September 28, 2016(Spectrum) - Democrats Charlene Albarran and Dorothy Engelman didn’t have their Republican opponents to debate on Monday, but they did have the ear of an audience that came anyway for a candidate forum hosted by the St. George branch of the American Association of University Women. Albarran, a business owner and philanthropist who is challenging U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart for his seat in Congress, laid out a set of policies she said were based on fairness and … Continued
October 02, 2016(St. George News) - A legislative forum, focusing on issues important to Utah voters, is scheduled Tuesday on the Dixie State University campus. The event is free and open to the public. The forum will feature candidates vying for seats that represent Washington County in the Utah State Legislature. The Dixie State University Institute of Politics and Public Affairs is partnering with the Utah Foundation to host the forum which starts at 7:30 p.m. and is slated to last … Continued
September 28, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - Some 40% of voters in the 2016 Utah Priorities Project survey named teacher quality as their top priority with regard to K-12 education. This beat out “college and career readiness,” “class size,” and “test scores.” A research brief published today by Utah Foundation also shows more than two-thirds of voters (68%) ranked education at 4 or 5 on a five-point scale in their level of concern. This put it at #3 on the Utah Priorities … Continued
September 28, 2016(Deseret News) - Another recent survey published by Utah Foundation, a public policy research group, found that 40 percent of Utah voters named teacher quality as their top education priority, beating out college and career readiness, class size and test scores. Forty-one percent of the respondents also said they would pay higher taxes to support public education; 32 percent said they would not. The more conservative the voter, the less willing they are to increase taxes for education, … Continued
September 28, 2016(The Spectrum) - The Dixie State event, scheduled for 7:30-8:30 p.m. at DSU’s Holland Centennial Commons building, is slated to be co-hosted by the Utah Foundation, a nonpartisan think-tank based in Salt Lake City that published a series of reports on political issues facing the state. Henrie Walton, director of the Institute of Politics and Public Affairs, said the forum would be formatted similarly to a debate, with candidates given set time limits to give answers and offer … Continued
September 27, 2016(Spectrum) - But transportation officials in local governments have struggled to keep up with the growing demands within their own jurisdictions, with ongoing maintenance and demand for new infrastructure outpacing funding in 82 percent of cities and 95 percent of counties across the state, according to the Utah Foundation, a nonpartisan think-tank based in Salt Lake City. Most state funding for Utah roads are pooled together from user fees like gas taxes, registration fees and permits, then … Continued
September 26, 2016(Salt Lake Tribune) - Consider the report that came out last year from the Utah Foundation. It seems that Utahns can show a little envy back to Colorado when it comes to education, particularly early childhood education.Consider the report that came out last year from the Utah Foundation. It seems that Utahns can show a little envy back to Colorado when it comes to education, particularly early childhood education. Utah Foundation found that while both Utah and Colorado are … Continued
September 25, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - Steve Kroes, president, Utah Foundation. I think this debate will be more influential than they’ve been in past elections. With high unfavorable ratings for both candidates, both have the unique challenge of making themselves more likable to a huge audience (it’s expected to break records). And yet, they both want to tell America why the other one is a threat to America; so, how do you find the right balance of engaging in criticism and … Continued
September 15, 2016(KTVX) - Taxes and government spending are weighing heavy on the minds of Utah voters. Both have a direct impact on most of us every day. That’s why voters will be considering these issues as they make their decisions on Election Day. “When asked if they would support lowering both taxes and spending 47% of Utah voters did agree with that statement,” said Utah Foundation Research Analyst, Christopher Collard. Taxes and government spending come in at number … Continued
September 14, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - More than twice as many voters (47% to 20%) agree with the statement, “Utah should reduce taxes and reduce spending.” That question was part of the statewide Utah Priorities Project, conducted in this gubernatorial election year by the non-partisan Utah Foundation. State taxes and government spending came in 4th on the top ten list of voter concerns. Taxes and spending have consistently been among the major concerns of Utah votes since the Utah Priorities Project was … Continued
September 15, 2016(Deseret News) - In the face of all the objections, Facebook fled to the Land of Enchantment. But don’t cry. Instead, consider these two lessons: The first is that people in Utah want taxes kept as low as possible. A recently released survey by the Utah Foundation showed the tax burden has been dropping here, but that doesn’t matter. People still want to pay less. The foundation reported that, of those who responded to its Utah Priorities Project … Continued
September 11, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - This week’s question: Who’s most responsible for the rise of Trump – the indifferent political elites, or the uninformed masses? Steve Kroes, president, Utah Foundation. I think a number of forces are combining to create interest in a strongman character like Trump. If it wasn’t him, someone else would rise to fill the role. In his new book, liberal columnist E.J. Dionne blames Republicans for 50 years of unachievable promises, starting with Goldwater. He claims … Continued
September 11, 2016(Deseret News) - Here’s another part of the story: According to the Utah Office of Fiscal Analyst, nearly one-third of Utah’s households pay zero state income tax because their incomes fall below the threshold or because they receive enough deductions and exemptions to put them below the threshold. That is important because in Utah, all income tax monies are devoted to public education. Every exemption and deduction represents education funding that might have been. Additionally, nearly half of … Continued
