Gerrymandering's days could be numbered after Utah Supreme Court ruling on ballot initiatives.
Hits & Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Hit: Vox Populi
When the Utah Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling recognizing constitutional protections for ballot initiatives, citizen activists rejoiced. It was a seismic shock to supermajority lawmakers who thought their power was inviolate. Partisan redistricting basically guarantees incumbent Republicans safe electoral passage—a process known as gerrymandering, which voters tried to end in 2018. This ruling, of course, is not the end of the story. The high court remanded the case to the district court, where decisions will be made about Proposition 4's independent redistricting commission and whether fair maps must be drawn. Legislators are furious, predicting nothing less than an end to life as we know it, saying it will create chaos and strikes at the "very heart of the republic." Voters who had been silenced for decades probably think that the heart needed major surgery anyway.
Miss: In the Slammer
The Utah State Prison move was a shoutout to developers who'd been salivating for years over the financial potential. Lawmakers and the governor characterized it as necessary and promising. Now, two years after the new prison was dedicated, that promise is a dark reminder of what was lost. Gov. Spencer Cox had talked about the new programming that would help inmates leave for better lives. It was a way of justifying the cost of the prison which burgeoned to $1 billion while it was being relocated to an inhospitable area near the Great Salt Lake. A July 7 investigation by FOX 13 uncovered the sad truth that dozens of inmates lacked the treatment they were promised, often extending their sentences and leaving them with only idle time. "A video produced in 2015 by the Prison Relocation Commission even touted inmate therapies as a way to reduce recidivism and lower costs across the state's justice system," noted reporter Nate Carlisle. It didn't happen.
Miss: In the Weeds
Maybe you've heard of the Chevron deference, a precedent recently overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision made Rep. Burgess Owens a happy camper. Previously, if a law was ambiguous, the presumption was to defer to government agency experts to interpret it. Owens is co-sponsoring legislation to throw all that to the wind—rolling back agency rules until Congress gets around to spelling them out in law. That is patently ridiculous. Congress can barely legislate broad and important things like the budget or border. Who's to believe that any law Congress puts in place would be clear enough that no one questions its meaning? "This bill ensures that any rule with the force of law receives the scrutiny and approval of Congress, where the power to make laws rightfully belongs," Owens said. Apparently, he and other lawmakers are going to make a chronological list of rules and then decide what to do with them. We're waiting to see it all happen and expecting little, if only confusion.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
More by Katharine Biele
-
Utah's embarrassing legislative hangover—no mail-in voting, no Pride flags, no fluoride and no Sundance.
Hits & Misses
- Apr 2, 2025
-
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says Tesla protesters should go to jail for property damage.
Hits & Misses
- Mar 26, 2025
-
Scared white men get to work wiping America's history of women and minority characters.
Hits & Misses
- Mar 19, 2025
- More »
Latest in Hits & Misses
