All Posts
Budgeting for the Backcountry: Utah’s Trailblazing Investments in Outdoor Recreation
In the 2021 General Session, the Legislature separated the Divisions of State Parks and Outdoor Recreation which were previously a single line item housed in...
September 13, 2024
Refined Revenues: How Economists are Improving Collections Tracking
When conjuring a picture of the state’s budget, appropriations (authorized spending) and expenditures (actual spending) jump to the front of mind. However, both appropriations and...
August 30, 2024
Belt-Tightening in Comfort: How the 2024 General Session Prepared Utah for a Deficit
In July we covered the Statewide Master Plan, a guide for state office space planning and investments. In that post, it was discussed how both...
August 16, 2024
From Tariffs to Taps: Recent Updates from the Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Services
In June, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) opened the doors on its latest store, an upgrade for the Salt Lake City Downtown location...
August 9, 2024
The Reality of Realty: How the State is Investing in Affordable Housing
According to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, average rental prices along the Wasatch Front climbed more than 20% from 2020 to 2021. While the...
August 2, 2024
Getting Your Money’s Worth: Exploring the Latest Taxpayer Receipt
During the 2013 General Session, the Legislature passed H.B. 129, “Amendments to Powers, Functions, and Duties of Office of Legislative Fiscal Analyst,” which required the...
July 26, 2024
Optimized Occupancy: Highlighting the Master Plan for State Facilities
The Statewide Master Plan guides investments in existing state office space and supports the new construction of carefully planned rural centers. The first master plan...
July 19, 2024
The Scoop on Salaries: Recent Legislative Investments in Teacher Pay
Salaries have long been a focal point in discussions about education funding. Teachers are fundamental to our educational system, and debates about their compensation have...
July 12, 2024
Settlement Savvy: How Utah is Using Opioid Settlement Funds
In February 2022, the first of several large settlements was finalized in the nationwide, multi-district litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors. These settlements, worth an...
July 5, 2024
Making Cents of Jail Contracting: Recent Policy and Budget Changes
Local jails play a significant role in Utah’s criminal justice system. Specifically, county jails serve an important function by housing a portion of state inmates...
June 28, 2024
Special Session Spotlight: How Latest Appropriations Compare with June Revenue Collections
2024 Third Special Session Fiscal Impacts During Wednesday’s Special Session, the legislature considered five bills and two resolutions. Only two of those bills or resolutions...
June 21, 2024
Revenue Deja Vu: May Collections Mirror Previous Two Fiscal Years
On Friday, May 17th, the Tax Commission along with the Legislative Fiscal Analyst and Governor's Office of Planning and Budget released the latest revenue monitoring...
May 17, 2024