are big ones. Health and Human Services is always an issue, and obviously the military. I think it is interesting that most people don’t realize that the governor is the Commander on Chief of the Utah National Guard.
>>I did a little research, and according to the constitution, he is Commander in Chief of the unorganized militia, as well as the National Guard. So are you thinking about organizing a militia, perhaps?
>>We haven’t thought about that, but that is a good thing to be brought up. That is a good thing.
>>That is a good back topic, right? That is a good term paper assignment. So Mike, give us a little advance notice. The State of the State, what do you hope to accomplish.
>>Amanda did a great job that way. The Governor specifically says he does not want to simply be a recitation of his budget message. And the pattern that you see in a lot of past State of the State Addresses, governors define where we are at this moment in time, and then look forward to the future. And whether it is Governor Walker focusing on the core foundations of the state’s economy, or Governor Leavitt focusing on where we were at that point in state history, or Governor Maw from the World War II era, they focus on where we are now, and where we want to go in the future. And that is what you will see in Governor Huntsman’s message now. We are doing well, the economy is great, and state of the State is strong. There are areas where we can use our robust economy to ensure that our future will be as bright as today.
>>Is he going to use any props?
>>Transportation. I forgot.
>>Transportation is always key. In fact, it is interesting. One of the items I researched in the State of the State this year that may or may not be used is the Governor’s grandfather, great-great-grandfather, Parley P. Pratt, for whom Parley’s Canyon is named, once approached a legislature in 1849 asking for $500 to build a road through the canyon. They said, “We don’t have the cash, but we can give you the charter.” And hence the road went though there. So one of the things we are looking at…
>>A toll road?
>>A toll road went through there.
>>A toll road at the time.
>>A toll road at the time.
>>There is a precedent. So are we going to have a toll road proposal?
>>We are not going to see a toll road proposal.
>>You are not going to say that.
>>But what we will say is that issues that were important one hundred and fifty years ago are important today.
>>Still important.
>>And decisions people made in the past have a profound impact on what we are doing today and where the future will take us.
>>Will Governor Huntsman go through this speech and rehearse it?
>>Oh, absolutely. Again, this is a key twenty-eight minutes to convey your view of where our state is and where it needs to go. And last year we spent a great deal of time. We would spend half of the day working on specific legislative proposals that we needed to work on, and of course whatever state issues would come up, but a significant amount of time, with three of us in the room and the Governor, going line by line. Because this is his reflection. This is his vision for the state of Utah. And at the end, this is his vision for the future. 
>>Thank you so much for sharing some of these ideas.
>>Thank you, President Sederburg. We appreciate the great work that you do at UVSC.
>>Hey, get that on tape. Thank you very much.
>>Thanks, President. We look forward to Governor Huntsman’s coming address. The State of the State is indeed a major tool for the Governor to set his or her legislative agenda. As an author, Alan Rosenthal reminds us, “In the policy making process of the states, the spotlight is on the governors and their priorities. Any consideration of policy making in the state must begin with the governor’s program, for that establishes a major agenda for the legislature, and the focus for the media.” Once the governor gives the State of the State address, how does the governor promote his or her legislative agenda? The answer is in the governor’s other powers. For example, the governor has the poser of rejection. Legislators will often consult and compromise with the  governor, because the governor has the power to veto bills. Unless the legislature has the votes to override the governor veto, and that is a large majority vote in most states, they are forced to play ball with the governor to prevent possible being out of the game all together. Another power of the governor is the power of provision. The governor can provide legislators with projects for their districts, appoint their key supporters, and provide them with many social benefits, like photo ops and state dinners. Another power of the governor is the power of party. The governor is seen as the leader of his or her party in the state. Typically the governor is the chief fundraiser for that party. The governor also has members of his or her party in the legislature to support legislation. Another power of the governor is the power of publicity. Those familiar with U.S. political history might hear the phrase “the bully pulpit,” and envision presidents like Teddy Roosevelt enthusiastically using the media to advance a legislative agenda. But the fact is, presidents aren’t the only ones with the bully pulpit. Governors also have a great power of publicity. A governor can wake up in the morning and call a conference on any issue he chooses to address, and the media will be there. The governor is always news. To learn more about the power of publicity, let’s go back to Mike Mower and Amanda Covington.
