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This year the Utah State Democratic Party selected Senator Karen Mayne to be the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award. Each year, the Utah State Democratic Party gives this prestigious award to a Utah woman who exemplifies, “the high standards, compassionate philosophy and actions of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.”

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Senator Mayne has spent a lifetime working tirelessly to pursue her dream for a better Utah. As both a loyal member of the Democratic Party, and an individual willing to work with Republicans in the spirit of bipartisanship, Senator Mayne has been a champion in working to secure jobs for Utah’s working families. Senator Mayne says, “I am overwhelmed and humbled by this award, and I appreciate the continued support of my fellow Democrats, friends, legislators, and constituents.”

Senator Mayne will be officially honored at the 16th Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on October 22nd.

I am honored that Salt Lake Community College recently presented me with an award as a 2009 Legislative Champion.  However, I am even more grateful to have Salt Lake Community College as a part of my District 5.  With their commitment to changing people’s lives through education, and their dedication to serving Utah as the largest two-year community college in the state, Salt Lake Community College is undoubtedly the jewel of my senate district.

Salt Lake Community College and I share a common interest in helping to prepare the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow.  I have had the opportunity to work with Salt Lake Community College on apprenticeship programs.  We worked together to help promote Helmets to Hardhats, a program that introduces military veterans to promising trade apprenticeship opportunities.  Whether it is helping military veterans in finding jobs and adjusting to civilian life, or simply helping to educate the next generation of Utah’s students, I hope to continue working with Salt Lake Community College in helping students get the training they need to succeed in our competitive world.  It is my honor and responsibility to nurture and support Salt Lake Community College.

Recently I attended the National Conference of State Legislature’s 2009 Legislative Summit in Philadelphia, where I had the unique opportunity to exchange innovative ideas with legislators from all across the country.  Through a series of seminars, workshops, and meetings, we talked about different strategies that the states are using to create better public policy.  Together each of us left with a greater understanding of the issues impacting America than when we first came.

I attended workshops where we discussed everything ranging from the environment to healthcare and pension reform.  I listened to how other states are pioneering new efforts to reduce green house gas emissions through carbon capture and storage programs.  We discussed how state and local communities are improving their transportation systems to meet the needs of the twenty-first century.  Finally, we brainstormed ideas on how to better serve Americans through new ideas on pension and healthcare reform.

However, the one topic that seemed to be on everyone’s mind was the economy.  All across the nation, states are feeling the stress from the recession, and are looking for ways to revitalize their communities.  We passed a resolution supporting free trade, and talked about ways of reducing unemployment through the retraining of laid-off workers. Everywhere I went, and with everyone I spoke to, I continually heard the same message to buy American.  I believe this message is the key to restoring stability for our families throughout Utah and America.  In the end, learning about the challenges that other states face has refocused my efforts to continue formulating solutions and tackling the challenges in our state.

I am proud to support “The Resolution to Buy American,” which encourages local governments to buy local and United States products whenever and wherever possible. If we are going to revive America’s economy, then we must invest the money from the Federal stimulus package to retain existing jobs, and maximize the creation of new jobs for the American people. I believe that this economic stimulus money should go back to employing the very people who provided it in the first place – America’s taxpayers. Furthermore, buying American will help restore economic stability in our local communities, and will directly help America’s families.

I have presented this resolution to City Councils, and Townships, and they overwhelmingly support our goals, because we all share a common interest in keeping America working. From the construction of towering skyscrapers and the network of America’s highways, to the engineering of the world’s smallest computer chips, America’s greatness has always depended on creating new jobs that utilize our different talents. Just as Americans persevered through economic hardship in the past, we must do so again now in the present by buying local and American made goods.

In this time of a troubled economy, we all need to pull together to keep our friends and neighbors working. We can achieve this by using American products and hiring locally, and in the end we will refocus and create a better future.

Legal Sized Resolution: LegalSizedResolution_02_17_2009.pdf

On March 30th, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., signed a declaration recognizing Helmets to Hardhats and declared March 30, 2009, as Helmets to Hardhats Program Day.

Utah Senate Democrats blog has a nice write-up on the event and program: Helmets to Hardhats Program Day

Helmets to Hardhats is a nonprofit organization hosted by the Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment and Veterans’ Employment (CMRAVE), which connects veterans to promising careers in the construction industry. Utah is the 27th state to recognize the vital role of Helmets to Hardhats.

Helmets to Hardhats provides training and support to veterans returning from military service to facilitate a smooth transition to civilian life.  Veterans log in to http://helmetstohardhats.org, establish an account, and begin their search for a productive career.  The Helmets to Hardhats staff of construction industry and military professionals help guide veterans through their career search, connecting them with apprenticeship programs and providing career advice.  Many Utah veterans have received this training.  Click here for Ami Joi O’Donoghue’s great article in the Deseret News relating Darrell Robert’s personal military experiences.

Without a single “no” vote, the Utah Senate passed a bill Friday that would protect boundaries for unincorporated townships such as Magna, Millcreek and Kearns.

Despite sometimes-heated opposition from the Utah League of Cities and Towns, Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, received overwhelming support for legislation that would keep Utah’s townships intact and prevent piecemeal annexations from their municipal neighbors.

Full Article By Jeremiah Stettler, The Salt Lake Tribune

Thank you for the overwhelming support you gave to me on election day. I greatly appreciate the level of support I received and pledge to you I will do my very best to represent you, your family, friends and our Westside.

To those of you who voted for me, a very sincere thank you. To those of you who did not, I pledge I will work during these next two years to do my best to earn your support. We do agree that our Westside needs strong representation on the very important issues we face – and I promise you I will work tirelessly in supporting our Westside on issues.

I can be reached at any time at 968-7756, on my personal email or my official Senate email at kmayne@utahsenate.org. In order to be a strong voice for our Westside, I want to hear from you on any issue you feel important.

Thank you,

Karen

During Karen’s first year as your State Senator, she passed both bills she introduced as well as successfully guided to passage all four of the House bills (three of which had Republican House sponsors) she was asked to carry. Her leadership and common sense approach to State issues provided her with a significant voice on your behalf.

A Voice for You and Your Students

As a para-educator for the Granite School District, Karen knows what is needed to continually improve our classroom education in our neighborhood schools. She fought for and supported additional funding for teachers. As more students enter our public schools, Karen understands what funding for keeping class sizes manageable is a priority. Karen will be a leading voice in protecting the West Side education funding interests as East Side County residents try to split our local school districts.

An Experienced Voice to Improve West Side Transportation

As a former UTA Board member, Karen will fight for improved transit for the West Side. With $4 per gallon gas and poor air quality, it is critical the transit become more available and user friendly. Karen will be a leading voice for more funding for better east – west corridors. And, you can be assured Karen will be your voice against making the Mountin View Corridor a toll road.

A Clear Voice for Air Quality

Accessible and affordable health care should not be out of any family’s financial reach – but as long as insurers are able to pick and choose whom to cover it will be.

Senator Karen Mayne was a sponsor for the “Relay for Life.” This good program raises money for cancer research and celebrates cancer survivors.

Karen accepted the Father of the Year award from the American Diabetes Association, through its Utah Chapter, who recognized and honored Senator Ed Mayne as a 2008 Father of the Year.