Redistricting. Turf battles. Consumer prices jump. Singapore. Donald Trump. Friday morning's news briefing from UtahPolicy.com

Trouble viewing this email? Read it online Utah Policy Daily Newsletter

Utah's Daily Policy Resource, Brought to you by Utah Policy

Message Center

"Bernick and Schott on politics" is Utah's longest-running political podcast. 

Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick have more than 60 years combined experience covering Utah politics. They bring a depth of knowledge and experience that is unrivaled. 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Stitcher.

While you're there, leave us a review.

Situational awareness - May 11, 2018

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City.

Redistricting measure looks like it has made November's ballot. Utah consumer prices spike. President Trump will meet with Kim Jong Un in Singapore next month.

I had the chance to preview the new "Dave and Buster's" restaurant, which opens at The Gateway next week. If yesterday was any indication, this will be a fantastic addition to the downtown business ecosystem.

  SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER  

Thanks for reading Utah's must-read daily political news roundup. If you would like to sign up for our morning newsletter, you can SIGN UP HERE.

Want to submit an op-ed? Got a story tip or idea? A complaint? An intriguing picture to share? I want to hear from you. Send me a secure email at bryanschott@protonmail.com.

  TICK TOCK  

18 days until the last day to register to vote by mail for the 2018 primary election (5/29/2018) 19 days until the last day to change your party affiliation before the primary election (5/30/2018) 25 days until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018) 32 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018) 39 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018) 42 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018) 46 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018) 179 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018) 262 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019) 907 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

  PODCASTS  

Subscribe to the award-winning "Bernick and Schott on politics" podcast, Utah's longest-running political podcast. Hosts Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick have more than 60 years of combined experience covering Utah politics. Plus, you'll get long-form interviews with Utah newsmakers. Subscribe (and leave a review) using iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

  HERE ARE THE STORIES DRIVING FRIDAY  

What a week!

Republican on Republican violence. The fight over signature removal gets ugly. The Salt Lake Tribune is facing cutbacks. Plus, Donald Trump, North Korea, Iran, and why Michael Cohen is the worst lawyer in America. Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick run through a wild week in Utah politics! [Utah Policy]

You can also listen to our award-winning week-in-review as a podcast. Download it here [Utah Policy].

Independent redistricting on the ballot

It looks as if the "Better Boundaries" initiative, which establishes an independent redistricting panel, has enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot [Utah Policy].

Turf battle

Bob Bernick says the proposed constitutional amendment allowing the Utah Legislature to call itself into special session should pass in November because it's good policy [Utah Policy].

Celebrating the "Golden Spike"

Rep. Rob Bishop wants to turn the site of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad into a new national park [Utah Policy].

Consumer prices spike

High gas prices lead to biggest jump in the Wasatch Front Consumer Price Index in nearly six years [Utah Policy].

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES  

Two Weber County politicians' retirement packages are prompting some harsh questions and tough scrutiny [Standard-Examiner].
State leaders are putting much of the funding for the Road Home shelter on hold until the results of a state audit are revealed next week [Deseret News].
A new report says violent crime in Utah jumped 17-percent last year [Deseret News].
The number of uninsured Utahns jumped by 2.1 percent last year [Tribune (paywall)].
The new owners of the Ogden Standard-Examiner laid off five employees on Thursday [Fox 13, Tribune (paywall)].

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

President Trump announces he will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore next month [CNN]. 
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told colleagues she almost resigned after President Trump berated her during a cabinet meeting, blaming her for failing to secure the nation's borders [New York Times].
A White House communications official mocked Sen. John McCain's brain cancer diagnosis following his statement urging his colleagues to reject the nomination of Gina Haspel as head of the CIA. "It doesn't matter, he's dying anyway," Kelly Sadler was reported as saying according to a White House source [The Hill].
AT&T paid Michael Cohen, President Trump's personal lawyer, $600,000 to consult on the company's proposed merger with Time Warner. It's unclear what, if any, expertise Cohen could provide on that subject [Washington Post].
House Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to quash an attempt, led by GOP members of the House, to force a vote on several immigration measures [Washington Post].
Rep. Mark Meadows is pushing for a federal audit of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation in a bid to shake loose a secret memo spelling out the authorized scope of Mueller's investigation [Washington Post].
Republicans are scrambling to find high-profile surrogates who can rally the base on the campaign trail this November [McClatchy].
President Trump will unveil his strategy to reduce prescription drug prices, but he will back away from a campaign promise to call for Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers [New York Times].
Republican Senators are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to cancel their August recess so they can vote on spending bills and President Trump's judicial nominations [Washington Post].
A group of freshmen members of Congress is pushing a plan to impose term limits in Washington. It would limit House members to six terms and Senators to two terms [The Hill].
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Europe can no longer count on the United States to protect it [The Hill].
Oil prices spike because of potential sanctions on Iran as a result of President Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal with that country [Reuters].

