October 27, 2003 (---last Leavitt transcript---)

I am not prepared to support the importation of waste that is any hotter, that is to say any more radioactive than what we are currently taking. There's some disagreement as to whether or not the waste that is the subject of this debate is or is not hotter than they are currently licensed to receive.

Reporters (in order of appearance):

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7
JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5
DAN BAMMES, KUER Radio
TOM JORDAN, Metro Networks
MAX ROTH, FOX 13 News
CRAIG HISLOP, Utah Public Radio
SEAN MASTERSON, KSL Radio

Transcript:

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: Good evening, thanks for joining us. An advisory at the top of our exchange today- -This news conference is being taped on Monday morning. Later today there will be a vote in the United States Senate which can carry substantial weight in the confirmation process of Governor Leavitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency. As we meet in the morning, obviously we do not have the benefit of the outcome of that vote. So Governor, let's begin with something else. You have stated many, many times that whether it's four days or 400 days, Utah's issues will be at the top of your priority list as you sit as governor of the state of Utah. One of those issues gaining great attention in the past couple of weeks have been the efforts of Congressman Rob Bishop to have wording changed that could enable higher level of radioactive waste to come into Utah, most likely to the Envirocare hazardous waste disposal facility in Tooele County. How do you view the congressman's actions? Are you supportive? Do you resist them? And why?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: I am not prepared to support the importation of waste that is any hotter, that is to say any more radioactive than what we are currently taking. There's some disagreement as to whether or not the waste that is the subject of this debate is or is not hotter than they are currently licensed to receive. There's a lot of scientists who disagree on that. There's a long time between now and the time any such waste would come into the state, and we'll simply have to work through that process to determine what the licensing boards, what the scientists say. In the meantime, this matter resides in Congress.

JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5: Would you call on Congressman Bishop to pull that, try to attempt to pull that provision if you don't think this is- - Sounds like you're saying you don't support this. Would you go to that point?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: What I'm saying is that the debate is whether or not the material that they want to bring in has more radioactivity than that which they are currently licensed to bring in. And I don't know the answer to that. And I've spoken with scientists who are unsure, and there's conflicting descriptions of it, and I don't know the answer to it. The debate has come about because, in Congress they want to change a definition. If that occurs, and they change the definition, then they will have to apply to bring it in. We'll actually have very little say, except that, except the transportation issues. I guess the point is I'm still trying to learn the scientific basis of the objection. But as a principle, I don't support importing radioactive material that has more substance, or more radioactivity than what we are currently importing.

TOM JORDAN, Metro Networks: You are obviously, until some change takes place, facing a lot of state-level issues. Seems to me the biggest one we're up against is educational funding. If the Office of Education is right it could be almost 400 million dollars to implement both No Child Left Behind and then Performance Plus. Where's that money going to come from?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Well, it won't happen all at once, but it will happen. It has to. Not just because of Performance Plus and not just because of No Child Left Behind, but because we are so dramatically under invested right now in our schools. We're 40 percent below the national average before we start. Performance Plus and No Child Left Behind are important quality enhancers and they change, in fact, the very nature of the way we measure our progress in the state, and I support them. But they will require additional funding that will have to be incremental. The budget that'll be presented in December will have some increment to move toward that, and we'll implement it as we have the money, and as we have the capacity logistically. We can't implement all of this at one time anyway.

DAN BAMMES, KUER Radio: Governor, as you prepare that state budget that comes out in December, are you feeling encouraged that perhaps the state's economy is starting to pick up a little bit of steam? There was report this morning about venture capitalists being a little bit encouraged that maybe Utah business is ready to take off. Do you feel encouraged as well?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: The economy will recover, it's a question of when. We've been saying for some time that it was prepared and we're ready to do it. I've also believed that, and continue to believe that Utah's economy will not have a major upswing until the national economy does. And I can feel, as I suspect everyone can, based on what you're suggesting, that the stock market's moving forward, the leading indicators are good, there's a sense of rhythm and cycle that happens, I think it will occur. It likely will not be a boom, but it will clearly move us forward in a positive way. We're beginning to see positive employment numbers now in the state, we're starting to see indications that our tax revenues are firming up. They're not increasing in dramatic form, but I feel optimistic. This is just a matter of time. It's not a question of will it ever recover. It will recover. It's just a question of when.

TOM JORDAN, Metro Networks: On that issue, of sooner or later it will recover, what is your take the Mascaro-Jones bill on eliminating child tax credits for educational funding? Beyond two children or something like that.

