Both parties must learn from Parkway legacy

By Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb
Published: Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005 6:22 p.m. MDT
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Pignanelli: "Legacy" is a 15th-century European term for something given or transmitted by an ancestor. The Legacy Parkway is more than a much-needed transportation corridor to be used by generations of Utahns; it also serves as an example to our descendants of how to avoid similar pitfalls that plagued its development.

House Democrats first learned details of the litigation resolution from UDOT officials just a few hours before the press conference announcing the settlement of the lawsuit. No member of their caucus had been involved in the settlement negotiations. (Democratic Senator Ed Mayne was part of the negotiations team but was forbidden to share information with House colleagues because of confidentiality restrictions.) After their presentation, UDOT officials could not answer important questions posed by the Democrats. As a result, Minority Leader Ralph Becker stated that his caucus — which supports a new road for Davis County — would withhold endorsement until more information was forthcoming. Normally, the Democrats would be ignored, but a number of Republicans are upset, and Democrat votes are needed to pass the legislation in special session. By asking questions vital to taxpayers, commuters and homeowners, the excluded Democrats serve an essential role as the loyal opposition — despite being demonized for their efforts. While the Democrats' stance is temporary — they will not prevent construction of the highway — it does illustrate a reccurring problem behind Legacy Parkway.

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In the late 1990s, as the Mike Leavitt administration and UDOT started to formulate the specifics regarding Legacy Parkway, Democrats were not included or consulted. In fact, a reporter — seeking a response subsequent to the press conference announcing construction plans for Legacy — asked how then-Minority Leader Dave Jones was apprised of the project. If Jones, Becker and Senate Minority Leader Scott Howell had been included early in the process, they would have provided a valuable insight into anticipated responses by the environmental community. They could have easily worked with the well-respected Davis County Transportation Task Force Chairman Stuart Adams (now a state legislator) and other officials to craft a plan that avoided judicial concerns. Instead, sidelining the Democrats soon resulted in surrender of the construction process to environmental groups and the courts, which cost money and time. Also, Rocky Anderson was given a soapbox to launch frequent and outrageous condemnations of Davis County commuters (negligently forgetting their contribution to the Salt Lake City economy).

Bipartisan participation early in legislative and administrative matters is not some "fuzzy" ideal. It is how most federal programs are created. Leavitt, during his successful first term, was a master of inclusiveness and never worried about partisan attacks. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and other state leaders must remember the lesson of Legacy in future planning: Democrat numbers may be small, but our contributions can be huge.

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