Blog

Op-ed: Utah in good position to weather the next recession

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Let’s talk recessions. Very generally, recessions are periods of economic decline. Americans saw a decline in gross domestic product during the first half of 2022, but that turned around by the second half of the year. Nonetheless, many people are still talking about a recession. This is due in part to the efforts of the Federal Reserve to slow – or even reverse – growth to rein in still-elevated inflation figures. Further, some suggest that … Continued

Significant Statistics | The Price of Prosperity – Rents and Construction

Written by: Staff

Growth and prosperity are likely to be serious issues facing Utahns over the coming decade. We can see this in the drivers of recent rent increases along the Wasatch Front. Further, there is a good chance that current financial market conditions will sharply push up rents again in the future. Rents on the Increase Rapid rent increases are neither entirely recent nor purely COVID-related – as illustrated by the rent increases seen between 2010 and … Continued

The Revenue Report: Utah’s Projections Process

Written by: Christopher Collard

The Utah Constitution requires that the state balance its budget.1 That is as simple as aligning revenues with the annual budget expenses. Both the Governor and Utah State Legislature produce budgets. The Governor releases budget recommendations in November for the Legislature to consider. The Legislature produces the state’s final budget in late February or early March. But how do they know what Utah’s revenues will look like over the next year in order to ensure … Continued

Op-ed: Plan would enhance access to trails and green space in Utah

Written by: Staff

Think about the last time you went hiking in Utah. Did you lose yourself in the beauty of this great state, hearing only the sounds of nature? Or did you get stressed while hunting for a place to park your car and then end up passing scores of other hikers, bikers and dogs along the trail? Think about the last time you were enjoying an urban hike – along the Legacy Parkway Trail, the Jordan … Continued

Significant Statistics | Utah Has the Third-Highest Educational Attainment in the Nation

Written by: Staff

The latest data show that Utah’s post-high school attainment rate is 61.1%, well above the national average of 53.7%. We are the third highest in the country. Educational attainment is defined by the highest level of education achieved. The benchmark of attainment rate includes the share of individuals who received meaningful education beyond high school graduation. This includes college degrees, but also high-quality certificates and certifications. The proportion of a state’s residents with higher levels … Continued

Utah Thrives Podcast | Bonus Conversation with Dr. Steve Hanke

Written by: Staff

This bonus episode is an interview with Dr. Steve H Hanke. Dr. Hanke is a professor of applied economics and founder and co-director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at the Johns Hopkins University. We reached out to Dr. Hanke to discuss the Hanke Misery index – an index of four factors that attempt to summarize the level of a country’s misery based on economic conditions. You … Continued

Utah Thrives Podcast | Utahns’ Misery

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Utah Foundation staff discuss the findings of our Misery Index, released in December as part of the 2022 Quality of Life Series. We also hear from Representative — and economist — Robert Spendlove and Dr. Steve Hanke, the creator of the index we used. Just what is making Utahns miserable and how miserable are they? Listen to find out.

The Revenue Report: Income and Sales Tax Surprise

Written by: Staff

Welcome to the first Revenue Report from the Utah Foundation. As state taxes and government spending have always been among Utah’s top ten concerns in Utah Foundation’s “Utah Priorities Project,” we thought it would be helpful to provide a monthly discussion on Utah’s state revenues.  In this month’s discussion we highlight the income and sales tax surprise – how  revenue collections are well above expectations. The Utah State Tax Commission periodically releases a revenue snapshot … Continued

Video: Utahns’ Personal Quality of Life in Decline

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In 2022, Utah’s Personal Quality of Life Index stands at 76 out of a possible 100 points, lower than the first year of the Index in 2018, when the score stood at 82. The decrease from 2018 to 2022 was significant; Utahns’ sentiments about their personal quality of life have indeed declined. Why the decrease? Because all factors declined during the period. Health, spiritual peace and happiness declined the most. Financial security – even in … Continued

Op-ed: ‘I want to be a police officer when I grow up’ used to be a common dream. How do we bring it back?

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Negative perceptions are hurting police staffing. How can we get young Americans to support police?   “Andy Griffith Show” reruns. “Kojak” on prime time. “Columbo.” “Starsky & Hutch.” Once upon a time, you could turn on the TV and find that the cops were almost always good guys. Crockett and Tubbs occasionally discovered that an officer was involved with the drug trade, but the “Miami Vice” duo stayed above the fray and took the bad … Continued