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| The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to bschott@utahpolicy.com, or message us on Twitter. Situational awareness - May 14, 2020Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake CityTICK TOCK47 days to the 2020 Utah primary elections (6/30/2020)173 Days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)251 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)256 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warns of lasting economic damage from the coronavirus. Utah lawmakers confront a grim budget outlook from the pandemic. Legislators planning to hold two special sessions in June and July.Thanks for subscribing to Utah's must-read daily political news rundown.If you know of friends or colleagues who would benefit from our daily news roundup, please encourage them to sign up for our newsletter.Today At Utah PolicyLegislative leaders confront grim budget picture because of COVID-19By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor No pay raises for state workers, public education teachers, or college professors; no funding increases for state programs; no growth in social services.Utah will soon start doling out hundreds of millions in federal aid to Utah cities and counties By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor Utah cities and counties will soon start getting $562 million, allocated by the state based on populations of each entity, that comes from the federal coronavirus relief act -- CARES -- a top state budget committee heard Wednesday.Lawmakers planning on budget special session in June and another on policy in July By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Utah lawmakers have been told to plan for a special session in June to address changes to the budget because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but any policy changes will take place in a second special session after Independence Day. OTHER UTAH HEADLINESDeseret News Jay Evensen: Why is Utah fighting COVID-19 better than most? For one thing, state residents know how to save money Audit: Some rural Utah projects need greater clarity in funding, purpose Central Wasatch Commission approves funding for 6 projects in Cottonwood canyons Utah's Medicaid prescription program could save $3.4M with more oversight, audit says Sen. Mike Lee amendment to curb government surveillance powers passes Senate State revenue shortfall could hit $2 billion because of pandemic, lawmakers told Durbano ceases campaign for 1st District amid 'flawed election' process Virus takes aim at west side of Salt Lake City, CountySalt Lake Tribune Auditors urge overhaul of grant/loan program for rural Utah communities Zion reopens, but park offerings remain slim Legislative audits paint picture of Utah's early handling of COVID-19 pandemic Some Utah areas with few new coronavirus cases may be allowed to open faster than others Bluff will stay at 'red' alert as some Utah counties are denied request to ease into 'yellow' coronavirus status COVID-19 may finally tap the brakes on Utah's blazing fast population growth State lawmakers lay groundwork for steep COVID-19 budget cuts Utah Inland Port Authority signs deal with Rocky Mountain power for renewable energy Experts agree this year's election is a big target for hackers, disinformation and foreign interferenceOther Utah Legislature prepares to make budget cuts in response to pandemic (Daily Herald) Ogden City tax revenue to be hit hard by COVID-19 situation, budget documents show (Standard-Examiner)NATIONAL HEADLINESYikes!Dr. Rick Bright, who was ousted as director of the federal office tasked with developing treatments for COVID-19, will testify before a House committee Thursday that the US will face "unprecedented illness and fatalities" and the country is facing the "darkest winter in modern history" without a clear plan for battling another coronavirus outbreak later this year [CNN]. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of the threat of a prolonged recession and lasting economic damage without more fiscal stimulus from Congress [AP]. Woah!The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the state's stay-at-home order, ruling it "unlawful" and "unenforceable." The state's GOP-led legislature sued Democratic Gov. Tony Evers over the restrictions [Washington Post]. Trump vs. FauciDr. Anthony Fauci warned against reopening schools and businesses too quickly. President Trump called Fauci's statement "unacceptable" [CNN]. Republicans in Congress are feuding over Fauci, debating whether to praise him or condemn him as an obstacle to President Trump's efforts to restart the economy [Bloomberg]. Virus latestA new study shows that coronavirus can be passed between people just by speaking. Droplets can hang in the air for more than 8 minutes in confined environments [USA Today]. The World Health Organization is warning COVID-19 "may never go away," and that it could take years to build global immunity without a vaccine [AP]. EconomyGrocery prices spiked 2.8 percent in April, the biggest increase since 1974 [CNN]. Roughly 27 million Americans have lost their employer-provided health insurance [Axios]. Uber will require all drivers and riders to wear masks [CNBC]. FacepalmPresident Trump reportedly worried testing too many people for COVID-19 would spook the stock market. One advisor said trying to advise the president is like "bringing fruits to the volcano...You're trying to appease a great force that is impervious to reason" [Financial Times]. Hmmm...The FBI seized the cellphone belonging to Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina on Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspicious stock trades he made as the coronavirus struck the US [Los Angeles Times]. Michael FlynnA federal judge is looking into whether President Trump's former national security adviser can be held in contempt of court for perjuring himself. The judge also asked a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department's request to dismiss charges against Flynn [CNN]. Special electionRepublican Mike Garcia won a special election to flip a congressional seat in California from Democratic control. But, Garcia and his Democratic opponent will face off again in November [WaPo]. BUSINESS HEADLINESUtah economic recovery could take years, lawmakers warn (Deseret News) Ogden businesses adjust to COVID-19 rules, activity ramping up (Standard-Examiner) Park City councilor, a businessman, prepares for 'next to nothing' in sales in coming year (Park Record) Park City forecasts yearlong slog toward economic normalcy, starting with an awful summer (Park Record)Policy NewsUtah Inland Port Authority and Rocky Mountain Power announce cooperation agreementThe Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) and Rocky Mountain Power have signed a Joint Clean Energy Cooperation Statement to create a sustainable energy supply within the UIPA jurisdictional area. More National Headlines'Obamagate' Isn't A Conspiracy Theory, It's The Biggest Political Scandal Of Our Time. And the Media Know It. (Federalist) List of officials who sought to 'unmask' Flynn released: Biden, Comey, Obama chief of staff among them (FOX News) CNN Virus Townhall Features Greta Thunberg for Some Reason (PJ Media) Biden Taps AOC to Chair Campaign's Climate Change Task Force (Free Beacon) Media Lies: Democrat Governors Doing Great Jobs Despite Higher Wuhan Death Rates (PJ Media) Republican Mike Garcia picks up Katie Hill's California seat as Dem candidate concedes race (FOX News) Keystone Rebellion (City-Journal) Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down Wisconsin's stay-at-home order that closed businesses to limit spread of coronavirus (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Vanderbilt reduces coronavirus hospitalization estimates from thousands to 300 (Tennessean) Cuomo's COVID carnage (Spectator) Samantha Power Claimed She Never Tried To Unmask Michael Flynn, But Records Show She Unmasked Him 7 Times (Federalist)ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY1787 - In Philadelphia, delegates convene a Constitutional Convention to write a new Constitution for the United States; George Washington presides. 1796 - Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation. 1800 - The process of moving the U.S. capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. begins. 1804 - The Lewis and Clark Expedition departs from Camp Dubois. 1878 - The last witchcraft trial held in the United States begins in Salem, Massachusetts, after Lucretia Brown accused Daniel Spofford of attempting to harm her through his mental powers. 1948 - Israel is declared to be an independent state, and a provisional government is established. Immediately after the decision, Israel is attacked by the neighboring Arab states, triggering the 1984 Arab-Israeli War. 1973 - Skylab, the United States' first space station, is launched. Wise WordsStart by Doing"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."Francis of Assisi Lighter SideCovid Task Force"That's right, for Trump, the priority right now isn't to try to stop the pandemic; it's to open up the country no matter what. I mean, how can you get rid of the task force fighting the pandemic while the pandemic is still growing? That makes no sense. Can you imagine if they stopped after 'Fast and Furious 6?' How would we know how much more furious they get?"- TREVOR NOAH Listen to us on_Apple Podcasts Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
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