Lawmaker Resigns Office for Teachers Union Position

09.29.2009 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) Salt Lake County Representative Kory Holdaway has submitted his resignation from the legislature to take a top position at the state’s largest teachers union. But Holdaway says his ten years at the Capitol won’t necessarily give him an edge in his new job as a lobbyist for the Utah Education Association.

“It’ll be useful in that I’ve had the relationships with people. But the fact that I have an acquaintance with somebody doesn’t necessarily equate to any undue influence,” Holdaway says. “I mean, we’re all individuals in the Legislature and if the policy isn’t something that their constituents support, then it’s not likely something that I’ll be able to convince them of.”

Under Utah law, Holdaway is not required to resign from his office as a Republican Representative for West Valley City and Taylorsville. However, he says he thinks it’s best to dedicate all of his time to his new position as government relations director for UEA.

Legislative leaders opposed UEA’s effort to tap the state’s Rainy Day Fund last year in order to avoid cuts to public education. But Holdaway says this won’t be a conflict for him. And he agrees with the union’s position that now is the time to use these reserve funds.

“That’s the reason that we have the Rainy Day Fund. That’s the reason it was set aside, both the Rainy Day Fund and then also the educational $100 million that was set aside a couple of years ago,” Holdaway says. “I think clearly, we will be advocating as an organization to tap into that and to use that for what it is designed for.”

Holdaway served on the House Education Committee and was co-chairman of the Higher Education Appropriations Committee. He’ll officially step down November 3rd. He’s also resigning from his position as a special education teacher at Taylorsville High School.