>>Who has been the most flamboyant governor in a State of the State?
>>I wouldn’t use the term flamboyant, but Governor Mike Leavitt was probably one of the best communicators with television in recognizing that symbols can often convey more than mere words alone. So there was the year during the Stat e of the State when he had Mark Eaton come and stand next to all of the stacked up codes of the state about all the regulations we have.
>>He piled all the regulations together?
>>And called for regulation reform. Most of the speeches, they were longer at the beginning, because they were not televised, and you covered every single department in state government. As they become televised, the message is now much more honed towards the television audience just as much as it is towards the legislature.
>>Comments on Governor Leavitt’s strategy?
>>Before strategy, I will tell you that I have three wooden apples in my office right now that were handed down to me when he left that were his props for education in his State of the State that was the legacy. His press secretary passed them to me.
>>So he had three wooden apples on the platform with him? 
>>They were things he was going to do for education, and he had thee apples. So now they sit on my desk. They were passed on to me. I think Governor Leavitt was probably one of the better communicators for television. He was very savvy, very smooth, and very good at making contact with the viewer. So I think that is really how he won his audience over, was his verbal communication. He was just dynamic.
>>Are either of you aware of any kind of disasters or any State of the State Messages that were thought of as kind of failures? 
>>The State of the State Message is interesting. It is not a press conference. It is well-scripted and well-crafted. And you can tell whether it was hundred years ago with Governor Cutler’s staff, or in the 40’s with Governor Maw, or the 50’s with Governor Lee, they knew what they were going to say, they knew the audience that they were trying to reach out to, and generally they avoided really controversial topics. They would bring up difficult issues, whether it was transportation funding in the 60’s, or the work that Governor Clyde did on building the water system that we have today, but for the most part they are pretty well-crafted and well-scripted. And they are generally well-received by the legislators. There is a formality that comes from the very first. Three senators and three representatives will come and wait on the governor to escort him or her to the speech. After they are done, they will escort them back. So it is one of the few thing in our society, as far as the branches of government go,  that follow a  prescribed ceremonial pattern.
>>Is that established in law? Or is it just tradition, where you are led I the chamber by representatives of both the house and the senate, and usually the Supreme Court members are there, and all the state officials?
>>I have seen it more as tradition.
>>Yes.
>>That as you have looked at it, that it has been established. And now at the start of every session, three representatives and three senators will come and start the session, and three will come to report that they are ready.
>>We had a very strange thins in Michigan one year. We had a new governor, and I won’t mention the name, but in the State of the State he was over-scripted to the fact that his text would say, “Make strong gesture here.”  And it was an absolutely hilarious thing, because what would happen is he would say, “We need to be strong for this.” And it wasn’t quite coordinated, and it really was kind of a disaster as a speech. So you have to be careful with over-scripting it.
>>Well, I have heard one year when the copy was released to the legislature that had in the word “applause.” And they counted how many times they were supposed to applaud. Governor Huntsman’s style is not like that. He doesn’t seat twenty applause lines or something like that.
>>You are not out sitting in the audience, telling then to clap.
>>No, his goal is to talk from the heart, and to get it out there. And there are a few lines that merit some applause, and we anticipate it. For example, this year when we are doing things with the military, we anticipate it, and we have to build in time as we write. For example, the first year the governor spoke from Fillmore, and his text had 2,600 words. Last year there were about 3,400 words. We are going to have to tighten it up a little this year, because we expect some applause.
>>And the reasons why it has to be twenty-eight minutes is we don’t want to impinge on some sitcom that will come next. 
>>Right.
