May 20, 2015(UtahPulse.com) - Macdonald cites the recent report of the Utah Foundation which concluded that “Utah’s tax burden is at its lowest level in 20 years.” The report further explained that the “net effect” of that change is “all of the burden of lowering taxes has come out of public education budgets. In fact, education funding effort has fallen more than the tax burden.” “The result of this devastating financial picture,” explained the new president, “is increased class … Continued
May 15, 2015(KSL.com) - However, some say a more comprehensive plan is needed to accommodate the number of students Utah is on track to gain. Last week, the Utah Foundation released a report calling on state leaders to continue developing a statewide education plan that looks forward to the year 2050. Utah’s K-12 schools are looking to gain about 385,000 students by that year, many of them going on to pursue a college degree at one of Utah’s colleges … Continued
May 13, 2015(Fox 13 News) - Quick quiz: Where does 82 percent of Utah’s water go? Answer: Farms and ranches. It’s a fact that could easily escape the notice of Utahns because the public conversation about conservation focuses so much on home landscaping. But a simple percentage doesn’t tell the story, says Sterling Brown, who is the Vice President of Public Policy with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. “Utah production agriculture diverts 82 percent of the water but only uses approximately … Continued
May 11, 2015(KSL-TV) - Half of the people killed in vehicle crashes on Utah highways are not buckled in. State surveys show 83 percent of Utahns buckle up. A recent report by the Utah Foundation forecasts a 10 percent rise in compliance with the new law, which 33 other states already enforce. The students said a friend was recently injured in a bad crash. “If he didn’t have his seat belt, he probably wouldn’t be doing as good as … Continued
May 07, 2015(UtahPolicy.com) - Just over 30 percent of Utah’s population is under the age of 18, with more than 600,000 students in the state’s public schools. That population is expected to grow 64 percent by 2050, when Utah will have almost a million students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Higher education will experience similarly robust growth. Yet Utah has no long-term, comprehensive, statewide plan for public and higher education in spite of recommendations from civic groups such as … Continued
May 09, 2015(Daily Herald) - In the fourth-fastest growing county in the state, new estimates anticipate that Utah County will see an increase of more than 120,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students between 2010 and 2050 — the largest anticipated increase of any county in the state. And that’s not all. The Utah System of Higher Education anticipates there will be an additional 50,000 college and university students by 2023, which represents a 28 percent increase. “Utah Valley University is … Continued
May 08, 2015(KUER) - A new report from Utah Foundation says the state needs a long-range education plan to prepare for population growth. The report highlights tax policies Utah has implemented over the past 20 years that it says have chipped away at the state’s education funding effort. And it proposes the state create a 10-year-plan to help pre-empt such policies in the future. Shawn Teigen is the research director at Utah Foundation. On the bright side, he says … Continued
May 08, 2015(Deseret News) - Utah is expected to gain about 385,000 K-12 students by 2050, but state leaders are past due in planning and preparing for future growth while ensuring adequate school funding and satisfactory student performance. That’s the message from a Utah Foundation report released Thursday that takes a look at what education in the state could be like given the growth and increasing ethnic diversity over the next 35 years. State leaders and educators are in the … Continued
May 07, 2015(KUTV) - Utah needs a plan for education and desperately needs to put more money into it, according to a new report from Utah Foundation. The nonprofit, non-partisan group says the state’s population is expected to double by 2050, but Utah’s education funding is lacking. In order to improve, the report says the state needs to find revenue including, perhaps, by raising taxes. But as the report acknowledges, that could be a tough sell here in Utah. … Continued
May 07, 2015(KSL-TV) - A new study shows Utah isn’t doing enough to prepare for what is coming in education. The Utah Foundation estimates in the next 35 years, the student population will increase 65 percent and enrollment will exceed one million students in grades K-12. Most of those students will come from Utah County. But Utah has no long-term plan to deal with growth or the diverse ethnic populations included in those numbers. The study also showed concerning … Continued
May 04, 2015(KUER-FM) - KUER News Director Terry Gildea and reporter/producer Judy Fahys talk with host Doug Fabrizio about KUER’s reporting on the water issue and KUED’s TV documentary on the same subject. Utah Foundation’s study Flowing Toward 2050: Utah’s Water Outlook is cited in the conversation.
