News Articles

Peter Reichard speaks about the Utah Social Capital Series

August 18, 2022 (KSL News Radio) -

Peter Reichard spoke with Salt Lake Chamber President Derek Miller about the Utah Social Capital Series. KSL will broadcast it on Thursday, August 18th — airing at approximately 7:20am, 11:47am, and 5:21pm.  

Utah commission adopts a more energy-efficient building code. Next stop? The Legislature

August 11, 2022 (KUER) -

…The commission left what Shawn Teigen, the vice president and research director of the Utah Foundation, considers to be a “loophole” in the housing code. Instead of implementing an Energy Rating Index that would create a minimum energy performance standard for homes, they kept the current performance mechanism known as a REScheck. A REScheck essentially allows homebuilders to trade off what energy-efficient protocols to follow. For example, if a developer installs an energy-saving furnace, they … Continued

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Builders feeling chilly toward requiring extra insulation to new homes

August 08, 2022 (Salt Lake Tribune) -

Spend it now or spend it later. In a tough housing market made tougher by inflation, should Utah update its building code to require builders to spend more on insulation, knowing it will raise the upfront cost? The Utah Uniform Building Code Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday at 9 a.m. on updating the state’s building code for new housing in the state. Utah is only required to update its residential building code every … Continued

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WGU Re-envisions Health Care Higher Education, Redesigns and Renames Health Care College

August 08, 2022 (Global Newswire) -

…To date, more than 98,500 degrees—including non-nursing programs, such as health informatics and health information management—have been awarded to students in all 50 states. To assess the impact it has had on nursing graduates—now more than 84,000—and the contributions those nurses have made in their communities, WGU tapped the Utah Foundation to conduct a research brief. Among the findings, the Utah Foundation estimates that of the 84,390 graduates since 2009, 79,181 are still active in … Continued

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Opinion: Only 7% of Americans have confidence in Congress. Are institutions failing us?

August 05, 2022 (Deseret News) -

…Utah Foundation recently did a very interesting study on Utah’s “Social Capital Index.” It notes that social scientists affirm a long-term national decline in social capital — “the bonds between people and among networks.” Lack of confidence in major institutions, as outlined in the Gallup study, is a manifestation of the fraying of social capital. However, the Utah Foundation study showed that in 2021, “Utah had the highest level of social capital in the nation.” Utah … Continued

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WGU leads nation in nursing graduates

August 05, 2022 (Utah Policy) -

Today, the Utah Foundation releases America’s Nursing School: The Nursing Program at Western Governors University. The analysis, commissioned by Western Governors University (WGU), finds that the institution is playing a leading role in filling this vital health care and economic need across the country. Among the findings of the study: The number of unfilled openings in the health care sector doubled from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2022. As an online university, WGU has … Continued

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Western Governors University at 25: How a group of governors disrupted higher education

August 04, 2022 (Deseret News) -

…A new analysis by the Utah Foundation found that WGU leads the nation in nursing graduates. According to the findings, the university has provided 84,390 nursing graduates from all 50 states since 2009 — 60,368 of whom received bachelor’s degrees in nursing and 24,022 of whom received master’s degrees in nursing. WGU nursing graduates make up 2% of all the registered nurses with an active license in the nation, according to the report which was … Continued

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Utah’s resilient politics bolstered by its social capital

July 22, 2022 (Sutherland Institute) -

…According to Utah Foundation’s social capital index, “Utah had the highest level of social capital in the nation, and has consistently been among the top states during the previous eight years.” Utah’s social capital score is higher today than in past years, indicating an increase in social capital during the recent past. The reasons for these outcomes include improving civic engagement, high levels of social trust, strong and improving community life, the best family life … Continued

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Survey says the quality of life in Utah is in decline. Here are the reasons why

June 29, 2022 (KSL.com) -

Despite a booming economy, a new survey reveals that housing prices and inflation are taking a toll on the quality of life in Utah. The Utah Foundation’s Community Quality of Life Index dropped to 64 this year out of a possible 100 points. The index has hovered between 70 and 73 points ever since the survey was first conducted in 2011. “The big headline in terms of community quality of life is that our community … Continued

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New report shows quality of life for Utahns in decline

June 29, 2022 (KSL News Radio) -

The Utah Foundation released a report on Wednesday that indicated a decrease in the quality of life for Utah residents. The report, titled: “The 2022 Utah Community Quality of Life Index: Is a Booming Economy Making Life Better?” focused on community quality of life. The Utah Foundation conducts the survey yearly, taking the data in hopes to target ways that policymakers might improve the quality of life for the state’s communities. The findings are based … Continued

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Survey: Quality of life in Utah is in decline

June 29, 2022 (KSL 5) -

Despite a booming economy, a new survey reveals that housing prices and inflation are taking a toll on the quality of life in Utah. The Utah Foundation’s Community Quality of Life Index dropped to 64 this year out of a possible 100 points. Since the survey was first conducted in 2011 the index has hovered between 70 and 73 points. “The big headline in terms of community quality of life is that our community quality … Continued

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Utah Foundation: Despite booming economy, analysis shows Utah community quality of life in decline