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: The Mascaro-Jones bill is essentially a way of raising tax dollars. There are lots of different ways to raise tax dollars. The question isn't at this point how should we do it, the question is, should we do it? Once the decision has been made whether it should be done or not, if it includes enhanced revenues at some point in the future, that will clearly be discussed and debated. Whether it's the best way or not, I don't know.

MAX ROTH, FOX 13 News: Governor, you met with the governing board of Utah's largest trade show Outdoor Retailer a few months ago regarding them trying to get them to stay in our state. They've just come out with some criticism saying that you're not putting your money where your mouth is. You suggested some things that you would do. They say right now all that they've seen is talk. How would you respond to that?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: I was surprised by that, because we're doing everything we said we would do. In fact I've got a couple of actions that'll be taken in the next week or two that will essentially consummate things we've been working on for nearly two and a half months, now. I don't think there's an acre of land that's been adversely affected yet. There's a group of oil wells that are planning to be, working toward permitting, and I'll be weighing in on those to protect certain section of the ground that I think has high recreation value. It wasn't lost on me that the letter was sent at 12:20 on a Sunday afternoon to the media before it got to us on the day before I'm supposed to be confirmed or at least have an action on my confirmation. I suspect that that's just one of the things that you can expect to occur when you go through circumstance like this.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: We have a followup to this question from our microwave location in Logan and a question from Craig Hislop. Craig?

CRAIG HISLOP, Utah Public Radio: Governor, as a further question on that issue, the outdoor retailers said they don't want to do business with a state that doesn't appreciate the value of its matchless scenery. I think I'm quoting them pretty much directly. How do you react to that?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Well, I want to make clear that we do value it, and that's the reason I spent the time did I while they were here, and why I've taken substantial actions to make clear that we're not going to allow one acre of land that has wilderness quality, that is to say 5,000 contiguous acres and meets the definition of the law. I've also committed to inventory the outdoor recreation sites, all of that is happening. Everything I said we would do, we're doing. And I, I was disappointed to see the letter come. We'll respond for it, it won't change our action, we still intend to do those things. I've got an executive order that will be issued at the proper time that will memorialize a number of the things that were committed to. But I've had people on the ground in certain of the areas in the last two months actually surveying areas for protection. As I said, a letter came in by e-mail at 12:20 on a Sunday afternoon, when there's nobody in the governor's office, and it went to the media first. And it was, I suspect, intended to make a point, and they made their point, and my point is we're doing everything we committed to do because we value them very much, and want to make it an industry. We're forming an economic ecosystem with this executive order that will literally focus all of our intended, many of our economic activities around this. We've launched a new advertising campaign in state government that keys on it. I mean I want to make clear we value it very much, and value the conversation and the dialogue that we've had with the outdoor retailers, and intend to continue it.

JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5: Governor, on the EPA job, should it come to a recess appointment, is that something that you would accept?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: That's not been part of any discussion we've had at the White House. I'm optimistic that the Senate will do their job. And as you know, I have laid out a schedule for the next many weeks, and I intend to carry forward on my obligations as governor. And it's a busy schedule, an aggressive schedule, and one that I enjoyed doing, and I'll continue to work here until I'm confirmed, and then, and if I'm confirmed then I'll give the job of administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency the same level of energy.

JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5: From Washington in terms of the prospects of that in the next few days, the cloture vote, does it look like it's going to happen, or might happen?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Well, I've learned to expect the unexpected. I feel optimistic in time it will. It's clear that there are lots of dynamics playing out here. There's both the issue of my fitness to serve and the issue of the disagreement between many on the committee and within congress, with policies of the president. And I understand that. But I feel optimistic in time it will resolve itself. It's a series of steps, I expect something will happen this week, I'm just not sure what.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: You have been involved in politics virtually your entire adult life. Has there been any process of this confirmation, or any part of this process, that's truly stunned you with the way it could develop far beyond your expectations?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Well, it has pretty well parallelled what I expected. But whenever, when it actually happens it's different than when you anticipate it. I'm certainly ready for it to be resolved. It- - I continue to do my job as Governor, I think I'm working as hard at that as I can, and there have been some double duty that I've been pulling, and it will be good, I think, for the Environmental Protection Agency to have it resolved. They've been without leadership for quite some time, now, and having an agency of that size, that importance, that complexity, without a permanent leader is not a good thing. So I hope it'll be resolved relatively soon.

SEAN MASTERSON, KSL Radio: One of the things you had talked about, some of the things you do have control over is your transition. Last week you meet write your cabinet to discuss the transition. They made it sound like it was a very smooth transition. We didn't get to hear about the transition plan. Your take on last week's meeting with your cabinet on a possible transition if, in fact, it comes about.

