Cost of living, political dysfunction top concerns for Utahns
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The Utah Legislature has been in session for almost two weeks and one nonprofit research organization contended in order for state lawmakers to be effective and responsive to the needs of Utahns, they need to address two key topics: cost of living and political dysfunction.
Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation, said through its Utah Priorities Project conducted last year, it found Utahns are concerned about being able to afford housing and other costs, such as groceries and taxes. Teigen reported many said they also do not feel listened to by politicians and are tired of hyper-partisanship.
He argued the information they provide is crucial for communities to be educated and engaged.
"The reason why we are doing that is so that policymakers can make better decisions," Teigen explained. "But it is also that civic leaders can be informed about topics that maybe policymakers are going to be making decisions on."
Teigen encouraged everyone to use the information to have constructive conversations, especially as leaders start to make decisions about what to prioritize this legislative session. It could prove to be a challenge because the foundation discovered more than 70 percent of Utah voters feel the state's politicians are "beholden" to business, religious and other special-interest groups, subsequently ignoring the will of the people.
Stanley Rosenzweig, a retired business owner and a board member of the Utah Foundation, argued Utah should find a way to improve communication between legislators and constituents. Rosenzweig contended the answer could lie in policymakers doing a better job in explaining why they are pursuing certain legislative action and the potential outcomes.
"If you talk with them individually, what you will find is that they are all people with big hearts," Rosenzweig observed. "In my opinion, they all want to do the best for the people who elected them to serve, but they just don't read it the same way and that is the problem."
The Utah Foundation has found regardless of party affiliation, Utahns agree more than they disagree, especially as it relates to housing affordability, government overreach, having enough water resources and K-12 education.
