May 25, 2006

"The meeting that I had with the president (Fox) was all about...how to improve our links educationally in terms of public ed interaction, teacher exchanges, student exchanges, and what we can do university to university." -Governor Huntsman

Reporters: (in order of appearance):

KEN VERDOIA, KUED
ROD DECKER, KUTV
JENNIFER SANCHEZ, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
CHRIS VANOCUR, ABC4NEWS
RICH PIATT, KSL-TV
DAN BAMMES, KUER
LEE AUSTIN, UTAH PUBLIC RADIO
LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS
REBECCA WALSH, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
TOM JORDAN, METRO NETWORKS
BROCK VERGAKIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Transcript:

KEN VERDOIA, KUED: Governor, thanks for joining us today. We're coming right off the heels of a 24 hour whirlwind visit of President Fox to Utah. As a former ambassador and a trade representative for this nation, you know the difference between ceremonial and substantive. This one appeared to be very ceremonial and little of substance. Was there substance there, to begin with, and secondly, if merely ceremonial is there a benefit that accrues to Utah from that, as well?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Oh, I would disagree with that characterization. I'd say it was all substance. The meeting that I had with the president was all about increasing trade links, about planning for the next trade mission, which will take place in October, identifying with some precision and specificity the industries that we together want to target, how to increase and improve investment flows, how to improve our links educationally in terms of public ed interaction, teacher exchanges, student exchanges, and what we can do university to university. We're already looking at one such program with the National University in Mexico and the engineering department at the University of Utah.

So as far as I'm concerned, we were able to accomplish every substantive item that I had on the agenda in terms of promoting Utah's interests with Mexico. And the fact that we got him here in the first place, I think, speaks volumes about establishing Utah as the crossroads of the west. I mean he could have gone to Colorado, he could have gone to Arizona, he could have gone to Nevada. He came here, and I think that says something about our stature, about our relevance, about our increasing competitiveness, and the international focus that's being put on our state. And I think that's good. And there's going to be a lot to follow.

He was very, very interested in making sure that the next mission that is sent to Mexico in October is done with some preplanning, and we worked, as well with his Secretary of the Economy, Secretary Alba, in terms of what it is we want to achieve, and we'll follow up with him as well. So I'm very, very pleased with the substance of the visit. But the fact that he was able to reach out to different communities while he was here, I think, was a very, very important thing for President Fox to do.

He also gave a very, very substantive speech at the legislature on immigration. And you've got to remember that while he was here, Congress was preparing to vote on the most important piece of legislation, I think, in the history of U.S. Mexican relations, which was the vote on cloture yesterday. And right now they're deliberating in the Senate, final vote on the Senate bill. So there's a lot happening behind the scenes, and once the cloture vote was completed he then spoke out yesterday on immigration, and I thought there was a lot of substance attached to the trip.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: On immigration, you- - He talked in general terms, but he wants Mexico involved, and he wants it done bilaterally. As I recall that was not part, specifically, of the governors position that you worked out with other governors. Did he persuade you? Ought the United States to talk to Mexico and to work out a joint policy, rather than to proceed with a unilateral policy?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, the policy that is now being taken care of in the Senate is something that only the United States can do. Now you've got remember that behind that has got to be a lot of diplomatic interaction with the government of Mexico to make sure that Mexico delivers on their part of the relationship. So what is unstated through a lot of the discussion on immigration is that behind it all there's a very, very important bilateral relationship, perhaps the most important that we have as a country. Certainly in our neighborhood. And there's a diplomatic component, there's a military component, there's a regional security component, there's an economic development component.

And I think, at least I heard from the president when he was here, that the idea that there are 500,000 new jobs that have been created on the border on the Mexican side speaks volumes about what they are trying to do to address the issue of immigration. It's all about job creation. 750,000 new jobs, or homes that have been built, and are being built in Mexico to address this, as well.

I heard from him yesterday that it requires a shared solution, and the senate today will speak out on what it is the United States feels it needs to do in terms of enforcing the border, and some kind of pathway towards citizenship for the 10 to 12 million citizens who are here. President Fox will then return, and I'm sure he'll continue working on the things that he feels are an important part of his obligation toward finding a remedy for this problem.

