Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has strategically backed down on proposals to assist the state's working poor and small businesses struggling to pay rising health care costs, the Utah Democratic Party has charged.
In a recent news release, the party accuses Huntsman of advocating a wait-and-see approach on two issues in particular — an increase in the state's minimum wage and allowing small business owners to buy into the Public Employee Health Plan — in order to increase his popularity during future legislative sessions.
"I am concerned that it appears that the governor may be stalling popular legislation until the session before his re-election," party chairman Wayne Holland said in the statement. "The benefits to the people of Utah are clear. It is not responsible governing to wait."
Huntsman's deputy chief of staff Mike Mower called the reference to any re-election politicking a "disingenuous political statement."
"The governor is very focused on helping Utah's working families, including small business owners," Mower said Monday.
Which is why, he said, Huntsman's priorities this year include lowering the state's personal income tax rate and removing the sales tax on unprepared food.
"These are actions that will undoubtedly benefit working Utahns," Mower said.
Huntsman has expressed support for the two issues cited by the Democrats in the past, but has not formally supported two bills — now being considered by the Legislature — specifically dealing with them.
SB43, sponsored by Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley City, calls for a raise in the state's minimum wage from $5.15 to $7 per hour. And HB122, sponsored by Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, would allow small business owners to insure their employees through the newly created Utah Small Business Health Plan, administered by PEHP.
HB122 supporters say it would reduce health care costs to small business owners by spreading risk among all the 178,000 Utahns insured by the private, non-profit company.
Rather than urging a cautious approach on the PEHP buy-in for political reasons, Judi Hilman with the Utah Alliance for Health Policy Solutions suspects Huntsman has been swayed by Utah's powerful for-profit health plans.
"It is particularly threatening to them," she said.
Still, Hilman finds it curious that a governor so focused on economic development wouldn't throw his support behind the proposal.
"We all know darn well the best way to be No. 1 in economic development is to take care of the (health care) access problem," she said.
According to the Alliance, increasing health insurance premiums causes 4,000 Utahns to lose their benefits annually. Additionally, only 55 percent of the state's small business owners provided benefits to their employees in 2003.
But Mower made clear Monday that Huntsman isn't against the idea on its face, it's just that he wants additional information before going forward.
"It's an interesting proposal — it needs further review," Mower said.
E-mail: awelling@desnews.com