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| First Up: Should We Change Utah’s Constitution? |
|  | The Utah State Capitol on a sunny day. (Mangoman88/Wikimedia Commons) |
| Ballots will hit mailboxes in about two weeks, and one proposal from the Utah Legislature is raising alarms. | - Constitutional Amendment B would require 60% voter approval, instead of a simple majority, for any citizen-led initiative that “creates, expands or increases taxes.” Amendment sponsor Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, says it would save taxpayers from footing the bill for programs that lack broad support. [Salt Lake Tribune]
- Opponents have launched a campaign urging citizens to vote no on Amendment B, saying it would weaken voters’ ability to check the Legislature by making ballot initiatives harder to pass. If it had been in place in 2018, the voter-approved measures legalizing medical cannabis and expanding Medicaid would have failed. [Utah News Dispatch]
- There's another proposal, Amendment A, on your ballot. It would change the state constitution to remove a newspaper-publishing requirement for proposed constitutional amendments. [Utah News Dispatch]
- Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Follow us here, on the podcast, and on Instagram for more election coverage starting next week. [City Cast Salt Lake]
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| What Salt Lake's Talking About |
| State Lawmaker Resigns After Fraud Charges | Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, resigned Monday, after he was charged with fraud and forgery tied to a loan for his new home. He faces two second-degree felonies and two third-degree felonies. The Davis County Republican Party will hold a special election to fill the remainder of his term. [KUTV] | | Former Death Row Inmate Walks Free | Douglas Carter, 71, was released from jail Monday evening after new testing of crime scene evidence in the 1985 killing of Eva Olesen did not match his DNA. Carter spent 41 years on death row and awaits a retrial on an aggravated murder charge. His attorneys are seeking to have the case dismissed. [Utah News Dispatch] | | Party at Antelope Island | The Utah Division of State Parks is hosting a grand opening for the Antelope Island Visitor Center on Friday, Oct. 2. Enjoy free park entry, gorgeous views, local food trucks, and a free screening of "Secrets of Great Salt Lake" on a new 3D theater screen. [Facebook] | | Utah Loves Libraries | The Beehive State has the second highest library use in the country, with more than 11 checkouts per person — nearly double the national average. That's according to federal data, which places Ohio ahead of Utah. [Axios Salt Lake City] | | Who is Great Salt Lake's Fattest Bird? | It's the final round for Grow the Flow's Fat Bird Week bracket; who deserves the crown, the snowy plover or the burrowing owl? Voting closes today (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. on the environmental advocacy group's Instagram. [Instagram] |
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| | | Did you know Utah voters support keeping Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante as national monuments by 71% and 74%, respectively, according to polling? Reducing each monument by more than 90% disregards the wishes of a majority of Western voters, including Utahns, who overwhelmingly support the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante monuments. Learn more about how you can help defend Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante! | | This message is paid for by The Wilderness Society and adheres to City Cast's policy on political advertising and the Federal Elections Committee policies and guidelines on political advertising. City Cast does not endorse any political candidates or election-related issues. |
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| | | From daily commutes to weekend adventures, Rocky Mountain Power’s growing network of fast charging stations helps keep EV drivers moving. Find charging locations and learn about programs designed to support electric transportation across Utah. |
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Looking for something cool to do this weekend? Check out this free opening reception on Friday, Oct. 2, for artist Mika Rane’s new work, “TANTARANTÁN,” at theFINDlab in Provo 👹 |
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