How do we improve Utah? Think tank’s top 2023 findings reveal where legislators should start

January 07, 2024 (Deseret News) - 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

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Think tank’s top 2023 findings

January 07, 2024 (Yahoo News) - 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

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Opinion: The four truths about Utah’s growth and mobility

December 21, 2023 (Salt Lake Tribune) - Recently, the Utah Foundation hosted a panel of local transportation and government leaders to discuss policy solutions that will inform transportation planning and decision-making. Panel participants discussed how trails, complete streets, first and last-mile transit access and active-transportation connectivity impact the quality of life for residents. From that workshop, four truths emerged. Truth #1: Utah and the Wasatch Front are growing at a record pace. Utah has seen colossal growth in recent years. New jobs … Continued

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Residents of Midwest, Mountain West see biggest pay bumps

October 30, 2023 (Michigan Advance) - …Many of the states in the Mountain West, Midwest and New England that experienced large income increases have scenic or affordable areas that have attracted remote workers looking for a lower cost of living and proximity to recreation. “Things changed fast. Now there’s competition for workers and upward pressure on wages, and people from Oregon and California are saying ’Hey I could live next to five national parks. This is an incredible place,’” said Shawn … Continued

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New report looks at Utah water law

October 26, 2023 (Utah Policy) - Today, the Utah Foundation releases its second report of a new series on water in Utah. Utah is one of the driest states in the nation. Making sure the state manages water well is essential to its rapid population growth and economic expan­sion. There are concerns that Utah’s water law a) provides incentives for wa­ter-right holders to waste water, b) distributes water in a way that might have been a better fit for historic needs … Continued

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Annual Growth and Prosperity Summit to feature Congressman John Curtis

October 21, 2023 (Daily Herald) - Curtis Blair, who describes himself as an entrepreneur and business alchemist, was named president and CEO of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce four years ago. Since that time, he has engaged the community in yearly discussions and bringing local stakeholders to the same page concerning the growth and prosperity of Utah valley. For the past three years Blair, the chamber and Utah Valley University have hosted the Growth and Prosperity Summit. This year, the … Continued

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WSU ranked No. 1 in Utah for investment returns

September 19, 2023 (The Signpost) - Weber State University is listed as the number one Utah higher education institution for student’s 10-year net present value according to a Utah Foundation Report from August. The report looks at the financial return on investment for students, however, it is a multifaceted issue. Net present value, or NPV, is a comparison of the potential future earnings against the cost of further education. In other words, to find the NPV, subtract the education costs from … Continued

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Report: Which Utah university gives the best bang for the buck?

September 09, 2023 (Yahoo News) - A new Utah Foundation report affirms the more postsecondary education a person has, there’s a better return on investment. But the report, titled “Bang for your buck: Which Utah schools have the best return on investment,” also indicates much depends on what a student studies and the workforce demand for those credentials. The report, which examined return on investment at Utah’s public and private colleges and universities, found Weber State University is tops for students’ … Continued

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These Utah schools have the best return on investment, report finds

September 09, 2023 (ABC4) - SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The return on investment for higher education beyond high school is generally worth the time and effort, according to a report by the Utah Foundation. The report, “Bang for Your Buck: Which Utah Schools have the Best Return on Investment,” states that the return varies by examining three factors: the institution attended, the credential obtained, and the subject studied. According to the report, Weber State University tops the list in … Continued

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Report: Which Utah university gives the best bang for the buck?