JENNIFER SANCHEZ, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Governor, in the western plan, for the western governors, it talks about infrastructures on the border. What did you specifically mean by that? I know you are talking about fences or some sort of wall. You know, Fox said it in about three speeches that he is against having any kind of fences there.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, we never spoke out as governors about a fence or a wall. There's been talk --

JENNIFER SANCHEZ, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: What did you mean by infrastructure?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: By infrastructure, utilizing available technology that would support what currently is in place. You've got fences around the urban parts of the border, which is very, very appropriate, but supplementing that with ICE agents. There's talk in the senate, a bill that's being debated today about an additional six to 7,000 ICE agents. The national guard, as part of the Ensign amendment that I think was voted in the last couple of days that would provide another five to 6,000 on a temporary basis. UAV technology, sensor technology, lighting technology. One firm here in the state provides some of the greatest, most powerful spotlights in the world. They've actually deployed some of those on one part of the Arizona side of the border.

These are the kinds of things that can be done, where you don't have a fence in place. And so what we as governors were doing in addressing that section of comprehensive reform was to suggest that there's no way you're going to have a fence from end to end. There is a way that you can have fences around the urban areas. They're there, they're going to be supplemented. But in the vast open areas, there are certain types of technologies that ought to be deployed.

CHRIS VANOCUR, ABC4NEWS: Governor, your office responded quickly and strongly to comments made by Lou Dobbs from CNN. While you're here now, could you give us your own personal reaction to that? Do you think that was an appropriate comment, and what do you think his motivation was?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, he has a show that he airs every day. I don't know what his motivation was, specifically. I know that I was mischaracterized. I know the Catholic Church was mischaracterized, and I know the Mormon Church was mischaracterized. And I saw a segment in the governors mansion, the reporter was right down on my sidewalk in front of the home. I heard the report, I thought it was ridiculous. I walked down to the sidewalk and I talked to the reporter down there and I said, "I'd like to understand where you're coming from. You're talking about the president of Mexico paying me off, in a sense, for somehow carrying an amnesty program?" I said, "I'd like an explanation for that." So he called his producers and what not, in New York, and they were back in contact with us. We never got a clear explanation.

In the meantime I know leaders of the Mormon Church were concerned about what was said with respect to their work, which is largely humanitarian. The Catholic Church was brought into the same diatribe. So I don't know what it was all about, but I think it was without foundation. All people are trying to do is to find solutions here to a very complicated problem. Religions are doing their part, governments are doing their part.

As a governor, I don't have a lot of sway in Washington in terms of finding a legislative fix. All I'm doing is trying to express a level of frustration that a lot of western governors have with respect to this particular issue, and the need for a fix. But not just kind of a temporary fix, a comprehensive, long term fix. And I think that's what we're going to get out of the senate over the next couple of days. And I hope the house shortly thereafter.

CHRIS VANOCUR, ABC4NEWS: Was an apology offered?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Oh, I haven't, I'm not asking for an apology. I simply wanted clarity. If you're going to put something on the air and it's accurate that's perfectly fine. But if it's without foundation, I've got some concern about that. And I thought it was wholly without foundation. I'm not asking for an apology, I don't think anyone else is, and it is what it is, unfortunately.

RICH PIATT, KSL-TV: Governor, there were a lot of people on the plaza who were shouting comments to President Fox, and yourself, as you were walking across. Were you embarrassed by that? Do you expect it? What do you say to those people?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: That's called the background music of free speech. That's what makes our country great. I heard it at the mansion, I thought it was just fine, and I think President Fox felt the same way. In fact he's proud of the fact that he's brought a multi party democracy to Mexico, did so in 2000, first time since 1910.

You know, free speech is an important part of who we are. People want to assemble on my lawn and shout at me and call me names, that, listen that's part of who we are as Americans. That's part of our fabric as a country. I don't begrudge them that right. They had every right to be there and say whatever they wanted. They called me mean and nasty names, my wife was there. But that's fine. That's all part of the dialogue. And I'm darn proud that we have a country that allows that to take place.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED: Governor, there have been aspects of that that have gone one step further, and your office has received rather direct threats; is that not the case?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well we've had some pretty heated messages, which is fine. My office is the one, kind of where the buck stops, and I understand that. And when people get frustrated about issues they feel aren't moving in a particular direction, or direction they're happy with, we typically hear about it. And I understand that. And that's part of my responsibility, is to take those messages in and respond as gracefully as we can. And I accept that.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED: Have they crossed the line to threatening your personal safety?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I don't want to comment on that. Let me just say that we've had some messages that were, I think, a little disconcerting.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: Is there a criminal investigation?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: No, no.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: No one's investigating these threats?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: No.

