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By Lyle Hillyard
Senator, District 25

Friday night, as I was leaving my Senate office, I was called by a local reporter for the Logan newspaper, The Herald Journal. This reporter’s publisher had been informed by a fellow publisher that I was frustrated with his paper and he wanted to know why. As we discussed the problem, I found out that the report resulted from my short interaction with the publisher of the Tremonton paper. He had come to the Capitol to visit with legislators about a bill that would change how legal notices are published and how it impacted his small rural paper. I had seen the note he left me during my time on the floor and when I had gone outside, I ran into my good friend Bonnie Miller who publishes The Record in Salt Lake, which carries an abundance of legal notices. She explained her concerns with the bill.

I had never met the Tremonton publisher, and therefore did not recognize anyone else outside waiting for me so I went to an event in the Rotunda. As I was walking back to the Senate for an appointment (for which I was late), I ran into Rep. Ronda Menlove from the Tremonton area. She happened to be talking to the publisher who had been looking for me earlier in the day. Because I was late, I did not take adequate time to discuss with him but listened quickly as he told me his problem. Unfortunately, I am prone to make snide remarks and I made the comment, meant in jest, that when the newspapers are always beating up legislators, it is not easy for us to grant them what they want. This comment troubled the publisher, and he passed the word along to the Herald Journal publisher, and thus the call to me was made.

As I drove home, I thought about that call. Here a man, even though not in my district, had taken the time and trouble to come to Salt Lake to talk about an issue that was very important to his work and, I expect, important to many of the rural newspapers. I was ashamed that I had not respected that effort and vowed that I would change.

That night, I received several calls about issues that were likewise rather minor for the overall work we are doing. But as I changed my approach and began to respect them for taking the time and often overcoming the fear of calling a State Senator, I found that they had valuable information that I found helpful.

Thanks to Charles of the Herald Journal and his call, I will really try to be more considerate and less busy. I think we all need to be considerate to our constituents and more accessible to the general public.

2 Comments:

 Justin said...

The Wall Street Journal opinion section is notoriously right-wing. This is an opinion. If you believe the bailout money is a long-term trap, then don't take it. The Legislature won't have to adjust the state's budget to make use of the Federal money, and you'll avoid the "budget trap" that this editorial predicts.

Seems to be as simple as that. The majority of our delegation voted against it anyway. Why not stand up on principle and refuse the money?

2/23/2009 3:20 PM  

 The Lady Logician said...

Justin - did you mean this comment for the post about the WSJ column on the budget traps of the stimulus bill? It sure seems that way.

Sen. Hillyard - thanks for sharing this. It is a lesson we all need to be mindful of in our hectic lives.

LL

2/25/2009 8:45 AM  

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