The United Utah Party extends condolences to the family of Kim Burningham, former state legislator and state school board chairman, who died July 7, at age 80.“Kim Burningham represented the kind of practical, principled leader Utah needs more of today,” said Deon Turley, United Utah Party Secretary. “He remained a voice of moderation as his party drifted farther to the right and he consistently championed the highest ethics in government.” As reported in the Salt Lake Tribune, Burningham told an audience in 2012 what it would take for him to retire from public activism: He could happily fade away, he said, when legislative caucuses are finally open to the public, campaign donations are limited, legislators stop using campaign donations to buy leadership positions by contributing to other legislators, lobbyists are no longer serving as legislators, and vice versa, an ethics initiative is finally passed, Utah rises out of last place in the nation for education funding, the caucus/convention system is amended or eliminated so that candidates for public office can be elected through a direct primary and political parties in Utah are balanced. The United Utah Party salutes Kim Burningham for his life of principled public service and the party is committed to carry on in those causes he identified as so important to him.