Economy

Utah Priorities Gubernatorial Survey: A Comparison of Candidates’ and Voters’ Top Priorities for 2012

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Utah Foundation recently released The 2012 Utah Priorities Survey, which provides a summary of the findings of a statewide Dan Jones & Associates survey assessing which issues are most important this election year and how voters feel about Utah’s economy, society and politics.  For the first time, Utah Foundation also requested that the gubernatorial candidates complete part of this survey.  All of the Republican and Democratic candidates and two of three third-party candidates completed the … Continued

The 2012 Utah Priorities Survey: The Top Issues and Concerns of Utah Voters for the 2012 Election

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In this election year, Utahns are more confident that the state is heading in the right direction than they were two years ago. However, they are still not as confident as they were in the 2004 and 2008 elections.  Their concerns about issues like jobs and the economy, public education, and healthcare remain strong.  Some issues that were important in the 2010 election, such as ethics of elected officials, states’ rights vs. the federal government, … Continued

Is the Price Finally Right? The Economics of Renewable Energy

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

During the past several years, there has been a surge of interest among policymakers, scientists, investors and the public alike in renewable energy. The potential of harnessing power derived from virtually unlimited, renewable resources such as wind, the sun, water, the heat of the earth, and even organic matter, is appealing in comparison to using power derived from fossil fuels. The latter include resources such as oil, which must be imported, is scarce, can have … Continued

The 2011 Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index: First Biennial Survey Reveals Strengths, Weaknesses

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

It is often said that Utah has a high quality of life.  Many people born in Utah live here their entire lives, and those who leave the state for education or employment reasons often return some years later.  What is it that makes Utah such an appealing place to live?  Others from outside of Utah are drawn to this state, often citing its beauty, recreation or employment opportunities as their reason for moving here.  It … Continued

U.S. Federal Deficits and Debt: Understanding the History and Context

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Throughout its history, the U.S. federal government has often operated under a deficit, and has always held a federal debt.  Over this time there have been many debates over these issues, and the current contest over the presence of large deficits and the size of the debt is not surprising.  However, with the drastic increase of the deficit the past few years, and projections that show the persistence of large deficits because of mandatory spending, … Continued

Economic and Fiscal Impact Analysis of the Intermountain Power Project

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The Intermountain Power Project (IPP) is located in the Great Basin region of western Utah and generates more than 13 million megawatt hours of energy each year from its two coal-fired units. In 2008, IPP contributed about $627 million in economic activity, 3,350 jobs, and $147 million in household earnings to Utah’s economy.

United Way of Salt Lake Community Assessment 2010

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In 2009 and 2010, Utah Foundation worked as a consultant to the United Way of Salt Lake (UWSL) to assist with its Priority Area and Capacity Assessment Process. This work led to the publication by UWSL of this Community Assessment document which identifies and measures critical community needs in education, income, health, and basic needs. The assessment also helps UWSL focus its work in these critical areas to create community-level change.

The 2010 Utah Priorities Fall Survey: Voters’ Preferences for Candidates and Policy Solutions

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The purpose of this Utah Priorities Survey is to delve deeper on five critical policy issues to better understand voters’ preferences surrounding the most often discussed solutions. Voters were surveyed about K-12 education, economy and jobs, immigration, government spending, and states’ rights. The survey also asked voters about whom they plan to vote for in the upcoming election.

Moving up the Economic Ladder: An Analysis of Economic Mobility in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

The opportunity for upward mobility as the result of individual effort is viewed as one of the defining characteristics of the U.S. economy. However, data show Utah has been experiencing growing inequality since the 1980s. While inflation-adjusted income actually fell for the bottom four fifths of families in the first half of this decade, it increased by more than $6,000 for families in the top fifth.

Spending Your Tax Dollars: An Update on State Spending Trends and the Impact of the Economic Recession

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The April 2010 Utah Priorities Survey conducted by Utah Foundation indicated government spending ranked number two of the top ten issues and concerns among Utah voters. While government spending has been a concern for Utahns in past surveys, it is likely that the recent economic recession contributed to the topic’s continuing relevance and Utahns’ continuing concern for how governments utilize tax money.