SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE GREG CURTIS
BEFORE THE UTAH HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2005 GENERAL SESSSION
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2005
Fellow citizens, members of the media and my distinguished colleagues of the Utah House of Representatives, welcome to the 2005 General Session of the Utah State Legislature.
I stand here today because I am more comfortable standing before you than I am presiding over you.
Today we gather and convene this, the 56th General Session under unique circumstances.
We have the backdrop of the renovation of our magnificent capitol building. For roughly 90 years, this building has served as the meeting place and symbol of our democracy.
The dome, the balanced wings for the divisions of government, and the decorative elements with roots in ancient Greece and Rome, have always added credibility and distinction to the work that has gone on within its walls.
So today begins another fresh opportunity to look at new ideas: we have a new building, new leadership and a new governor.
We also have the opportunity to fix old problems with new solutions.
And yet we shouldn’t be afraid to use old, proven remedies to fix some of our new, difficult problems either.
Let’s not waste this opportunity. Let’s look to innovation - creativity - and progress.
Our change in leadership and our new surroundings will require that we do things differently. Sometimes this will be better, sometimes it will just be different, but hopefully it won’t ever be worse.
One difference will be my speeches.
As you know, Speaker Stephens quoted Alex De Tocqueville; Governor Leavitt quoted Tocqueville and even Governor Huntsman quoted him in his inaugural address. But me? I’ve merely been to Toquerville.
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Many fine men and women have come and gone before us. They have represented this State well and have made tough decisions.
While remembering the leadership of the past; our work is for the leaders of tomorrow.
So it matters less what the old guard thinks than it does how future generations live.
We must build a revitalized House of Representatives. This is a responsibility that I feel, but it is also one that I have asked for. I hope to bear it willingly; and I hope to bear it capably and humbly as well.
I hope that you do too.
For our job is to be close to the people; to be representatives of the people.
We walk our districts; we can’t just drive through them or fly over them. Their will is our will. We cannot go around it, over it, or under it.
Unlike any city, county, or state elected office – we go before the electorate every two years. We represent smaller areas - we know our communities - we know many of our constituents by name, and we know their concerns.
We are the house of the people.
The laws we make should reflect the people’s best interests. We cannot make people more free, because freedom rests with them.
The government can only get in freedom’s way.
So our laws should protect the people from government encroachment.
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As the House of Representatives, we have a constitutional role in this government. A role balanced with the Senate, but not one to duplicate the Senate.
As a legislature, we also have a balanced role to the Executive Branch.
And with our new chief executive, I was very pleased to hear the words of his inaugural address: it was an expression to lead, follow or get out of the way.
And I am encouraged about his stated desire to use political capitol for the public’s gain.
These words hold promise. Promise requires trust. And trust should not be broken.
And while we should cooperate with prudent leadership, we cannot and will not disregard our responsibility to be a check and a balance on executive power.
We can wait for opinion to force our hand, or we can lead. We can wait for our citizens to change their views and then respond, or we can see the direction and point the way.
But good intentions, big promises and lofty goals are not enough.
The public wants results.
So let me just tell you that this body will not be afraid to lead, whenever leadership is needed.
And we will not fear the critic, when his criticism stops progress.
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During the next 45 days we will hear and debate issues of taxation, transportation and education, just to name a few. These debates are extremely important, each view is valued, and every opinion is worthwhile.
But what is also important is that we debate these views with respect,
not animosity.
If you can make your point with a scalpel, then you should never use a
meat cleaver.
The aim of every debate should be progress, not just victory.
But at the same time, we should never assume that civility requires that we abandon our standards.
Tolerance means respecting others. It means that we work for our constituents, not our egos.
These words are as much for me as they are for anyone.
My goal as your speaker is to be fair, open and transparent.
But seriously, I have learned a lot of lessons over the past 10 years from my colleagues and my constituents.
I have learned some lessons the easy way and some the hard.
I have spent a lot of time over the past ten years developing relationships, and sometimes I have stepped on toes and occasionally I’ve been kicked in the shin.
And I’ve usually deserved the latter.
While I have spent a lot of time with my colleagues, trying to understand their issues and concerns. I have neglected to build a positive working relationship with the media. For the benefit of my colleagues and for this great institution, I pledge to do better.
I want to communicate more, not less. This includes better communication with my constituents and the general public. Toward that end, I will be communicating with my constituents and any other Utahn so interested through a website called “utahcitizen.com.”
I hope to keep the public better informed and to be better informed by them, as well.
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I am very humbled by the honor to serve you as Speaker of the House.
At the beginning of my comments I spoke about our historic Capitol Building: the symbol of our state’s democracy.
Yet today we sit outside that symbol.
This space, just like the Capitol Building, is simply a place to administer
government. It is the place we go to protect the people and their property.
It is the symbol of our state’s democracy, but it is not the substance.
The substance of our democracy is in the people we represent.
It comes from majority rule, tempered by constitutional protections of
the minority.
The substance is the beet farmer from Tooele who needs to pay for his
daughter’s college education.
The substance is the small business owner who is overwhelmed by the heavy
yoke of governmental regulations.
The substance is the child who simply wants to feel safe while playing
at the park.
So while we may be tempted to lament the discomfort of these tight quarters,
or to proclaim the importance of our great, symbolic State Capitol Building,
we should not.
Instead, let us remain uncomfortable that we are not doing enough to represent
our citizens, and let us proclaim through our works the protection of
their liberty.
The symbolism of the Capitol will be restored in a couple of years.
Let us recommit today to begin anew.
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On a very personal note – I want to express my deepest appreciation to my friends, and supporters – what a long strange trip it’s been.
I appreciate all of the friends I have today, but I will never forget those who stood with me yesterday.
Dr. Martin Luther King said “at the end, it is not the words of our enemies we remember . . . but the silence of our friends.”
My dearest friends never kept silent.
Finally, I want to express my love and affection for my family especially my children, my parents and my wife Teresa. Without their care and support, I would not be here today.
May God bless us that we exercise wisdom in our work, and that it will
be tempered by humility and justice.
And may God bless the Great State of Utah.