Citizens in Charge

Kim R. Burningham, chair of Utahns for Ethical Government, explains the latest controversy surrounding signatures on the group’s petition in the Salt Lake Tribune:

The Tribune’s Aug. 19 editorial (“Ethics initiative: Lawmakers should follow lead”) says that while our initiative contains needed substance, it can’t go on this year’s ballot and Utahns for Ethical Government should trash more than 115,000 signatures we’ve submitted, starting over to guarantee “freshness.”

That won’t happen because of a politically tinged decision by the lieutenant governor. The same issues will still be around in two years.

Paul Neuenschwander of the lieutenant governor’s office claims it is “clear” if we don’t meet the April deadline we “have to start over.” We disagree. Readers don’t need to take our word. Read the statute [UCA 20A-7-202(4)(a)]: “the sponsors shall qualify the petition for the regular general election ballot no later than one year after the application is filed.”

Utahns for Ethical Government announced in April that we would require our full statutory year to qualify for the ballot and so advised the lieutenant governor. Our application was filed on Aug. 12, 2009. The necessary signatures were submitted by the one-year deadline.

Neuenschwander pretends that the one-year part of the statute doesn’t exist…(read the rest)