September 09, 2023 (Deseret News) - A new Utah Foundation report affirms the more postsecondary education a person has, there’s a better return on investment. But the report, titled “Bang for your buck: Which Utah schools have the best return on investment,” also indicates much depends on what a student studies and the workforce demand for those credentials. The report, which examined return on investment at Utah’s public and private colleges and universities, found Weber State University is tops for students’ … Continued

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Shawn Teigen: Don’t just read the headlines on inflation

September 09, 2023 (Salt Lake Tribune) - 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

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Focus on what today’s students need, Gov. Cox says at awards luncheon

September 07, 2023 (KSL.com) - While Utah has seen great education outcomes — including increasing the percentage of students who graduate high school in Utah since 2013 — there are still improvements to be made, speakers at the Utah Foundation’s annual awards luncheon agreed Monday. “We are at a time when families, parents, students, employers, everyone is re-evaluating what the value proposition of education actually is — what is it we’re trying to accomplish with education? Is it just education … Continued

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Is college worth it? Where in Utah you can get the most out of your education

August 29, 2023 (ABC4) - As the cost of college continues to rise exponentially, many degree-seekers are wondering if education beyond high school is worth the money. Others just want to get the most education at the lowest cost. New research from the Utah Foundation, an independent non-profit public research organization, has revealed that continuing education after high school is still worth the time. Their research also revealed what schools and degrees earn students the biggest return on their investments. … Continued

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Mitt Romney Visits the U’s Hinckley Institute for Congressional Series

August 21, 2023 (The Daily Utah Chronicle) - …According to the Utah Foundation, Utah ranks the highest in the country when it comes to social capital. Social capital is measured through positive relationships with others. Romney attributed Utah’s high social capital score to the state’s higher-than-average marriage rate and average kids per family…

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Flowing into the Desert

August 15, 2023 (Fox 13) - Shawn Teigen spoke with Fox 13 about the Utah Foundation’s newest report, Flowing into the Desert: A Background on Water in Utah.

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Alysia Ducuara: Utah is one of the healthiest states in the nation — but we need to do more

July 24, 2023 (Salt Lake Tribune) - Our culture of health is declining in Utah, and we need to move in the opposite direction to have the best quality of life. I’m the executive director of Get Healthy Utah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a culture of health in Utah communities. When I tell people about Get Healthy Utah’s mission, I often get a response along these lines: “Alysia, we don’t really need to work on improving health in Utah — … Continued

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Bike Safety Ideas for Utah

July 20, 2023 (Rod Arquette) - At 20:06 (on some browsers at 20:38): Shawn Teigen, President of the Utah Foundation, joins the program for a conversation about his op-ed piece in the Deseret News on ways to make Utah safer for bicycles.

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Opinion: Ways we can make Utah safer for bicycles

July 19, 2023 (Deseret News) - 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

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Speaking on Business: Utah Foundation

June 09, 2023 (Salt Lake Chamber) - This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. The Utah Foundation seeks to help decision-makers and citizens understand and address complex issues. President Shawn Teigen joins us with more about recent inflation trends. SHAWN TEIGEN: Until recently, most of us never really talked about inflation… but now it seems like we are all experts. As part of the Utah Foundation Misery Index, we’ve studied inflation and three other factors to find that Utah has consistently performed … Continued

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Rod Arquette Show Daily Rundown

May 16, 2023 (Rod Arquette) - Shawn Teigen, President of the Utah Foundation, joins the show for a conversation about his recent piece in the Deseret News in which he explains the math surrounding inflation.

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Opinion: Is our inflation too high? The math, explained

May 15, 2023 (Deseret News) - Seeing inflation at nearly 5% for April was not great. But had it been 2%, that could have been even worse for some Utahns. It is all about the math. Speaking of math, if you dine out, you have probably felt the increase in restaurant prices. This is in part because overall food prices are up by 20% since the pandemic began. I have certainly felt it. My family went out for a congratulatory lunch a … Continued

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Is our inflation too high? The math, explained

May 15, 2023 (Yahoo News) - Seeing inflation at nearly 5% for April was not great. But had it been 2%, that could have been even worse for some Utahns. It is all about the math. Speaking of math, if you dine out, you have probably felt the increase in restaurant prices. This is in part because overall food prices are up by 20% since the pandemic began. I have certainly felt it. My family went out for a congratulatory lunch … Continued

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