September 05, 2016(KRCL RadioActive) - On the RadioActive Report: -Chris Collard from the Utah Foundation on a new study on jobs and the economy in Utah The minimum wage, featuring: -Dr. Richard Haskell, assistant professor of finance at Westminster College -Natalie Gochnour, chief economist at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, associate dean at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business and director at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. -Interviews with Deb Henry and Surya Bastakoti
September 02, 2016(Utah Public Radio) - Despite Utah’s emergence from the recent recession as one of the strongest economies in the nation, many people remain worried over wages and the state’s cost of living. A Utah Foundation survey found that Utahns were divided over whether to support a raise in the minimum wage to over $10 an hour. 41 percent of residents surveyed were in favor of the wage while another 41 percent were opposed. Utah ranks 31st in the nation … Continued
September 01, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - When Dan Jones & Associates asked Utah voters about raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to just over $10 per hour, 41% of them agreed it would be a good idea. 41% said no, it wouldn’t. More than 80% of Utahns who identify themselves as liberal wanted to see the minimum wage increased, but less than a quarter of those who call themselves conservative thought it should happen. Voter responses to the minimum wage and … Continued
September 01, 2016(Salt Lake Tribune) - Utah voters are evenly divided on whether the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour should be raised to $10. When asked, 41 percent of voters said yes, and 41 percent said no. A Dan Jones & Associates poll commissioned by the nonprofit Utah Foundation found that about 80 percent of Utahns who identify themselves as liberal wanted to see the minimum wage increased. But fewer than 25 percent of those who call themselves conservative thought … Continued
August 22, 2016(Davis Clipper) - More than half of the voters surveyed as part of the Utah Priorities Project expressed a high level of concern (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) about partisan politics. The issue ranks 8th on the top ten list of issues identified by voters in the statewide survey. A research brief issued by Utah Foundation shows the concern was consistent across party lines, though there were significant differences among voter responses to other questions depending … Continued
August 18, 2016(KUTV) - Water worries are a constant in Utah, ranked the second driest state in the nation. Those worries have come to the forefront, with Facebook vying for ground in West Jordan that would suck natural resources. It comes at a time when Utahn’s are expressing concerns over water availability in the future. In a newly released Utah foundation report, water worries ranked above crime. Water woes came in at number six on a list of issues … Continued
August 17, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - Given the choice, many Utah voters think the state should focus on water conservation rather than building new infrastructure projects to provide it. Their views are outlined in a research brief published by Utah Foundation as part of the Utah Priorities Project. 42% of voters surveyed agreed with the focus on water conservation. 21% of voters disagreed. Water supply and quality came in 6th on the Utah Priorities Project top ten list, which has been … Continued
August 18, 2016(The Spectrum) - Rural Utah seems to be ready to rely more on water conservation. Voters surveyed on the issue think the state should focus more on conservation than on building new infrastructure projects, according to new research published Wednesday by the Utah Foundation, a nonprofit think-tank based in Salt Lake City. Forty-two percent of voters surveyed agreed that conservation should be the priority, compared to 21 percent who disagreed, with the remainder feeling neutral on the topic. … Continued
August 17, 2016(Deseret News) - Two distinctly different pictures emerge in Utah over water supplies depending on where you live in the state, according to new research released Wednesday by the Utah Foundation. Southern Utah residents are more likely to place greater importance on developing infrastructure than their northern Utah counterparts and also have greater concerns over water supply and water quality than more urbanized populations. “Urban Utahns tend to be more in agreement with conservation practices rather than placing … Continued
August 15, 2016(Culture Magazine) - The Utah Foundation recently released results on August 11 that showed a divide between beliefs on legalizing medical cannabis. A total of 386 voters participated in the survey, where 43 percent agreed that “legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes would have a positive impact on society,” and 34 percent disagreed. There was also a 23 percent neutral response. The strongest in agreement with legalizing cannabis in terms of political parties were Democratic voters, with 52 percent … Continued
August 12, 2016(Deseret News) - Medical marijuana landed on a list of priorities among Utah voters this year, but it seems younger voters aren’t too optimistic about legalizing the substance. A Utah Foundation survey of voters conducted early this year reveals medical marijuana is the 18th most important issue facing Utahns, with health care, air quality, education, taxes, and jobs and the economy rounding out the top five. And while it was important enough to land on the list, it … Continued
August 12, 2016(Salt Lake Tribune) - Utahns are divided on the issue of legal medical marijuana, according to survey results released Thursday by the Utah Foundation. The poll, conducted in late February and early March of this year by Dan Jones and Associates, asked participants whether they agreed that “legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes would have a positive impact on society.” Of the 386 registered voters who participated, 43 percent agreed, 34 percent disagreed and 23 percent were neutral. The poll … Continued