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: When it became evident that this might occur, I called a group of trusted staff people together, and asked them to head a transition team that would create what I referred to as a transition module. I wanted them to develop a plan, put it on the shelf, so that it could be activated with anywhere from two or three days to a week's time, without interrupting the flow of business, in fact, to create the, in essence, a relay where we can work very closely together between the Lieutenant Governor and I. And if at any point in time this comes about we'll simply hand the baton from one to the other. And I feel like they've done a very good job of putting it together. If, in fact, this occurs, there will be a decision that needs to be made as to what day the transition will occur. They will then activate the transition plan. It calls for things as mundane as the physical change from one office to another, to the collection of the proper artifacts and things that have been in my office, down to the legal transitions as to what has to be signed and who now begins to be the official signature on various things, and what has to happen to notify various people. And they've done a good job in putting it together, and I feel quite clear that it may be the smoothest transition that's ever happened in the history of transitions in this state. But it hasn't occurred yet, and when it does we'll be ready.

DAN BAMMES, KUER Radio: Governor, wildfires in southern California are causing serious damage, some loss of life there. The state of California's asked for help from Nevada and other neighboring states. Have they asked for help from Utah? And does Utah have any state resources that it could offer to that emergency?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Dan, first of all it's good to have you back.

DAN BAMMES, KUER Radio: Thank you.

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: We are- - We are part of an intermountain fire effort with ongoing standing treaties among the states to deploy fire equipment whenever it's needed. I feel confident that at this moment there are Utah resources on that fire, and all of our resources are available to them, as theirs are to us in such a circumstance.

JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5: On those wild fires, Governor, and on our drought as well, you know, they haven't had any moisture, I don't know, since August or September and neither have we. Our average temperature for the past year was 2.6 degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service. Do you think that climate change, global warming, is having an impact on the west, and that that is an element of what's going on in our region, and if so, is it something we need to address?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: I don't know the answer to that. That's obviously a subject on which I have given quite a bit of study recently. It's clear that the temperature of the earth's surface has increased, it's clear that greenhouse gases, the increase in greenhouse gases is occurring, and that some of it may, likely is due to human interaction and behavior. What the actual- - How much of it is a natural phenomenon and how much of it is a cycle, we don't know yet. There's lots of research being done. It's something we started looking at a couple of years ago in the state, and concluded that we could not draw any conclusions at this point, but that we needed watch and do everything we can to respond when we know more.

TOM JORDAN, Metro Networks: On the issue of the drought, the long-range forecast is not looking so optimistic right at the moment, I know and state agencies are trying to plan for what might happen next year. You've been pushing all the way along to try to end water subsidies. It doesn't seem to have gone much of anywhere. Does this mean that we will continue subsidizing a water system? Is there something that you can still push on at the moment to try to push that forward?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: Well, I've felt strongly that rate payers, those who pay, who use the water, ought to pay for the water, and its development, and I think it's also a very good means of being able to achieve conservation. May I say I think the people of our state did an extraordinary job this year in conserving water, nearly 20 percent reduction in our water use, and I don't think we can overstate what a profoundly important thing they have done and are continuing to do. I am seeing a number of local water companies use pricing as a conservation means, so I think my message is getting through. I'm just not sure that we have got the tax policy yet in line. The day will come when that happens. It may or may not be on my watch, but it's been an important message to carry forward because it's right, it makes a lot of sense, and not to use tax dollars to subsidize water when it essentially makes the price artificially lower. And I think people see the logic of it, they're just not prepared to give the subsidy up yet.

