Written by: Shawn Teigen
Some of the most important things in life are the hardest to measure. Economic growth we can count. Jobs, wages and investment show up clearly in the data. But the deeper question — whether Utah is still a great place to build a good life and flourish — is harder to capture. The 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index provides a clear answer: Utah remains a remarkable place to live, but the qualities that … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
I’m not a fan of affirmations. I don’t have a poster on my wall that inspires me to succeed, nor do I have a calendar on my desk with daily inspirational quotes. In fact, one could argue that my personality is more in line with “Team Building: Sometimes, the most important lesson you can learn is that you’re not a very good team.“ Nonetheless, I’m completely taken in by the idea of social capital — … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Utah is often ranked at the top among states, but is occasionally at the bottom. Due in part to the Beehive State’s demographics, we are sometimes number 1, but other times … not so much. For instance, we have the largest families, and in fact, are number 1 in the nation for family size. Relatedly, however, we spend less per student on K-12 education than any other state in the country. Another top-of-the-nation for Utah is our ranking for … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
The Utah Legislature will likely spend much time over the next couple of months talking about K-12 and post-secondary education, energy, immigration, taxes and elections. But what should they consider if they want to be responsive to what matters most to Utahns? The answer: cost of living and political dysfunction. Cost of living: Housing With respect to the cost of living, voters were concerned about housing costs and all other household expenses following periods of … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
I was initially an Olympics naysayer, routinely asking, “What is the point in spending so much on sports?” During the leadup and throughout the 2002 Games, I realized that maybe I’d sold short the Olympics’ upsides. To me, it became transformational, as the sense of community I’d felt was unlike any I’d seen since moving to the state. Now, I’m a Utah Hockey Club naysayer and cannot wait to be proven wrong again. In my … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Before the pandemic in February 2020, I was perplexed when “politicians listening to voters” was at the top of Utahns’ concerns in the Utah Priorities Project. The project seeks to uncover the issues that we think the state should do something about. After my initial confusion, that high ranking made a bit more sense. After all, in 2018, Utahns voted to approve three ballot initiatives: Shortly after the vote, the Utah Legislature repealed and replaced … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Many of us consider ourselves food experts. We certainly know exactly what we prefer to eat after all. Food has also gained additional attention over time as it is and has been one of the drivers of recent inflation and perhaps one of the more palpable ones. In response to elevated prices, many people turn toward cheaper and often highly processed food as a household budget release valve. Some may even need to purchase less … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Before I had a child, I figured that raising one would be easy. After all, I had been a child myself and had seen firsthand what worked and what did not. It initially seemed largely a matter of common sense. For example, I decided that my daughter would never need more toys than could fit in one large toy chest. Whenever a new toy came in, an old toy had to go out. It turned … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
I implore you to avoid just reading the headlines. Instead, read the whole story. We should all know that by now, having been repeatedly suckered into stories with alluring clickbait across the internet. For instance, you may have seen or heard that “Consumer prices heated up in July.” Here is a better headline for you: “Consumer prices are perhaps the only thing that didn’t heat up in July.” Inflation had been trending down, and it … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Bikes are the best. They are good for our physical and mental health, as well as for economic, environmental and practical reasons. OK, not everyone feels that way. Many drivers would prefer not to share the road with bicycles, or pedestrians, for that matter. Further, many who would like to bicycle are reluctant for one reason or another. A top reason for this reluctance is danger. That makes sense, particularly given a recent spike in … Continued