June 29, 2022 (Utah Policy) -

Today, the Utah Foundation releases The 2022 Utah Community Quality of Life Index: Is a Booming Economy Making Life Better? The report focuses on community quality of life – based on a survey where Utahns rate their communities on a series of 20 factors. In this report, the Utah Foundation discusses the results of the 2022 survey, compares 2022 data with previous years, analyzes responses by population group, and suggests targeted ways that policymakers might improve quality of … Continued

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Your Ecological House: Playing climate roulette in Utah

June 26, 2022 (Corvallis Gazette-Times) -

Now here’s a factoid for ya. Spencer Cox, the Governor of Utah, is an alfalfa farmer. “What’s that got to do with the price of beef in Japan?” you might ask. We’ll get to that soon, but first we have to understand why Cox’s intimate connection to his state’s largest agricultural sector matters. Let’s start with some other factoids. Eighty-two percent of Utah’s water consumption goes to agriculture; households and businesses use 18%. Half the … Continued

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Opinion: Rising inflation and housing crisis — Where is the American dream?

June 20, 2022 (Deseret News) -

High housing costs. Rapidly rising interest rates. Surging oil prices. Escalating inflation. If you don’t already own a home or if rising grocery costs don’t fit your budget, you might be excused for feeling a sense of dread. The American dream is built on homeownership and the idea that you can earn more in real dollars than your parents. But the elevated housing costs and surging interest rates are suddenly putting the first part of … Continued

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New report: Social mobility in Utah

June 01, 2022 (Utah Policy) -

Utah ranks near top on homeownership, other measures of social mobility but Beehive State tracks national decline in children outperforming parents Today, the Utah Foundation releases the seventh report in its Utah Social Capital Series with The Ladder of Success: Social Mobility in Utah. This installment focuses on the extent to which Utahns move up the socioeconomic ladder; the previous installments focused on civic engagement, social trust, community life, family life, social cohesion and the next generation. … Continued

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Opinion: The price of a lawn watered in a season of drought

June 01, 2022 (Deseret News) -

…Water districts may want to urge conservation through greatly increased water rates, adding an unpleasant, but necessary, new aspect to the inflation problem. In many Utah water districts, the true cost of water is blunted somewhat by property tax subsidies. Some districts rely on this tax base to fund long-term projects. That shouldn’t preclude them from instituting more aggressively tiered rate structures that greatly reduce overconsumption. At the same time, however, they should take care … Continued

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Report says Utah’s birth rate is declining, impacting other youth issues

May 16, 2022 (Fox 13) -

Utah’s birth rate continues to decline, impacting a number of other youth issues, according to a new report. The Utah Foundation released the report on Monday, highlighting a cascading series of policy impacts tied to the birth rate and the state’s youth. While Utah still has the highest birth rate, it has dropped by nearly a third since 2008, the report said. The entire United States reported a more modest decline. “The birth rate is … Continued

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Peter Reichard: Utah should be broadening educational horizons

May 11, 2022 (Salt Lake Tribune) -

Few dividing lines in our nation are as bright as the line between those who have some form of post-secondary degree or certification and those who do not. A shortfall in post-secondary educational attainment diminishes both social capital and economic prospects. And the consequences echo through generations, as the children of those with low educational attainment are more likely to follow suit. Some of the steps to expanding post-secondary attainment involve long-term, bottom-up changes. But … Continued

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Utah Foundation: Homes are moving increasingly out of reach for blue-collar households

May 11, 2022 (Utah Policy) -

Today, the Utah Foundation released a new Significant Statistic post on housing costs in Utah. Having recently completed our “middle housing” project, the Utah Foundation continues to track Utah’s housing issues. A recent find is the Carpenter Index. AEI’s Housing Center created its Carpenter Index as a way of tracking housing affordability in the country’s 100 largest metro areas. The Index looks at the income for the average carpenter-headed household as a proxy for blue-collar Americans’ incomes. The gist … Continued

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Green Agenda Moves Forward in Utah, Coal Plants Prepare to Close

May 06, 2022 (The Epoch Times) -

Within the arid landscape of Delta, Utah, the state’s largest coal-fired power plant is winding down toward retirement. The Intermountain Power Agency is moving forward with plans to transition the facility into a natural gas-green hydrogen plant by 2025. Utah has 22 coal units, 14 of which are scheduled for closure by 2030. From those existing resources, five coal-fired plants currently produce power. Energy generated from coal accounts for 61 percent of Utah’s electricity production. … Continued

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Time to ditch the Utah political convention circus. Robert Gehrke explains why.

April 27, 2022 (Salt Lake Tribune) -

…They diminish the voice of women — not just with shouts of “Sit down, Karen!” — but because data shows women are consistently underrepresented among the delegate pool. In 2016, the non-partisan Utah Foundation reported that less than a quarter of delegates to the Republican convention were female, even though they make up 56% of GOP voters…

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Here’s how Utah can increase postsecondary education success

April 22, 2022 (KSL.com) -

A new report by the Utah Foundation says the Beehive State has work to do when it comes to connecting Utah’s K-12 students with resources for postsecondary educational success. Unsurprisingly, the cost of postsecondary education is a major concern for Utah students. Last May, Envision Utah surveyed more than 7,600 high school students in the state about their perceptions of postsecondary barriers. Cost topped the list, followed closely by wanting better information about applying to … Continued

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