A couple of items this week, starting with GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. deciding not to veto any bills or resolutions passed in the 2007 Legislature.
Not since the times of former Gov. Norm Bangerter has a governor not vetoed at least one bill or line-item appropriation.
According to Deseret Morning News stories of the past, Huntsman vetoed two bills in 2005, four bills in 2006.
Former Gov. Olene Walker, who moved up to the governorship in November 2003 when Gov. Mike Leavitt resigned to join the Bush administration, vetoed five bills from the 2004 Legislature.
And Leavitt, 11 years as governor starting in 1993, vetoed at least two bills after every general session. In 1996, Leavitt vetoed 12 bills, a modern-day record.
1996 was the year of Leavitt's first re-election. Several politicos are guessing now that Huntsman didn't veto any bills this year because he's looking forward to 2008, his first re-election campaign.
The theory is Huntsman doesn't want to anger any legislators — especially any GOP legislators — nor any special-interest groups who may be giving money to his re-election campaign.
But, like Leavitt in 1996, Huntsman is a champion fund-raiser and he carries very high approval ratings.
In other words, Huntsman is now in little trouble in his 2008 re-election. And Leavitt vetoed 12 bills the year of his first re-election where, ultimately, he won with a record statewide majority.
Thus, the argument that Huntsman didn't want to veto any bills this year fearing his re-election next year doesn't hold a lot of water with me.
However, I see some sense in Huntsman being so mild-mannered in 2007.
First, Huntsman and GOP legislative leaders were dedicated this past session to cordiality, kindness and fairness. They were all so kissy-face it was kind of off-setting, especially to the poor media reporters who cover the Legislature — a thankless job if ever there was one.
Huntsman's actions on signing bills reflects that atmosphere.
He even signed bills that took away some of his own power, especially in regulation of hazardous wastes, which he let become law without his signature.
Huntsman may have also not wanted to cloud, in any way, that good feeling.
The governor also got a great deal out of this Legislature, perhaps the largest win a unanimous vote in both the House and Senate for SB223, a massive tax reform/tax cut bill that gave Huntsman his main tax reform goal — a 5 percent personal income tax rate.
He also got another reduction in the sales tax on food — something that before the session started GOP senators said they would not vote for, not even consider. Yet they did.
So, Huntsman turned a blind eye to a few bills that he probably should have vetoed. Good feelings remain, and if a special session is needed later this year, it won't be colored in any way by vetoes.
The race for Salt Lake City mayor is under way. This year's contest, at least as the candidates now stand, has a unique twist. There are two well-financed, well-known Republicans — City Councilman Dave Buhler and former councilman Keith Christensen. J.P. Hughes is also a Republican, but he is less known in city politics.
The Democratic side has several good candidates, including Meg Holbrook, a former state Democratic Party chairwoman; House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake; County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson; City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton; and John Renteria.
The race is officially nonpartisan. But voters know the political parties of the major candidates — that was certainly the case in the past with no reason to think it will change in this election.
And in recent mayoral elections, the GOP candidates were defeated in the primary, and the final election was between two Democratic candidates. The last time a Republican made the final election — Buhler in 1991 — he was soundly defeated by the Democratic candidate.
In 1985, Republican candidate Merrill Cook was also defeated by then-Mayor Palmer DePaulis, a Democrat, in the final election.
So, the GOP mayoral candidates have an extra burden this year — how do they build coalitions that include most of their party members, yet also appeal to independents and even some Democrats in a manner that will allow them to get out of the primary election, which has been the death knell to so many GOP mayoral candidates in the past.
Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com