Over the past 10 years, high-speed rail has emerged as an increasingly important mode of transportation worldwide, with the notable exception of the United States. With President Obama’s recently announced program to fund select high-speed rail initiatives across the country, it seems timely to ask what role high-speed rail will, or will not, play in the future of American transportation. … Read more »

The April 2010 Utah Priorities Survey conducted by Utah Foundation indicated government spending ranked number two of the top ten issues and concerns among Utah voters. While government spending has been a concern for Utahns in past surveys, it is likely that the recent economic recession contributed to the topic’s continuing relevance and Utahns’ continuing concern for how governments utilize tax money. … Read more »

As part of the 2010 Utah Priorities Project, Utah Foundation, KSL Television and Radio, Deseret News, and the Hinckley Institute sponsored a ground-breaking survey of Utah voters and delegates to the major party conventions. The survey shows distinct differences between party delegates and voters, with delegates usually taking more zealous positions than their party’s voters. The strongest distinctions are, as expected, between the two major parties. The survey also provides insight on Republican delegates’ opinions in the U.S. Senate race. … Read more »

In this special election year, Utahns are less confident that the state is heading in the right direction than they were two years ago. Their concerns about some issues, like energy and transportation, have eased since 2008. However, other issues are now of greater concern, including the economy, government spending, the ethics of elected officials, and states’ rights versus the federal government. … Read more »

Dealing with Utah’s Growth ranked tenth on Utah Foundation’s 2008 Utah Priorities Project Survey. Four growth-related issues in the survey showed high levels of concern. The top issues were traffic congestion, crowding in public schools, water supply concerns, and changes in crime rates. This research brief provides information on how Utah’s population growth has and will affect these four and other issues. … Read more »

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 provides an overview of Utah’s current transportation situation and examines each of these issues and more. … Read more »

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 education and transportation capital projects. … Read more »

How much energy do Utahns consume? How has it changed over time? Where does Utah’s energy come from? What can Utahns can expect for energy prices and supplies in the future? The Utah Priorities Survey ranked energy, including gas prices, as the number one issue of concern for Utahns this year. This report provides data and graphs to illustrate Utah’s current energy situation and trends, and makes these findings: … Read more »

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 Utah this year are: … Read more »

Utah Foundation performed the research for the Community Assessment released in April 2007 by the United Way of Salt Lake. This project involved four research phases: … Read more »