May 07, 2015(Deseret News) - The audit also notes that unreliable figures are being used to project future water usage in Utah, which could lead to unnecessary costs. All of this should serve as a cold splash to the face. As yearly snowpack diminishes and the population grows, Utah can’t afford to get this one wrong. Or, as Utah Foundation research analyst Mallory Bateman told me, “The lesson from California is that it kind of takes something catastrophic in order … Continued
May 01, 2015(Salt Lake Tribune) - The Utah Foundation released a report back in September that noted the state is the second driest in the nation and has the second highest per-capita water use. It called for local governments to boost water bills, in part to encourage people to conserve. Nothing has happened on that front. But with a dry winter some are worried about the state’s water supply. Salt Lake City has issued a water-shortage advisory, the first step toward … Continued
April 16, 2015(Salt Lake Tribune) - Despite this week’s spring snowfall, state and local officials are bracing for drought and encouraging conservation. Salt Lake City public utilities director Jeff Niermeyer, Rep. Tim Hawkes and Mallory Bateman of the Utah Foundation join Jennifer Napier-Pearce [to] talk about the state’s low water supply and how water shortages could affect residents, farmers and the economy.
April 03, 2015(KUER) - Many Utahns might be wondering what the latest round of statewide tax increases will mean for their wallets. The Utah Foundation says not all that much. New analysis shows Utah’s ranking among states with the highest tax burden will slip in 2017 as a result of property tax and motor fuel tax increases approved this legislative session.
April 01, 2015(Deseret News) - When it comes to traffic safety, Utah has optimal laws on impaired driving and seat belt enforcement, a new research report from Utah Foundation concludes. But it also found Utah still has some work to do when it comes to distracted driving and cellphone use behind the wheel. The report is titled Utah in the Fast Lane: An Analysis of Driving and Traffic Safety. Among the findings: Utah seat belt laws will be among the … Continued
March 31, 2015(KSL Newsradio) - Praise for the new primary seat belt law in Utah, hoping that when it starts in May, we’ll see more people using seat belts and fewer people dying.
March 31, 2015(KUTV) - A new non-partisan study was released Tuesday that focuses on driving safety in Utah. While we’ve made strides towards safety in some areas, there are others that are getting worse and costing lives. Drunk driving is down, but use of cell phones while driving is up. Both are equally dangerous and yet they’re not given equal weight and consideration. With new cell phone laws people have started to change their habits using hands free devices … Continued
March 31, 2015(KSL-TV) - A Utah Foundation report released today shows the state has made strides in seat belt use and drunken driving. But there is still work to do on distracted driving and cellphone use behind the wheel. The report is titled, “Utah in the Fast Lane: An Analysis of Driving and Traffic Safety.” Among the findings: Utah will have among the strongest seat belt laws in the nation May 12. That’s when an officer can pull a … Continued
March 31, 2015(KUER) - A new report by the non-profit Utah Foundation examines several areas where the state could improve safety on the roads. Mandated helmets for all motorcyclists, increased restrictions on teen drivers, and stricter driving laws for cell phone use would all lead to safer roads in the state. That’s according to a new report by the Utah Foundation. It points out that while Utah drivers could improve with seat belt usage, a new law will help … Continued
March 31, 2015(Standard-Examiner) - Key findings in a new report released Tuesday by the Utah Foundation include Utah’s need for a universal motorcycle helmet law and increased education concerning seat belt safety and distracted driving. The 70-year-old public policy and research organization unveiled its latest work, Utah in the Fast Lane: An Analysis of Driving and Recommendations for Traffic Safety, in front of Salt Lake City’s Police Department. “Utah has optimal laws on impaired driving, booster seat use and … Continued
March 29, 2015(Daily Utah Chronicle) - According to research by the Utah Foundation, the state’s three million inhabitants will double by 2050. This growth is expected mostly in urban areas, and RTP says this requires a continued investment in public transit. However, commenters at the Regional Council’s meeting are worried that UTA will not increase service hours or frequency of transit. Deb Henry, representative of the Utah Transit Riders Union, said it’s not the first time they’ve heard these concerns. “From … Continued
March 31, 2015(Salt Lake Tribune) - Two new reports suggest that Utah drivers and congestion may not be all that bad — at least compared to others. For example, the Salt Lake City area is the eighth-least congested among 53 large cities in the United States, and ninth-least congested among 146 large cities worldwide studied by TomTom, a manufacturer of electronic GPS route-finding devices, according to a study it released Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Utah Foundation, a nonprofit that conducts research on … Continued
March 30, 2015(Fox 13 News) - The Utah Foundation, an influential public policy research group, will publish a report suggesting a range of changes to the rules of the road in Utah, with just about each one making someone angry. The report, titled “Utah in the Fast Lane” looks at seat belt use, helmet laws, teen driving restrictions, drunk driving and driving while distracted by an electronic device. It’s in that last category the report may raise the most eyebrows. “Talking … Continued
October 06, 2014(Center for Western Priorities) - Several reports have highlighted Utah’s unique demographic makeup. For example, the Utah Foundation noted that “…with very high birth rates and a very young population, there [are] many school aged children.” And according to the U.S. Census, nearly 31 percent of the state’s population is under the age of 18; Texas is the next closest with 26.6 percent of the population under 18 (the national average is 23.3 percent). Thus, because of Utah’s demography, funding … Continued