>>Thank you for your comments. Let’s talk a little bit about technology, and how the technology had changes. Television has changed dramatically the name of the game, because everybody had to be visually oriented. But now we have computers, we have blogs, we have the internet. How does the “blogging” phenomenon affect what goes on in government? 
>>Well one, I think it is instantaneous. It is there in a minute. You are not waiting to the paper to come out the next day, or for the news to come on in an hour. And it is a real personal insight to someone’s thoughts. And so I think it allows you in government and politics to really understand what is coming. I mean, I think it is a foreshadowing tool, really. You are able to understand the thoughts, and the feelings, and sentiments of a legislator or a governor or whoever is creating the blog. Even the media. Now you are able to get into some of the columnist blogs and understand what they are thinking and working on.
>>So you almost get a little insider information that can be helpful.
>>Absolutely. 
>>Mike, some observations? Are you going to watch the blogs after the Governor’s State of the State?
>>We check them. We do not over analyze them. And the Governor isn’t fixated on every editorial and every paper. We just kind of do a general survey of them. What has been interesting is we not have legislator blogs. And we will check those to kind of see what is their mood, what are they thinking. Usually they are kind of a reflection of what is going on.
>>What is their most prolific blogger?
>>Representative Erkhard had an impressive blog. Representative Frank is now doing a lot of blogging. Representative Alexander, I believe, started it. And now the Senate and the House does it, and they are using their blogs to post information. What we are finding is that blogs, and the internet, and e-mail are becoming a real driver of public opinion.
>>The power of unity is another power of the governor in the legislative process. The governor is one versus many in the legislature. He or she can act quickly and decisively, while the legislature is many, and must work for consensus. However, in some states, where the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor and belongs to a different party from the governor, the governor’s power of unity can be threatened. Does the lieutenant governor threaten the governor’s power of unity it Utah? President Sederburg Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert to answer this question.
>>Thank you, Rick. We have today a treat in getting the opportunity to chat with Lieutenant Governor Herbert, who for fourteen years, six months and two days, was the commissioner for Utah County, one of three elected commissioners, a very powerful position in Utah county, prior to that he was in the real estate business. But in 2004 was a candidate for governor, but then asked to be lieutenant governor by Governor Huntsman. The two of you teamed up, and got elected in an overwhelming victory, and for the last few years have been a very effective, and I think the Tribune and some other news sources have referred to you as the most involved and politically active, and I daresay one of the more powerful lieutenant governors in the history of this state. So we are delighted to have you here. I know you are too modest to say that you are powerful or influential. But tell us a little bit about your role as lieutenant governor.
>>Well, Governor Huntsman and I, when we formed our partnership, he talked in terms of it being a team, and really being a partnership. And so I appreciate that fact the Governor Huntsman really has elevated the position of lieutenant governor. He has given he come significant roles to play, and some different issues for me to kind of be the point person for in behalf of the executive branch. 
>>And to sneak in a little political science for that, the reason why that is significant is that I think about a third of the states elect their governor and lieutenant governor separately.
>>That is correct.
>>And so in many states you might have a governor and lieutenant governor that don’t get along at all.
>>That don’t get along, don’t speak, actually have animosity between them. And frankly, as I have learned more about this position and working with the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association, we have a good model here in Utah. And it works very effectively for us Utahans. And I am just very appreciative of being part of this.
>>And as we speak, Governor Huntsman is outside the state of Utah. Now when he leaves the state, are you not the sitting governor?
>>Well, it really is a matter of communication. He can be outside the state. If he ends up being in a place where there is not communication, I can’t get hold of him or he can’t touch base with us, then the responsibility falls upon me. But that is pretty rare. You know, we have such good communications. 
>>So we can’t get a special appointment form you or anything today, because the governor is outside the state?
>>No. I can make the recommendation to appoint you to be Czar of Higher Education, or something, but…
>>Well, Rich Kendall, the commissioner, might feel bad. So when the governor is out of the state, and out of communication, that is when you would take over.
