What You Need to Know About Utah Politics Today – December 5, 2013

Countdown: There are 53 days until the start of the 2014 Legislature, 201 days until Utah’s 2014 primary elections, 334 days until the 2014 midterm elections, 698 days to the 2015 elections, 762 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses and 1069 until the 2016 presidential election.

  • Gov. Gary Herbert unveils his $13 billion budget proposal [Utah Policy, Tribune].
  • That budget does not address Medicaid expansion, and Utah Democrats want to know why [ABC 4].
  • Sen. Mike Lee picks up a big endorsement for his re-election…in 2016 [Utah Policy, Tribune].
  • Rep. Chris Stewart takes a spot on the influential House Appropriations Committee [Tribune].
  • Regulators give the thumbs up to a plan to address winter air pollution along the Wasatch Front [Tribune].
  • Cottonwood Heights officials are not happy with the private company they contracted for snow removal after it was a big bucket of fail during Tuesday’s snowstorm [Tribune].
  • Richard Davis says the Utah Attorney General’s office should remain elected instead of appointed, despite the John Swallow mess [Deseret News].
  • Utah is one of only three states where top-members of the judiciary don’t have to disclose their personal assets [Standard-Examiner].
  • Salt Lake City gets ready to take the wraps off the new Sugar House Streetcar [Tribune].
  • Logan Mayor-elect Craig Petersen resigns from the Cache County Council in order to take his new office [Logan Herald Journal].
  • Utah journalists are joining a Cottonwood Heights man in calling on Canyons School District to release footage of a student altercation involving the man’s son [Deseret News].