April 09, 2024(Utah Policy) - Weber State University is seeing significant gains in enrollment, retention and completion. New data, measured during the third week of spring semester, shows how university-wide efforts to ensure student success are working. Enrollment: Students want to study at WSU “The numbers show more and more people want to study at Weber,” said Jessica Oyler, vice president of Student Access & Success. This spring, matriculated degree-seeking students at Weber State increased by 2.9% from last year, while … Continued
April 04, 2024(Utah Public Radio) - Access Utah discusses homeownership with our analyst John Salevurakis. https://www.upr.org/show/access-utah/2024-04-04/discussing-home-ownership-with-research-analyst-john-salevurakis-on-thursdays-access-utah
March 28, 2024(Salt Lake Tribune) - Salt Lake City may one day see major league home runs, but the city’s school district feels the state is pitching it a financial curveball. The plan to redevelop and invest in a swath of the Fairpark neighborhood that could include a potential Major League Baseball stadium flows from HB562, a measure state lawmakers passed this year that also aims to issue up to $900 million in bonds toward such a stadium in an attempt to lure a team … Continued
March 22, 2024(KUTV) - KUTV discusses our Priorities Project in their recent podcast. https://kutv.com/news/take-2/take-2-podcast-gov-cox-finishes-signing-vetoes-bills-congress-spending-package
March 20, 2024(Deseret News) - The cost of living in Utah — thanks to expensive housing and inflation — is among the top concerns for the state’s voters this year, according to a new poll released by the Utah Foundation. Another top concern? That lawmakers are turning a deaf ear. Housing affordability was the No. 1 issue Utahns want state policymakers to address, according to the think tank’s policy priority survey which they conduct every gubernatorial election cycle. But politicians … Continued
March 20, 2024(Public News Service) - For generations, homeownership has been synonymous with the American Dream, but a new Utah report shows housing affordability is at historic lows, with millennials seeing the largest decrease in housing affordability during what the report calls “peak household formation years.” Steve Waldrip, senior adviser for housing strategy and innovation for the State of Utah, said while Utah has some of the highest levels of homeownership in the country, wages haven’t increased at the same rate home prices … Continued
March 19, 2024(Utah Policy) - The Utah Foundation is pleased to announce our celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Utah Priorities Project with a discussion about what matters most. March 20th 11:45am until 1:30pm The Grand America Hotel The Annual Luncheon will include a conversation with Governor Spencer J. Cox about the state’s policy priorities. We will also hear from three speakers discussing some of the most important policy topics of the year: Carly Maloney is a Viewmont High School teacher and Utah’s 2024 Teacher … Continued
March 15, 2024(Salt Lake Tribune) - Salt Lake City’s rental market is less competitive and finding an apartment is now easier than in other Western cities. A new study from RentCafe examined Yardi Matrix data for 137 markets to create a “market competitive score” based on five metrics: apartment occupancy rates, average days a unit is vacant, the number of prospective renters per vacant unit, how many renters choose to renew their lease, and the number of new apartments built. Salt … Continued
March 12, 2024(Salt Lake Tribune) - 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
March 08, 2024(Salt Lake Tribune) - Utah leads the nation in homeownership rates. But now young people in the state are struggling to achieve the American dream. And a new report from the Utah Foundation found that Californians moving here are not entirely to blame. “The current housing crisis is not entirely a function of current migration trends, Utah’s recent economic growth, or pandemic related supply chain issues,” John Salevurakis, the report’s author wrote to The Tribune. “The reality is that … Continued
March 04, 2024(Utah Policy) - Friday, the Utah Foundation released a new report on homeownership. Homeownership is both a symbol of achieving the American Dream and a way it is achieved. However, the housing affordability crisis affects anyone looking to become a first-time homebuyer. Ultimately, high home prices are putting the American Dream out of reach for a growing share of Utahns. Highlights of the report: Recent household incomes were only about 20% higher than in 1985, while home prices … Continued
March 04, 2024(Deseret News) - A LendingTree survey found that 94% of Americans view owning property as part of the American dream, while 51% of renters surveyed fear they will never be able to afford their own home. The Utah Foundation recently released a new report on the state of the housing market regarding prospective buyers and found that the fear of never owning property is not necessarily irrational, specifically in Utah. “The ongoing lack of home affordability in Utah has likely … Continued
