Although Representative Tim Quinn has been busy with Utah Tax Reform. In his latest interview with KPCW Quinn shared some thoughts on MIDA and Medicaid Expansion.
The Utah State Legislature created the Military Installation Development Authority or MIDA in 2007. MIDA is now the land use authority overseeing the Extell Development in the Mayflower area in Wasatch County.
Wasatch County and Park City Republican representative Tim Quinn says the approval of MIDA was done before his time in the legislature, but he does have concerns about MIDA.
“I think the intent of MIDA is good, but I think it has the ability to be abused,” Quinn continued. “I'm not suggesting, because I don't know the details of this particular development other than it is very very large. I'm not accusing anyone of malfeasance with this particular development, but certainly through a MIDA development it allows for abuse. I hope that that's not the case. My concern for my district, Wasatch County and Park City, is growth. We all are dealing with it. We know that it's coming. Our developments and our zoning needs to be done in a responsible way making sure that infrastructure is in place for this type of growth that we are experiencing. So, I hope that caution was used when this development was approved and as it continues to go forward. But I'm not a huge fan of allowing some of these types of developments to come underneath that MIDA umbrella.”
Quinn is especially concerned about what the Extell development will do to traffic in the area.
“Any time an incredibly large development like this comes in that could affect that traffic even more is a concern,” Quinn said. “Not only for convenience sake and time management, but for safety as well. So, I hope that those that have proved this development looked at traffic flow. Made sure that it's not going to impact in a negative way, particularly that intersection of 248 and 40.”
Quinn says he heard from several constituents in that area and he is contacting UDOT to see about a traffic light at the intersection of Browns Canyon Road and 248.
In other news after a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid passed in 2018, the Utah State Legislature changed parts of the initiative in their 2019 general session. The state petitioned to the federal government for a waiver to help with Medicaid expansion, but that waiver was denied last month. Quinn says that not receiving that waiver threw a wrench in the legislatures plan for expansion.
“We did have a contingency plan in place within the bill in case the waivers did not happen,” Quinn explained. “So, the expansion will continue to move forward, so no one is in jeopardy because those waivers were not approved. To be honest with you I have spent all summer working on this task force, and traveling the state, and working on tax issues. I have been reading the updates, but I haven't delved into Medicaid a lot. As those who are working on Medicaid come up with a solution, I'm sure we'll hear about it. I look forward to making sure that we uphold the wishes of the people who voted for Medicaid expansion and we do it in the most fiscally responsible way that we can to ensure that the program is sustainable. As we move down that path, I will let you know where we're headed and how we might accomplish that.”
Quinn speculated that Medicaid expansion may even be a topic of conversation in interim meetings during the third week of August.
