Government Spending

Along for the Ride: An Examination of Utah’s Transportation Situation

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Rising gas prices, heavy road congestion, and the desire for more efficient transportation options have made transportation an increasingly important issue for Utah voters. Transportation ranked 9th in the 2008 Utah Priorities Survey; in 2004 it was the 11th ranked issue. Among the top concerns in this area were commute and travel times, the quality of Utah’s roads, the development of public transit options, and expanding the capacity of freeways and highways. This research brief … Continued

Spending Your Tax Dollars: Two Decades of Utah Tax and Spending Trends

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Since 1991, Utah state government spending has generally grown slower than Utah’s economy, except for brief “bumps” during economic booms. Through most of this period, health spending and transportation capital spending grew faster than the economy, while all other categories, including public education (the largest state spending area) declined in terms of spending per $1,000 of personal income. The most recent two fiscal years, however, brought large increases in state spending, mostly focused in public … Continued

What Can $3,702 Buy? How Utah Compares in Education Spending and Services

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Many Utahns are familiar with the fact that Utah ranks last in per pupil spending. But what do other states buy with their additional per pupil expenditures? How does Utah’s lower spending level impact schools and learning? This report looks deeper into the differences in education spending between Utah and the U.S. average, comparing specific spending categories, such as instruction, teacher salaries, pupil support, and administration. The report also compares Utah to five demographic peer … Continued

The 2008 Utah Priorities Survey: The Top Issues and Concerns of Utah Voters for the 2008 Election

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Throughout this election year, Utah Foundation will work to provide information, analysis, and public dialogue on the issues that matter most to you as you consider the future of Utah. The project began with a survey conducted by Dan Jones and Associates to understand which issues are of greatest concern to voters. The results of this survey are now available here by clicking the links below. The survey found that the top 10 issues for … Continued

State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The purpose of this report is to detail the use of debt in the State of Utah from the 1990s through 2003 in order to facilitate a discussion about fiscal discipline and the appropriateness of debt. This report details the historical facts concerning growth in debt and changes in the role of debt over the last decade. It then outlines a framework to evaluate the use of debt by any government entity, and examine the … Continued

Economic Recessions, Taxes, and Utah: Lessons Learned From the Past

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

During times of economic recession, it can be challenging not only to predict where the economy is heading, but even to understand the current state of the economy. It is difficult for citizens, business leaders, government managers, and policymakers to know how to respond when they aren’t even certain how significant the problem is. This is currently the situation in America and in Utah.

Fiscal Summary of the 2001 Legislative Session

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

A strong economy, fueled by I-15 reconstruction work, preparations for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and large capital gains tax receipts from the stock market provided the backdrop for budget decisions and legislation during the 2001 legislative session. State revenues were so strong that supplemental appropriations to the current fiscal year (FY 2001, ending June 30) received almost as much attention by legislators as did budget deliberations for the coming FY 2002 budget.

Federal Expenditures in Utah: FY 1990 to 1999

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

During the decade of the 1990s, federal expenditures as a percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) have been steadily declining from 22.3 percent in fiscal year 1991 to 18.2 percent in fiscal year 2000.

Utah Public School Finances: FY 1998-99

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The single biggest expenditure of state and local tax revenue in Utah and the nation is for education (public and higher). Today about 42 percent of total direct state and local expenditures in Utah pay for education while the national average for the 50 states and the District of Columbia is 34 percent. About $92 out of every $1,000 of Utah total personal income are spent on education. This is about one-third higher than the … Continued

Fiscal Summary of the 2000 Legislative Session

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The 2000 legislative session, though dominated by the education funding issue, still found time to allocate the tobacco settlement funds, appropriate $694 million for capital projects (mostly highways), change Human Right’s Day to the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, pass mental health insurance reform, delay payments due to the state from the Salt Lake Olympic Committee until after the Olympics in 2002, and pass a $6.7 billion budget.