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Show h V; YJ community comments... Utah Legislator Demont Judd of Ogden has requested an opinion from the Utah Attorney General relative to the legality of educators serving in the state's lawmaking body. Since the Legislature passes bills that set teacher salary levels and other benefits, Mr. Judd believes that it may be unconstitutional for educators to serve in the Legislature since actions there have an affect on their own incomes. The veteran Weber County legislator makes a good point. A growing number of educators have become involved in the Legislature, and that body does set teacher salary levels that are used in all of the state's 40 school districts. But for Mr. Judd to want all educators banned from Legislative service, is kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. It seems that he, by profession, is an attorney. There's hardly a measure considered by the Legislature that couldn't have some effect on a lawyer's practice. And a whole lot of legislation simply means more work for Utah's legal profession. If you don't believe me, just take a look at the reams of new laws passed by the recent session. I would have to agree that when a legislative body Jycomes too heavily loaded with one profession or another, it loses a whole lot of objectivity and can't help but serve some special interests. But I can't get any more upset about a bunch of teachers serving in the Legislature than I can over a whole bunch of lawyers serving. Maybe Attorney General Bob Hansen should take a little broader view of special interests in the Legislature. sjt Moab City's joining hands with Grand County's Water Conservancy District Tuesday night marked a big milestone in providing for the future needs of Moab and Spanish Valley. This partnership was an absolute necessity in gaining necessary funding to develop and utilize water from Mill Creek for future generations. sjt We couldn't help but give front page billing this week to Alvin Reiner's tongue-in-cheek spoof of federal agency funding programs. And although it may have at . first given our readers a start, the windup paragraph should have cleared all doubts about the real reason for the story. At least it's a welcome change from some of the more somber and ominous news stories we have run over the past few weeks. |