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November 17th, 2011
For most of its history, Utah has used a convention-primary system to nominate candidates for elected office. In the spring of general election years, citizens in small caucus meetings held throughout the state elect delegates to represent them at county and state conventions. At the state conventions, delegates nominate candidates to compete for their party’s nomination in the primary election, or, if a candidate receives enough votes, they receive the nomination outright and proceed straight to the general election.
Utah is one of only a handful of states that still uses a convention, and the only one that allows political parties to preclude a primary election for statewide or congressional offices if candidates receive a high enough proportion of delegate votes. … Read more »
It is often said that Utah has a high quality of life. Many people born in Utah live here their entire lives, and those who leave the state for education or employment reasons often return some years later. What is it that makes Utah such an appealing place to live? Others from outside of Utah are drawn to this state, often citing its beauty, recreation or employment opportunities as their reason for moving here. It is not only Utahns who have noticed this; Forbes Magazine and other organizations often rank Utah as one of the best places in the country to live or work. 
Simply comparing average teacher salaries for all full-time teachers across states can provide a misleading picture of the relative financial incentives teachers have for working in different states. In over 90 percent of districts in the United States, teaching salaries are based upon a salary schedule that uses experience and education (degrees or credit hours/courses completed) to determine teacher salary.
Throughout its history, the U.S. federal government has often operated under a deficit, and has always held a federal debt. Over this time there have been many debates over these issues, and the current contest over the presence of large deficits and the size of the debt is not surprising. However, with the drastic increase of the deficit the past few years, and projections that show the persistence of large deficits because of mandatory spending, the stakes seem to be as high as ever in U.S. history. 
Each gubernatorial election year, Utah Foundation identifies the public policy issues Utahns find most important through our Utah Priorities Project. In that research, Utahns consistently rank education as one of the most important issues. In the 2010 election cycle, when voters were asked their level of concern on various education topics, funding ranked highest among all education issue areas. Because of this, information about current education funding and historical trends is vital knowledge for voters and policy makers. 
Utah’s tax burden is fairly high compared to other states. Fiscal Year 2008 state and local government finances data show Utah’s tax burden, including mandatory fees, ranks 16th highest in the country and fourth highest among western states. For a more complete understanding of Utah’s tax burden, however, it is important to also compare it to the need that exists in Utah for government services paid for through taxes and fees. 
In 2009 and 2010, Utah Foundation worked as a consultant to the United Way of Salt Lake (UWSL) to assist with its Priority Area and Capacity Assessment Process. This work led to the publication by UWSL of this Community Assessment document which identifies and measures critical community needs in education, income, health, and basic needs. The assessment also helps UWSL focus its work in these critical areas to create community-level change. 
The purpose of this Utah Priorities Survey is to delve deeper on five critical policy issues to better understand voters’ preferences surrounding the most often discussed solutions. Voters were surveyed about K-12 education, economy and jobs, immigration, government spending, and states’ rights. The survey also asked voters about whom they plan to vote for in the upcoming election.