State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has decided Utah, in the straits of
its worst budget crisis in years, no longer has the "luxury" of affording
the nation's only porn czar.
Paula Houston, Utah's Obscenity and Pornography Complaints Ombudsman, will
lose her job April 1, the first of possibly more staff reductions in the
Attorney General's Office.
"It's the worst kind of decision you have to make. Paula should be
rewarded, especially in light of the criticism and national attention
heaped on her," Shurtleff said. "But we have to make cuts somewhere."
Houston, who was notified Monday of the decision, plans to finish her stint
as pornography ombudswoman through April.
Although she wants to "stay involved" in stamping out smut, she said, "I
have lots of options and I'm keeping them all open. I'm not worried. I
certainly hope I never have to look at pornography again."
Houston, 43, stepped into the post two years ago after Utah lawmakers
funded what is believed to be America's only state-employed anti-porn
prosecutor.
The move propelled Houston, a successful but low-profile West Valley City
prosecutor of 15 years, into the national spotlight.
She was personally ridiculed by those who feared she would set the standard
for prosecuting pornography too low. Houston belongs to The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, which asks members not to view R-rated movies.
Still others slammed the Republican-dominated Legislature for wasting money.
The American Civil Liberties Union expressed concerns when Houston was
appointed, but she helped clarify laws regarding indecency, said Dani Eyer,
executive director of the ACLU's Utah affiliate.
"One of the things she accomplished was getting a better definition of what
lewdness is," Eyer said. "She made an exemption for public displays of
nudity that had serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value
for those under 18."
Criticism aside, Houston "feels really good" about what she was able to
accomplish under much scrutiny and with a small budget.
"We were really able to get a lot of things done, provide a lot of
information to people and primarily bring awareness to the issue," she said.
The state allotted her office $150,000 a year to cover Houston's salary,
clerical help and expenses.
Shurtleff had nothing but praise for Houston. "Everything the Legislature
wanted that position to do, she has done."
Houston fielded thousands of phone calls her first year, mostly from
concerned parents and businesses about how to fight elicit and unsolicited
e-mail�. She posted a Frequently Asked Questions list on the Internet. for
those under 18."
She also drafted a state "moral nuisance law" and a model ordinance for
cities and counties interested in regulating sexually oriented businesses.
And Houston organized an assistance program for victims of pornography.
Houston has 15 pornography cases moving through the courts -- "she recently
won three, primarily child pornography, cases, that will have to be
absorbed by other prosecutors in the office," said Shurtleff. "We hope
pornographers won't see this as a sign we're giving up."
That is not a burning concern for city and county prosecutors, who have
filed and prosecuted pornography cases without assistance from the Attorney
General's Office since Houston's arrival.
"The prosecution of hard-core pornography and obscenity is an important
part of any prosecution effort," said Kent Morgan, spokesman for the Salt
Lake District Attorney's Office. "We appreciate the Legislature's effort to
help. However, the direct efforts of the [local] prosecutors need to be
acknowledged. That's where we believe the resources should be allocated."
In spring, lawmakers cut the $150,000 funding for the porn czar as they
worked to fill shortfalls in tax revenue. Shurtleff raided his budget to
keep Houston on board but relented after cuts mounted to $750,000.
Earlier this month, Gov. Mike Leavitt vetoed a bill from the December
special session that would have funneled $300,000 in proceeds from
successful prosecutions last year to the Attorney General's Office to fund
salaries and overhead.
The money could have saved the porn czar, said Shurtleff. "But we're
looking at the same-size cut or greater for the next fiscal year and
probably would have had to consider it then."
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Tribune reporters Ronnie Lynn and Kevin Cantera and The Associated Press
contributed to this story.
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/jan/01152003/utah/20349.asp
