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It comes a day after a bill pushed by House leaders, HB362, was introduced to propose a variety of tax changes for transportation. It includes allowing voters to consider up to a quarter-cent sales tax increase for local transportation, with one-tenth cent going to UTA in Wasatch Front counties.

Briscoe says that tenth of a cent increase isn't enough to expand UTA service much.

"You might have the choice of expanding Saturday and Sunday service, or going later in the evening. If you just do one of those, I think the public's going to say you increased our taxes and I'm not seeing an effect," Briscoe said.

He said his bill would restrict how UTA could spend increased funding to ensure that it does not go for more new train lines, but instead goes for such things as expanding bus service.

He said federal officials like to come to Utah to be photographed with new TRAX, FrontRunner or streetcar extensions. "No one wants to come out here for a photo op because we just brought back a bus route that we cut five years ago. It's not sexy. But you know what, it's important."

Many constituents have said that they or family members cannot accept jobs that end late at night "because they can't get public transportation back home," Briscoe said. "It's an economic-development issue that we don't have a robust enough UTA system."

Briscoe's bill may not have much of a chance compared to the Republican alternative, since the GOP has a 63-12 majority in the House and 24-5 in the Senate. But Briscoe said, "I just want to make a point that we've got to be more serious about transit."

He added, "We can't be serious about air quality if we don't get serious about transit."

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Democrat says GOP transit tax increase too small

A new type of N.C. Senate Democrat?
Sen. Joel Ford, D-Mecklenburg, asked the N.C. Senate on Thursday not to confuse today #39;s Democrats with those who controlled the chamber for years.

By: The News Observer

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A new type of N.C. Senate Democrat? - Video

The lone Democrat in Louisiana's gubernatorial race, state Rep. John Bel Edwards, struggled to raise even half of what his three Republican rivals garnered individually in 2014.

Edwards received $360,000 in political contributionslast year, nearly $300,000 less than the next candidate on the gubernatorial campaign finance food chain, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne.

Sen. David Vitteris the money heavy weight in the race so far, garnering a whopping $4.1 million in contributions last year. Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle received $1.5 million, a good showing given that he only officially announced his candidacy in October.

Edwards has acknowledged that it has become challenging to run as a Democrat in Louisiana, particularly following Mary Landrieu's resounding loss to U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidythis past winter. Republican hold all statewide offices currently.

Still, Edwards is the only Democrat in the race. In theory, the three Republicans should be competing with each other for local donors, while he should have any Democratic support to himself. That doesn't seem to be helping however.

Edwards was the only gubernatorial candidate to have to lend his campaign money in 2014. The Democrat gave $25,000 of personal money over to his election efforts, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Less money raised, of course, means less money to spend. Edwards only racked up $108,000 in expenditures in 2014. (For reference, Vitter spent $600,000in the same time period.)

Here are some things Edwards spent campaign money on in 2014:

Read the full Edwards report here.

. . . . . .

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Lone Democrat in the Louisiana governor's race raises less than any GOP rival in 2014

Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has set out the Liberal Democrat vision for a world-class early years education system.

In a speech to the Pre-School Learning Alliance, Nick outlined Liberal Democrat plans to provide 15 hours a week of free childcare to all children of working parents aged between 9 months and two years.

This would save the average family 2,670 over the course of a year.

Nick also set out plans to give all two-year olds 15 hours free childcare per week, saving the average family 2,450 over a year.

In his speech Nick restated the Liberal Democrats long-term ambition to increase the provision of free childcare to 20 hours a week for all two, three and four year olds and for children of working parents aged between 9 months and two years.

Nick's comments come as the Family and Childcare Trust survey confirms that with demand increasing, the cost of childcare is rising.

Liberal Democrats recognise that pressure on working parents to budget for their childcare costs doesnt just start when their child is two years old which is why weplan to introduce measures that will save families money.

Nick also discussed the Liberal Democrat commitment to increase the Early Years Pupil Premium from 300 to 1,000 per child.

He will outline the party's ambition to have a member of staff who holds Qualified Teacher Status in every childcare setting by 2020.

Nick said:

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Extending free childcare to help give children the best start in life

Leading NY Democrat calls for Silver to step aside

By: KimberlyBethHoward

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Leading NY Democrat calls for Silver to step aside - Video