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
August 09, 2016(Salt Lake Tribune) - One consequence of mail-in voting is that the act of democratic participation has a new and important partner, the U.S. Postal Service. And it’s a good partner. The ease of having a postal worker pick up ballots — and take them where they need to go to be counted — has reversed Utah’s long decline in voter participation. A report on last year’s municipal elections from the Utah Foundation found that all 70 cities that … Continued
August 08, 2016(Salt Lake Tribune) - Local governments also face another Utah reality: a growing population that will need growing public services. By 2050, the state can expect 1 million to 2.5 million additional residents, according to Utah Foundation projections. Salt Lake County alone is expected to add 630,000. “We can’t get around the fact that we’re going to need more attorneys for a larger criminal-justice system, and we’re going to need many more working professional staff who are compensated accordingly,” … Continued
August 09, 2016(Deseret News) - However, one factor more directly related to elections in Utah may indeed have an impact. Utah’s convention/caucus system for nominating candidates results in a delegate process not representative of the overall demographics of party members, producing, in some instances, candidates who are equally unrepresentative. That much has been demonstrated by the Utah Foundation, a nonpartisan research group. It has conducted regular studies of the demographic makeup of delegates to Republican and Democratic conventions in Utah … Continued
August 07, 2016(Deseret News) - By all accounts, Utahns are safer now than at any other point in the past two decades. In the Beehive State and across the U.S., crime rates are hitting all-time lows. But public perception hasn’t caught up to the statistics, according to a report from the Utah Foundation. In a recent survey, the foundation found that half of Utah voters said they are more worried about crime now than they were five years ago. Only … Continued
August 07, 2016(Fox 13 News) - Over the past twenty years, violent crime has dropped drastically across America and here in Utah. However, a new study shows crime is still a major concern among Utahans. “Fifty percent of the population say they’re more worried about crime than they were five years ago, and only 28 percent of the population say they’re less worried,” said Shawn Tiegen, a research director at the Utah Foundation. The study on crime and safety is part … Continued
August 08, 2016(Alpine School District) - As you are well aware, Utah County continues to grow at a rapid pace. In Alpine School District, we are excited to welcome an additional 1,600 students for the upcoming school year. Our projected growth by the year 2020 is nearly 5,000 new students. The school board and district staff are currently studying the feasibility of a bond for the November ballot to build various schools to accommodate our growth as well as renovate other … Continued
August 04, 2016(The Spectrum) - Engelman recently put out her own survey asking local voters what their main concerns were. From around 100 responses she found economics, environmental issues and partisan governing were the main concerns for local voters. Results from a similar survey put out by the Utah Foundation showed the number one issue for Utahns was healthcare followed by air quality and K-12 education. Partisan politics ranked number eight on the list behind crime. THE SPECTRUM Much at … Continued
August 03, 2016(UtahPolicy.com) - 56% of Utah voters responding to the statewide Utah Priorities Project survey rated crime as an important concern, ranking it at 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. Their responses placed the issue at #7 on the top ten list of voter concerns for 2016. At the same time, crime rates in Utah have steadily declined over the past couple of decades. A research brief published today by Utah Foundation cites statistics from the FBI … Continued
August 04, 2016(Fox 13 News) - 56% of Utah voters responding to the statewide Utah Priorities Project survey rated crime as an important concern, ranking it at 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. Their responses placed the issue at #7 on the Utah Priorities Project top ten list for 2016. At the same time, crime rates in Utah have steadily declined over the past couple of decades. A research brief !published today by Utah Foundation cites statistics from the FBI … Continued
