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'PORN
CZAR' JOB GETS THE AX
Paula
Houston
BY KIRSTEN STEWART
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
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-mailÂ. 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."
_________
Tribune reporters Ronnie Lynn and Kevin Cantera and The Associated
Press contributed to this story.
SOURCE>AVNONLINE.COM>THE
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE.COM
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