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY  

1846 - President James K. Polk asks for a Declaration of War against Mexico, starting the Mexican-American War. It is approved on May 13.
1858 - Minnesota is admitted as the 32nd state.
1910 - An act of Congress establishes Glacier National Park in Montana.
1973 - Citing government misconduct, Daniel Ellsberg's charges for his involvement in releasing the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times are dismissed.
1997 - World chess champion Gary Kasparov was defeated by a computer, IBM's Deep Blue, in a six-game match.

Today At Utah Policy

Lots of Utahns need a civics lesson - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 373 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick A Koch-brothers funded group is targeting Utah Republicans. ...

Bob Bernick's notebook: Turf battle By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor While the four citizen initiatives struggle to get their voter signatures to make the November ballot, there is one major item that is already going before voters. ...

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 373 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott guide you through a wild week in Utah politics....

Independent redistricting proposal appears to have qualified for November's ballot By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor It appears that all four of the proposed ballot initiatives have now qualified for November's ballot, the latest being the independent redistricting proposal. ...

Jump in price of gasoline brings the largest monthly increase in the Wasatch Front Consumer Price Index in nearly six years By Press Release The Zions Bank Wasatch Front Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 1.9 percent from March to April on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. ...

Weekly survey: Is Utah's citizen initiative process fair? By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the 113,000 signatures needed to place a citizen's initiative on the ballot, but those same initiatives can be defeated by opponents urging signers to remove their names from the petition. Do you think the current system ...

Policy News

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report Weekend EventsOutdoors Report--Tribune: Alta's Onno Wieringa gets skiing's national lifetime achievement award--KSL.com: Utahn only person to complete rare Trout Fantasy Slam; here's how you can, too-- KSL.com: Massive public lands bill would create new national monument, wi...

Congressman Rob Bishop introduces: Golden Spike 150th Anniversary Act Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-01) is introducing the, "Golden Spike 150th Anniversary Act." ...

Greater Salt Lake City housing 1Q18: Strong growth continues as rising prices push entry-level buyers out of the market Metrostudy's 1Q18 lot by lot survey of the new home market in the Greater Salt Lake market shows that production remains very robust, with the first quarter starting the year on a high note. ...

Division of Public Utilities announces Rocky Mountain Power customers will see 3.45% rate decrease in power bills beginning this month due to federal tax credits Chris Parker, Director of the Utah Division of Public Utilities, announced that federal tax savings filed by Rocky Mountain Power with the Public Service Commission were approved and will now provide an ongoing annual $61 million credit to Utah ratepayers.  ...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Rep. Mia Love is still trying to get Congress to support Dreamers

Many Utahns' electricity bills will shrink this summer - and there could be even more savings in the works

Poll: Number of uninsured Utahns rose last year, after years of steady declines

Public hearings set for Utah's Medicaid expansion proposal

Gehrke: The divorce of Scouting and the Mormon church was a long time coming, and both can be better for it

Feds readying efforts to fight wildfires this summer after record-high year of blazes

Deseret News

Op-ed: Take SAGE testing with a grain of salt

Jay Evensen: An anti-Electoral College plan that deserves to fail

Op-ed: We can beat the opioid epidemic

Rob Bishop: 150 years ago the Golden Spike united the country. It's time to preserve it

Editorial: Lasting results will validate $1 million for alleviating intergenerational poverty

Mitt Romney makes national headlines for attending Met Gala

Utah House Democrats propose gun control legislation for 2019 session

Violent crime up 17 percent in Utah, report says

Great Salt Lake: A lake no more?

Much of Road Home funding on hold amid wait for audit results

Other

Rep. Rob Bishop wants to turn Golden Spike facility into new national park (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Trump announces capture of five 'most wanted' ISIS terrorists (Daily Mail)

Jared Kushner scores first major bipartisan deal for Trump in Congress (Washington Examiner)

Treasury: Federal Budget Surplus for April Largest on Record, Driven by Tax Deposits (Wall Street Journal)

Dow rallies nearly 200 points, notches 6-day winning streak (CNBC)

Calls for restraint after Israeli raids on Iranians in Syria (AFP)

San Francisco's many free syringes are littering its streets (Associated Press)

Trump's high-risk doctrine? Swing for the bleacher seats (Associated Press)

John Kelly: Despite 'Times Of Great Frustration,' No Regrets Taking White House Job (NPR)

'I think it's time to wrap it up': Pence tells Mueller he's had a year to run his Russia probe (Daily Mail)

Trump will not call for negotiation on Medicare drug prices despite Democratic hopes (The Hill)

Kushner and Cornyn to tour Texas prison in support of reforms (The Hill)

Wise Words

Strenght

"The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection." Thomas Paine

Lighter Side

Comey

"Former FBI Director James Comey said that he's actually a big fan of Beyonc. He said he first got into Beyonc's music when Hillary Clinton smashed his car windshield with a baseball bat." Jimmy Fallon

Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers.

This email is intended for newsletter@newslettercollector.com.
Update your preferences or Unsubscribe