SEAN MASTERSON, KSL Radio: Governor, back to California for just a second. Since the last time we met there's been a recall election out there, they're going to have a new governor who has kind of an illustrious history. Your thoughts on Gray Davis going out. What kind of relationship did you have with him? And what kind of relation are you looking forward to, if, in fact, you're still around to have one with Arnold Schwartznegger?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: I've actually met Arnold Schwartznegger several times, and he's a very smart man. And he's got a big personality. Big enough, maybe, to move California through some difficult times. I think that's one of the unique characteristics that he brings to the job is his ability to just have a big- - He takes up a lot of space, I don't mean that physically, I mean he's just, he's a big personality who can draw attention and capture the public and their interest, and that's what it's going to require. I have respect for Governor Davis. He's gone through difficult times. I know that, and I think all of us understand that this wasn't what, California's doings weren't entirely his fault. He would not have had them happen the way they did either. People of California just decided they needed a change in direction and it generated, it self-generated it, and I hope he, I hope the best for him.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: Governor, a number of times in this news conference setting we've discussed fiscal crisis facing other states and Utah's ability to weather much of the storm. California is in an advanced state of fiscal crisis, and Governor Schwartznegger, or Governor-elect Schwartznegger, if you will, has indicated his belief that the federal government has a responsible role to help California sort out its fiscal mess. This is reminiscent of an argument that was made in the 1970's regarding New York City. How do you view, as a chief executive, this relationship between state or local government to federal government and fiscal management?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: It is California's responsibility to sort this problem out. Whether or not there will be those who say we've got to have federal help, I don't know. But it's California's responsibility to make sure that they put their own fiscal house in order. No state, no state is alone, now, with its financial house. There are problems that federal law dictate. It's possible, I suppose, that as Governor Schwartznegger and those who will advise him start looking at this budget crisis they might change some of the state's policies on welfare, for example. They might change some of the policies on education, they might change some of the policies on health care for the poor. They'll have very few options. They have very little flexibility. And if you take those three items you're dealing with probably 60 to 70 percent of the entire California budget. My sense is that where Governor-elect Schwartznegger may need help is in providing the flexibility necessary to be able to do what has to be done to bring that into place. And it's important, because the truth is the national economy will never fully recover until California gets it right. We all have a stake in this. We won't, as a state, fully recover until the United States economy improves, and the United States economy cannot find its full legs until California, which is nearly 20 percent of the entire population, and a substantial percentage of our gross national product, gets their economy in place.

MAX ROTH, FOX 13 News: Governor, the trial tomorrow of Tom Welch and Dave Johnson begins in federal court. I wonder if you've been given any indication of whether you're going to be asked to testify, and if you could restate to us your understanding of the giving of gifts and what federal prosecutors are calling bribes in this case.

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: You know, there's really nothing new in any of that, that I have to report. And it will go forward, and as it does we'll all be pleased to have it over.

JOHN DALEY, KSL Channel 5: If you're asked on the stand point blank, "Did you know about these gifts, payments, goodies, et cetera," you'll say?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: The same thing I have from the very beginning, and nothing's changed. If I'm called upon, as any other citizen, I will of course respond.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: What is the best case scenario, in your opinion, at the end of this trial process? What do you hope will be the case?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: I hope that justice is done, whatever it is. And I don't think anyone is certain at this moment what that means. But that's why we have this kind of a system. This is a hard, hard thing for everyone involved.

DAN BAMMES, KUER Radio: Governor, when you first took office you outlined something that you called a Utah health print. Your hope was that eventually you would be able to extend insurance coverage to people of Utah who did not have it. Where do we stand on that, as you are winding up your time in office? And what do you feel good about? What still needs to be done?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: The most gratifying piece of that to me is that 400,000 people have health insurance that didn't have it when I became governor, 400,000 more people. When I became governor, the penetration of our, of health care to children was in the mid-80 percent range, and now it's in the low to mid-90's. We've made substantial progress, particularly on children. We've been able to get the 400,000 additional by taking incremental steps. We were first able to extend Medicaid to the blind, aged, and disabled, and then we were able to increase to a slightly larger group of children, then we had the Children's Health Insurance plan and the Primary Care Network, and we had insurance reforms that gave people the ability to buy health insurance from the private market. Every one of those little pieces have stacked up to 400,000 more people having health insurance than had it before. Is the system perfect? No. But we're getting very close to the fact, for example, that every child is able to find some kind of health insurance. Now whether their parents get it for them, or whether they all feel like they can afford it, that's a different problem. But we have made substantial progress. I feel good about the health care progress that's been made in the last ten years.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: Governor we only have about a minute left in our allotted time this morning, and through your admonition we've resisted the temptation in August, September, and October to use the word "last," in association with this news conference. So let me phrase this gently. As you look at this day in October at what you have done over these previous years, and the fact that you may be moving on to new territory very soon, do a summing up for me in the final one minute of this program of what you feel most proud of in the past ten years, and what still needs to be done.

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: This is a better place to live than it was ten years ago. It was a great place when I became governor, but I have seen the state develop, not simply through my own actions but I've been part of it. We're leaving it better than we found it. I think the state is positioned economically for a very optimistic future. It's a place that I look forward to living, having my children live, and my grandchildren live, for generations to come, and I'm pleased that I've been able to contribute to that.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: And still to be done?

GOVERNOR LEAVITT: There's much to be done still. Educating our children, our work force, working our way through what I think will be a dramatic demographic change over the course of the next 25 years, those may be two of our most significant challenges.

KEN VERDOIA, KUED Channel 7: Thank you, Governor. A reminder that a transcript of this and every news conference is available on line at www.uen.org courtesy of Utah Education Network. Until the next time we gather in this studio for the Governor's Monthly News Conference, thank you for joining us, and good evening.

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