March 04, 2024(Yahoo News) - A LendingTree survey found that 94% of Americans view owning property as part of the American dream, while 51% of renters surveyed fear they will never be able to afford their own home. The Utah Foundation recently released a new report on the state of the housing market regarding prospective buyers and found that the fear of never owning property is not necessarily irrational, specifically in Utah. “The ongoing lack of home affordability in Utah has likely both delayed … Continued
March 01, 2024(Deseret News) - Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said first-of-its-kind legislation will help pull the state from a spiraling housing crisis and will set a pattern for the rest of the nation. “This is the biggest housing package in the United States right now,” Cox told the Deseret News during an interview on Friday. “This is it. This could be a model for other states.” The bill referenced by Cox — which passed just days before the end of … Continued
February 19, 2024(Kiowa County Press) - A new report found the State of Utah’s overall tax and property tax burden hit record lows over the last five years, while the state’s income tax reached an all-time high. The report by the Utah Foundation examined changes in Utahns’ tax and fee trends for nearly the last century. Christopher Collard, senior analyst for the Utah Foundation and the report’s author, said the state’s overall tax burden should be calculated by dividing by all residents’ … Continued
February 16, 2024(Utah Public Radio) - A new report found the State of Utah’s overall tax and property tax burden hit record lows over the last five years, while the state’s income tax reached an all-time high. The report by the Utah Foundation examined changes in Utahns’ tax and fee trends for nearly the last century. Christopher Collard, senior analyst for the Utah Foundation and the report’s author, said the state’s overall tax burden should be calculated by dividing by all residents’ personal … Continued
February 15, 2024(Public News Service) - A new report found the State of Utah’s overall tax and property tax burden hit record lows over the last five years, while the state’s income tax reached an all-time high. The report by the Utah Foundation examined changes in Utahns’ tax and fee trends for nearly the last century. Christopher Collard, senior analyst for the Utah Foundation and the report’s author, said the state’s overall tax burden should be calculated by dividing by all residents’ personal … Continued
February 15, 2024(kpcw) - A new report found the State of Utah’s overall tax and property tax burden hit record lows over the last five years, while the state’s income tax reached an all-time high. The report by the Utah Foundation examined changes in Utahns’ tax and fee trends for nearly the last century. Christopher Collard, senior analyst for the Utah Foundation and the report’s author, said the state’s overall tax burden should be calculated by dividing by all residents’ personal … Continued
February 08, 2024(upr) - Energy bills pass the state House, move to the Senate Two bills that would affect Utah’s energy policy passed the state House of Representatives Thursday. House Bill 191, Electrical Energy Amendments, would, if passed through the Senate, prevent power plants from being torn down before infrastructure to replace the energy they produce is built. Rep. Colin Jack, the sponsor of House Bill 374 which also passed the State House Thursday, says HB0374 is meant to clarify Utah’s energy laws. Critics … Continued
January 29, 2024(Salt Lake Tribune) - A funny social media trend features parents bemoaning their children’s abilities to eat an absurd amount of berries. A common complaint is that the berries are going to “break the bank,” or that parents “can’t afford the berry habit.” But maybe it’s not actually that funny. Parents want their kids to eat nutrient-dense berries, as well as other fruits. At the same time, my kids can eat six ounces of blueberries (currently $3.49 at Smith’s) … Continued
January 17, 2024(Utah Business) - Salt Lake City—The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute today presented the 36th Economic Report to the Governor to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at the 2024 Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit, hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber. The report highlights the resilience of the U.S. economy in 2023 and projects continued, albeit slowed, economic growth in 2024… Read the Utah Foundation’s chapter in the report here.
January 14, 2024(NewsWise.com) - News release notes the Utah Foundation’s participation in the Economic Report to the Governor. Read the Utah Foundation’s chapter in the report here.
