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Romney wants earlier Utah primary. Shurtleff passes on re-election. Huntsman visits Utah.
Happy Tuesday. Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. will be in Utah today for a fund-raiser and to tour a medical testing company in the Salt Lake Valley. He'll also speak to reporters but is not holding any type of rally like Mitt Romney did last Friday that drew hundreds to Hires Big H. [Trib] [ABC4] [Fox13]
Topping the news: Romney's camp has been pushing Utah to move its 2012 primary up from its scheduled June date. Lt. Gov. Greg Bell, the state's chief elections officer and Romney backer thinks its a good idea. The downside for taxpayers? A price tag of close to $3 million. [Trib]
-> The LDS Church reminds full-time leaders to steer clear of political endorsements or contributions but clears the way for area authorities and lay leaders to do so — clearly leaving area authority Jon Huntsman Sr. the ability to back his son. [Trib]
-> ABC4's Chris Vanocur scoops that AG Mark Shurtleff will not seek re-election. [ABC4]
-> Sen. Mike Lee's now-chief of staff, Spencer Stokes, sold his lobbying firm in Utah for $1.1 million, disclosure reports show. [TheHill]
2012 watch: Romney calls for working across the aisle and that Democrats and Republicans should find "common ground." [WaPost]
-> The anti-abortion Life Site News says Huntsman's pro-life push is marred by his past support for embryonic stem cell research. [LifeSiteNews]
-> Huntsman drops the Jr. as he seeks the White House. [Trib]
-> Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz says he only asked his brother, BYU student and Rick Santorum backer Thomas Schultz, for advice on his statement on Huntsman skipping the Iowa caucuses. [Trib]
-> Utah Policy's Jordan Garn says Huntsman's Utah problem is illustrated by how the people he helped rise to political office have yet to endorse him. [UtahPolicy]
-> Huntsman and Romney are making a mad dash for Utah cash. [DNews]
-> Romney may not be competing hard in Iowa, but he owns Nevada. [Politico]
-> Town Hall columnist says conservatives are wary about Huntsman because he's surrounded himself with former advisers to Sen. John McCain. [TownHall]
Tweet of the day: From @Sorrogrande: "I find it interesting that @FreedomWorkshead @dickarmey wants to boot his Utah doppelganger @orrinhatch out of office so badly."
Happy birthday: to Hotline's Quinn McCord, who is celebrating with a Quinnceanera with friends on Friday.
Where are they?
Sen. Orrin Hatch attends a Senate Finance Committee hearing on making tax compliance easier.
Sen. Mike Lee hits a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the legality of President Barack Obama's actions with Libya.
Rep. Jim Matheson joins a Sandy Roads Project completion ceremony with Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, records an interview for KCPW Politics Up Close and meets with the Credit Union Association.
Rep. Rob Bishop did not release a schedule.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz is in Utah but has no public events.
Gov. Gary Herbert meets with Navajo Nation President Ben Shelley in the Governor's Office, attends the Boeing Co. dedication ceremony in SLC and tours the ACS Zerox facility in Sandy.
AG Mark Shurtleff does not have any public events.
SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon attends a board meeting of the SL Valley Law Enforcement Service Area, offers remarks at the Boeing facility dedication and attends the County Council meetings.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker attends a new employee orientation and pops into a Tour of Utah news media event.
WVC Mayor Mike Winder meets with SelectHealth CEO Pat Richards and hits the City Council meeting.
Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office. The president then heads to Bettendorf, Iowa, to tour the Alcoa Davenport Works Factory and offer remarks on the critical role of manufacturing in America.
In other news: Utah tea partiers try to cut off donations to Sen. Hatch from the Republicans Senate campaign arm. [Trib] [Politico] [USN]
-> West Valley City will consider a property tax increase that could add up to about $72 annually for an average $185,000 house. [Trib]
-> Shurtleff says a Supreme Court ruling tossing out age restrictions for video games validates his push for the government to stay out of those sales. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Kennecott scores a permit from state clean-air regulators, moving the mining giant closer to realizing its plans for a major expansion. [Trib]-> The Department of Workforce Services denies a former employee's claim that the agency internally identified "illegal aliens" on official documents. [Trib]-> Gov. Herbert declares state of emergency for flooding. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Rep. Matheson calls for pragmatism in politics during a visit to southern Utah. [Spectrum] $
-> Matheson also touts a bill to make pet medication more affordable. [DixieOnline]
-> A columnist says that the large chunk of Americans who don't pay taxes has grown because of Republican tax policies. [NYTimes]-> Former Morgan County official Garth B. Day pleads guilty to embezzling close to $1M from the county and banks. [Trib]-> Park City and Salt Lake City are proposing a new, unprecedented transit link. [Trib]-> House Speaker Becky Lockhart taps a replacement for controversial developer Terry Diehl on the Utah Transit Authority board: Draper City Councilman Troy Walker. [Trib]-> Local activists oppose a Cottonwood Heights zoning change that would benefit Diehl's proposed development at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. [Trib]
-> Rep. Johnny Anderson says there's no conflict of interest in him pushing legislation on school-based child care centers versus private child-care centers that he owns. [Trib]-> Fourth of July celebrations are planned — see what and where. [Trib]-> Public safety and health officials are warning Utahns to take care with fireworks, especially after the state legalized more potent pyrotechnics. [Trib]-> Getting serious about politics? Municipal candidate filing periods are about to open. [Trib]-> And more candidate filing opportunities. [Trib]-> Meanwhile, Salt Lake City is accepting applications for an open Justice Court judgeship — no law degree required. [Trib]-> Online classified ads are popular for lots of people looking to buy and sell — including scamsters. [Trib]-> The public weighs in on a study showing a proposed Millcreek City is feasible. [Trib]Utah Board of Education considers new rules for online education. [Trib]
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.
— Thomas BurrTwitter.com/thomaswburrwith editor Dan Harrie