DAN BAMMES, KUER: Governor, after yesterday's special session, would Medicaid recipients in the state of Utah be justified in feeling that no matter how much money the state has, no matter how big the surplus, Medicare, or Medicaid rather, dental and vision care are never going to be funded?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I don't like to think that that was the message. Although I had it on my list of priorities. I've said all along that as soon as we had an opportunity it would be on my list of priorities, and it was. We, sadly, were not successful. I think that means that we're going to have to look at other possible ways of addressing some of these issues. It is a real issue, and we have people in need in this state who are in need of root canals, who are in need of dental work on an emergency basis. They are blind, they are disabled, they are the aged, and I was very specific in what I was requesting.

We went back to the Health Department and I said I want to know with some specificity what the need is now, and what we need to address those needs. And so I what I asked for was, based on what I had heard from the experts, there is a need out there and there remains a need out there. And I'm going to do all I can to call upon dentists in the state to put forth a compassionate heart, and to see if they can't help us in solving some of these emergency cases. I'll work with our Department of Health to see if there isn't something additional that can't be done in addressing this issue. I plan on working with religious groups and others to see if we can't somehow cover the need that exists out there. Because it is real.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED: Governor, consistent with the legislative special session, I have to go to our Logan microwave site and a question from Lee Austin of Utah Public Radio. Lee?

LEE AUSTIN, UTAH PUBLIC RADIO: Thank you. Governor, as you know, many Republicans were uncomfortable being put in the position of having to vote on the Medicaid dental funding. The executive appropriations co-chair said it circumvents the process, the committee had held a hearing, and this very issue was not even ranked as a priority. And after various people lobbied for this coverage it comes up on the call, and they have to vote on this at the same time they're spending money on a parking garage.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I've been very consistent, Lee, in what I've asked to be on the special session call list. I've been consistent from the very, very beginning. And I'm sure it's a painful thing, as well, for a lot of people in the state to have to go without dental work, which is what is taking place. And we're going to have to work very hard to remedy that. The only power I have as it relates to the budget is to set priorities on a special session agenda. That, for me, was a priority, on an emergency basis. And I put it there, I've been talking about it for some time. Sadly, we weren't successful. But we're not going to stop with that.

LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS: Governor, to follow up on Lee's question, some Republican leaders feel that you put that on there just to embarrass them, that it had been made clear to you, as you discussed with leadership what you wanted on the call, that there were not the votes there. And in fact I understand that some leaders left a meeting with you understanding that that was not going to be on the call, and it turned up that way- -

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: - -Oh no, we always, we've always been- -

LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS: - -Did you feel you had the votes going in?- -

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Listen, if I did everything based upon secure number of votes we would never put anything forward. There's an element of risk involved in everything we do. I fail to see this through a political prism. This isn't a political issue. This is what's right for people in our state who are suffering right now. So I just have a hard time processing this in political terms. And so if someone is asking if I'm playing political- - of course I'm not playing political games. That's not what I do. I don't have a history of playing political games. I try to do what's right for the state. I put their needs first and foremost, and I try to get the work done.

Now, we even came up with a compromise solution whereby the money that would have been used came out of the Health Department, part of Medicaid D on a temporary basis, and we just needed that money to be extended beyond a certain date. And not even out of the general fund. But we were not successful there. So we tried every which way to try to compromise to find a solution. It wasn't kind of all or nothing. We went back and forth with a few ideas. And I thought in the end we would, that we might have political critical mass to make it happen.

LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS: Do you think lawmakers were playing politics then with the issue?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I don't want to put that before anyone. This is too serious an issue and it affects too many people in real teams to ever lay it at anyone's feet in political terms. I just refuse to do that. It's an issue, I want to get it resolved, I want to help those who suffer, and I'm going to continue trying to find solutions.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: The senators say there wasn't really the money there. They say that they left a $12 million hole in Medicaid on purpose. They underappropriated $12 million on purpose, as a cautionary warning to the bureaucrats, and that therefore if there's any extra money lying about, it should go into that $12 million hole. Is there, could you explain, please, where- - is this the money that was going to be clawed back and wasn't? Or is this in a special reserve fund? Can you explain please a little bit about the money? Was the money, in fact, there?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, have we had, rather, at the end of the session about a 3.2 spending cap limit under which we could have made this money available. Now the problem we're dealing with here is the fact that dental and vision is optional under Medicaid, it isn't a core service. I have a problem with that. That was a decision made federally, and I think it was a wrong headed decision. I fully intend, if I have an opportunity, to argue that it ought to be placed back as part of core services, in which case we wouldn't be having the problem we're experiencing today.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: Is the money there? Do you know where it is? Can you point to the money that was needed and say yes, it was there and they could have appropriated it, had they chosen to?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: The money is there, we had a million carryover from last year, and we had an additional million dollars that we could have found as part of the Medicaid part D program.