>>That’s when the responsibility would fall upon my shoulders. But that would be rare. Again, there is no mistake who the governor is in the State of Utah. And Governor Huntsman is in charge, and I just happen to be number two. 
>>What are the constitutional powers that are given to the office of Lieutenant Governor?
>>The constitutional powers that are given to me are that of really being combined with the secretary of state responsibilities. Most states, as you know, have a secretary of state and a lieutenant governor. Here in Utah we have combined those offices into one. And so my constitutional responsibilities as an executive branch member and my statutory responsibilities really fall on elections, and secretary of state kinds of things. Notary public acknowledgements of documents.
>>Are you the official keeper of all the state records, state seal, and everything?
>> Yes, I am all that. All the things that were kind of secretary of state.
>>So in many states there would be a separate elected position, or maybe appointed position, called secretary of state. 
>>Exactly. And in addition to that…
>>Did Utah ever have a secretary of state?
>>Yes, we did. Clyde Miller was the secretary of state who became the first lieutenant governor. He was going out of his office, and back in 1970…
>>’75 or ’76.
>>Something like that. And that was when they made the transition or the change over. My responsibilities are, of course, if in fact the governor goes someplace else, another appointment, like what happened with Governor Leavitt, then the lieutenant governor becomes the governor. I also have responsibilities as dictated and given to me by the governor. So again, the responsibilities of transportation, homeland security, water development, rural affairs. Those are assignments.
>>Has he specifically said, “Gary, I want you engagement in these four areas?
>>Yes.
>>I see on your website, if you go to the website, which I am sure you go to every day, but you see those four areas clearly identified. So the governor has said, “Gary, these are kind of your portfolio.”
>>”These are your areas of responsibility for us as the executive branch. You will be the point person. You will help lead out in these areas.” And so consequently I have put together a transportation summit. I think part of that is because I was drawn on because my expertise as a local government guy and transportation is such an impact to local government that I have some experience and impact in that regard. So he has tried to take care of what my strengths are to compliment what his strengths are, with the idea that two of us working together are better than one of us.
>>Somebody said the other day that Governor Huntsman really is more enamored with international affairs and national activities, and that he is sort of handling that, and then turning a lot of the state, kind of local, stuff over to you. Is that a fair analysis?
 >>Well, I don’t quite say enamored. He certainly has tremendous expertise. He is almost without peer when it comes to international affairs. He has spent a lot of time in it. He has been an Ambassador on a couple of occasions, in Singapore, and a great ambassador for America. He certainly understands Washington D.C. and the global nature of economy, and what we see with China coming on board with 1.3 billion people, and India with 1.2 billion people. So he has an understanding and expertise there that is hard even for us mortals to grasp.
>>So why not use that expertise and let you use your expertise.
>>I think that is part of it. Again, our whole mantra, as you remember, President, was to grow the economy of Utah, believing that was really the base and foundation of everything we wanted to accomplish in Utah. Grow the economy, produce additional revenues to pay bills, some of which have been delinquent, education, transportation, whatever, and do it without having to raise taxes. So what Governor Huntsman says is that we kind of fill each other’s cracks. Where I am strong, he is maybe a little weak. Where he is strong, I am very weak. But together, we make a pretty good team. 
>>We have spent a great deal of time today looking at the role of the governor in the legislative process. But there is, of course, another major player in the process: the legislature. In the next several episodes, we will be taking a close look at the legislature, and its important roles and functions in the state legislative process. Now for some closing remarks from President Sederburg.
>>Thank you, Professor Griffin. 

In this week's program, we have talked about the power of the Governor and his special power to initiate ideas and legislation through the State of the State speech.
As the Legislature meets in coming weeks, they will be dealing with these issues presented by the Governor.
In next week's session we are going to be talking about the powers of the State Legislature and the structure of the State Legislature and how that structure affects public policy. 

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