Lawmakers seek $160 million tax cut. Monday morning's must-read news roundup from UtahPolicy.com

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Utah Policy Daily Newsletter

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 - December 9, 2019

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City.

Thanks for subscribing to Utah's must-read daily political news rundown.

Please encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up for our emails.

Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:

Legislative leaders want a $160 million tax cut following the announcement of big revenue numbers. The latest tax reform plan gives most taxpayers a tax cut. Impeachment speeds up. Documents show U.S. officials repeatedly lied about the war in Afghanistan.

Trivia answers

Friday's question from Stan Rasmussen was a real stumper. None of our readers were able to identify U.S. Senator Elbert D. Thomas as the Utahn who served on the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission.

We'll have a new question on Friday.

TICK TOCK

Days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 49 (1/27/2020)

Days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses: 56 (2/3/2020)

Days to the Utah presidential primaries: 85 (3/3/2020)

Days to the final day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 94 (3/12/2020)

Days to the 2020 Utah primary elections: 204 (6/30/2020)

Days to the 2020 election: 330 (11/3/2020)

Today At Utah Policy

Most taxpayers would see a cut under latest tax reform proposal
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
A new summary crib sheet on the proposed tax overall bill, to be considered Monday night in the last (it is hoped) Tax Reform Task Force meeting, has a few new numbers in it, but no great surprises from a previous version.Legislators eyeing $160 million tax cut as part of tax reform package
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Utah GOP legislative leaders are looking to give citizens a $160 million-plus income tax cut next year -- double the size they were talking about just a few weeks ago.I am Spartacus! - Bernick and Schott on politics
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott take you behind the latest Utah political headlines.Guest opinion: Utah's tax reform plan is on the right track
By Alan K. Ormsby, State Director, AARP Utah
AARP Utah has been actively following the Utah Legislature's tax reform hearings and proposed legislation, and we believe that the bill contains a number of constructive provisions to support.

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Deseret News

Pignanelli & Webb: Utahns prefer state, local governments. Here's the evidence Speaker Brad Wilson: Utahns deserve a return on historic growth through tax reform Utah schools could count recess as instructional time under proposed rule change Utahns would see $160 million tax cut under latest tax reform plan Mitt Romney proposes bill to fight sending opioids, fentanyl through mail Hundreds of Utahns stand to lose food stamps benefit under Trump final rule Former Salt Lake mayor calls for more action to keep 'mentally ill' out of cold

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Utah teachers don't need more money. They need more help Editorial: Our tax future needs a real fix, not a quick one New elementary school to be named after Olene Walker, Utah's first - and only - female governor Utah Board of Education loses another member - fourth one in less than a year Should Utah skip balloting for areas without a contested election? Rep. Chris Stewart pitches LGBTQ rights bill with religious exemptions Utah refugees thank Gov. Gary Herbert for his support San Juan County, Utah's poorest and highest taxed, is headed for a tax hike Food stamp changes will affect just 82 Utahns, mostly in poorest county Gov. Herbert calls for a $160M tax cut - double what was proposed

Other

At property tax town hall, Commissioner Ivie echoes Ainge's increase proposal (Daily Herald)

NATIONAL HEADLINES

Bombshell

A trove of documents shows U.S. officials repeatedly lied about the progress of the war in Afghanistan. Authorities made rosy pronouncements that they knew to be false and misled the public [Washington Post].

Impeachment accelerates

The House Judiciary Committee hears evidence on Monday as they consider articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump [New York Times].

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says a jury would convict Trump in "three minutes flat" over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals [CNN].

No thank you

The White House rejected the latest invitation from the House to participate in the impeachment inquiry [Washington Post].

Russia investigation review report due Monday

A Department of Justice report about the origins of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is expected to reject President Trump's claims that the probe was illegitimate and tainted by political bias. The report will also detail errors made during the investigation [New York Times].

End of year crush

House Democrats are rushing to avoid a government shutdown, pass prescription drug legislation, and impeach President Trump before the clock runs out on 2019 [Politico].

Trade deal near

House Democrats and the Trump administration are getting close to a deal on the revised North American Free Trade Agreement [CNN].

Big jobs report

Friday's jobs report surprised officials as payrolls jumped 266,000 last month, completely surpassing expectations [Bloomberg].

2020

Elizabeth Warren says voters are ready for an all-female presidential ticket next year [AP].

Warren earned nearly $2 million from private corporate and financial legal work over 33 years according to new financial disclosures [Politico].

Banned

Russian athletes have been banned from the 2020 and 2022 Olympics, as well as all other international competitions for doping [New York Times].

Trump vs. Kim

North Korea ridiculed President Trump, calling him a "heedless and erratic old man." Trump warned that the country could void their "special relationship" with him following news of the latest test at a missile site [CNN].

BUSINESS HEADLINES

Derek Miller: The economy is a feast to be grateful for this holiday season (Deseret News) Salt Lake has the lowest unemployment among the nation's large metro areas - again (Salt Lake Tribune) Northern Utah economic development body taking shape, details coming in December (Standard-Examiner) Ogden City to spend next several months overhauling plan that guides downtown (Standard-Examiner)

Policy News

CYBER24 episode 62: 'Tis the season to protect yourself online
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have all come and gone but your online shopping isn't likely over for the holiday season. Besides needing to carefully develop a strategy to handle all the cardboard boxes about to hit your doorstep, it is also the right time to take some important steps to protect yourself from cybercriminals looking to make their holiday season brighter at your expense.

More National Headlines

Amid media's recession panic, US ends decade with robust, booming jobs numbers (Washington Examiner) There's great hate for Donald Trump's success (New York Post) Trump's supposed abuses pale in comparison to past presidents (New York Post) Impeachment hearing didn't go as Chairman Nadler planned (The Hill) Pelosi may have signed a political death warrant for moderate Democrats in Trump districts (Washington Post) Turley: Democrats offering passion over proof in Trump impeachment (The Hill) 'Richard Jewell' review: Clint Eastwood's seething reminder that sometimes, the fake-news rap is legit (Chicago Tribune) Trump calls for World Bank to stop loaning to China (Straits Times) Twilight of the Technocrats: How Bernie and Biden both channel an exhaustion with the experts (New York Times) Warren: 'I Shouldn't Have' Claimed to be Native American (Epoch Times) New York's Amazon fight returns in 2020 elections (Politico)

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1958 - Retired Boston candy manufacturer Robert H. W. Welch, Jr., established the John Birch Society, a right-wing organization dedicated to fighting what it perceived to be the extensive infiltration of communism into U.S. society.

1974 - White House aide John Ehrlichman testified at the Watergate trial that U.S. President Richard Nixon was responsible for a cover up.

1990 - Solidarity founder Lech Walesa was elected president of Poland.

2000 - The U.S. Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt in the Florida presidential vote count.

2008 - Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich is arrested on federal charges, including an attempt to sell the US Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.