REBECCA WALSH, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Governor, your staff has said that you've lost some political capital fighting for this, but it looked like your staff was not really lobbying for this issue up there. There were whole hours when they were standing around, talking to people. Were they significantly lobbying for this, or was there a point during the day where you gave up on it?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well I don't think there's been a day in my entire political career as governor where I haven't had this issue as a priority. We fought if it last year, we've talked about it at every opportunity this time. You do the best you can, and the results are what they are. We'll continue to fight. This is an issue worth fighting for. We've got a great staff, and they do their best. And I think they were- - Listen, we do what we can in terms of lobbying.

REBECCA WALSH, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Was there a backlash? You didn't get the pay raise to go through and that was a direct result of this.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: And that's a different issue altogether. That was a cost of living adjustment, just under 3 percent for cabinet members. I'm not concerned about me. I give mine to charity, my increase.

REBECCA WALSH, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: But it was a symbolic vote, not to get that bill through?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: It may have been symbolic vote. And again, as I mentioned earlier, I find it absolutely impossible to process this in political terms. This is a human issue, it isn't a political issue. And I'm sorry, I just have a hard time making the political arguments. There are people out there who are in need, and it's up to us as decision makers, as public policy makers, to address those in real terms, and not political terms.

TOM JORDAN, METRO NETWORKS: Do you think that this issue adds to a sort of a growing public perception of Republicans as backing the wealthy at the expense of the poor? It seems to, there seems to be a growing sense nationally of the, a great deal of what's happened in congress and the tax cuts are going to people who live on capital gains. Do you think that this is something which might well have ultimately an impact on local elections?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well I'm a Republican, I was pushing for it. So again, I have a hard time parsing it into political terms. I think it's a human issue. And I think, again, it's not something that I would do any service to by trying to describe it politically.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: You've got $70 million lying around for tax cuts, or tax reform, and you had said that you were going to call a special session in order to take care of that problem. Is that still--I guess it's not a problem--take care of that $70 million good thing. Is that still, do you still intend to call a special session on the $70 million? Is that still unfinished business? And if so, will you find a couple of million bucks, point it out carefully to them, and suggest that they spend it on teeth?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, there's always the possibility of a supplemental in time. I have no plans for another special session. I am interested in tax reform, I want to get that done right, but timing is important, too. And I want to make sure that we are comfortable with the way in which the numbers are prepared. We got bad numbers last time, and I don't want that to happen again. And part of the special session call asked for the sharing of information coming out of the tax commission with the legislative analyst's office and with our office. So you're going to have three people crunching numbers, and I think we'll gain some level of consistency. But right now there's no interest on my part in calling a special session for tax reform.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: That, excuse me, that seems, then, to mean that you'll be collecting for, at least until the regular session, a half of, part of that $70 million, you'll be collecting at that extra $70 million rate with nothing to spend it. People will be paying the money in, and there'll be no purpose for that payment. Is that a fair interpretation?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, if I understand what you're saying, the $70 million will be, if we don't do anything in the meantime, will be carried over to the next session.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: It'll be collected. You don't start collecting it until next fiscal year, right?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: That's right.

ROD DECKER, KUTV: So from June 30th, or whatever, at least until the general session meets, people will be paying at a $70 million higher rate than there's any plan for, than there's any necessity for.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: No action has been taken on that $70 million. That $70 million is being held until such time as we take action on tax reform. It's earmarked specifically for purposes of tax reform. It can't be used for anything but tax reform. And if we don't do anything by way of a special session, it'll be carried over to next year, and I hope at that point we're prepared to do something on tax reform. But I don't want to be precipitous, I don't want to do anything prematurely. I want to do something based upon real numbers and ideas that are rock solid.

LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS: Governor, what are the chances of reaching any kind of agreement on a tax reform package, now, with a Republican legislature, given what we just saw in the special session? You seem to be moving further apart from the GOP majority in the legislature, even than you were when you couldn't get your tax reform package through during the general session.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well listen I think there was a lot of support coalescing around tax reform. As well there should be. It was getting the notes right on the sheet music, which is what we're all working hard to do. And once we're there I think we'll get a lot of legislative support. We're just not there yet.

But I don't know that you can extrapolate one special session or one afternoon as being something that is now a permanent divide between one group and the governor's office. These are tough issues, and sometimes you're going to have differing opinions on how best to proceed. And you know, we do have a government that does have different branches. We've sometimes viewed the world a little bit differently, as well we should. We have different constituencies, and that's all part of the give and take of the legislative process. And may it always be that way, might I add. That's part of our system.

LISA RILEY ROCHE, DESERET MORNING NEWS: Governor, is there anything you think you could have done differently to get that Medicaid funding through, either through the general session, or through the special session? Do you feel that your approach was the best way, now in retrospect?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, it was the only way, in retrospect. And we weren't successful. We'll try something different. But I feel there's no sense in playing Monday morning quarterback on something like this.

JENNIFER SANCHEZ, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Governor, can I bring it back to the Fox's visit? Fox is leaving, his term is expiring in December so he will no longer be in office. So what are you doing to maintain all the work you've done under President Fox, and maintain those relationships, carry through with all of these ideas you guys might have? What are you doing to make sure that that continues?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, it's a very good question, and I think what is important about their delegation's visit is that you have four state governors who were here, you had members of the cabinet, you had members of congress, and you had CEOs of some of their leading companies. And they all left with, I think, a very strong impression of our state, and opportunities between us economically, culturally, and educationally.
And so President Fox will leave office, and it's hard to know who's going to take his place, whether the PAN party candidate or Operador, we'll know soon. But if it is the PAN party candidate, chances are many of the policies will remain the same. And that PAN party candidate has surged in the polls as of late, and it looks like he has a very, very good chance in July of replacing Fox. So I think because of the- -

JENNIFER SANCHEZ, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Have you spoken to Calderon? Have you had any talks with him yet?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I have not had any interaction with him, but we certainly had a lot of interaction with many members of the cabinet who will be part of the transition of whatever the new government is, and CEOs who will be in place regardless, and governors who will be in place regardless. And so there was a lot of good work done in terms of those who are going to be there on a more permanent basis. But you have to remember that I think President Fox has been an historic figure in Mexican politics, and I think he will continue to play quite a prominent role behind the scenes.

RICH PIATT, KSL-TV: Governor, were his comments about the immigration issue somewhat different privately than what he stated publicly? I think there's a lot of people who still perceive that the Mexican government doesn't really care about the immigration problem, and this is a U.S. problem. They say they want to help solve it. Do you get the sense that they really do?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: I get the sense that they really do. And I think for President Fox, a whole lot of it is about economic development. He knows that they need a million jobs a year on the Mexican side of the border to help address this issue. They have 500,000 new jobs that have been created, their economy is performing in a most unprecedented way. I think they're at 4.55 percent growth. While not 8 to 10 percent that China's experiencing, or 7.5 that India's experiencing, they're performing very, very well, and with that will be a lot of new jobs.
And I think he's approaching it, from what I have picked up you know, I don't want to be his spokesperson, here but I think he sees at least one solution here as being job creation, and I think he's absolutely correct. There needs to be more jobs on the Mexican side of the border. More in the way of opportunity, more in the way of an upsurge in economic performance. And if you look at the last six years under his leadership that's exactly what they've seen. And I think that, as much as anything else, is going to address the whole migration problem longer term.

BROCK VERGAKIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS : Is there anything the state of Utah can or should do to make it less hospitable for illegal immigrants to come here?

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: To make it less hospitable?

BROCK VERGAKIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS : Uh huh, less desirable for them to choose Utah.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Well, this is an issue that's driven by federal law, and there will be new laws on the books very, very soon. And unilaterally, I think we just need to abide by the laws that are on the books. And we'll have new laws, and I suspect that there will be a stronger border as a result of what's going on. I suspect that there will be new ways in which we handle those who have been here more than five years. Those who have been here less than five years, and those who have been here less than two years. And we then need to understand the law of the land. And we've got to remember that America has been complicit in this problem for years and years. We've not done enough to address it, and now we are.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED: And with that, Governor, we are out of our allotted time. Thank you very much for joining us.

GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN: Thank you very much.

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