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© 2024 Informed Discussions Podcast
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Tune in to hear the latest economic, demographic, and community updates from Utah's premier public policy institute.
30 Episodes
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Utah’s resilient economy continues to outperform the nation. Record-low unemployment, top-ranked labor force participation, and competitive living costs mark our elite standing among states. This success took intention and understanding from policymakers and business leaders alike. As we look to the future, decision-makers are asking the necessary questions to help maintain life quality in our state: How do we support, enhance, and expand the distinctive features Utahns value? How can we reta...
On February 26, the Institute hosted its quarterly “Storytelling through Data” event, co-sponsored by the Salt Lake Tribune. The topic was Utah’s health care coverage landscape. We were joined by MIT professor and MacArthur Genius Grant winner Amy Finkelstein for a lively discussion on health care reform, coverage, and potential future policy solutions.There are high rates of private health insurance enrollment, low rates of public health insurance program enrollment, and declining uninsured ...
Under the direction of the Utah Hospital Association and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the Utah Behavioral Health Coalition convened to develop a comprehensive and coordinated approach to improving people’s behavioral health. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, in partnership with Leavitt Partners, a Health Management Associates company, assisted the Utah Behavioral Health Coalition in assessing needs, gaps, and challenges in Utah’s behavioral health systems. This as...
Economic data make abundantly clear that post-secondary education improves lives and supports civil society. Higher educational attainment correlates strongly with increased employment, earnings, and upward mobility, all while supporting civil society through increased voter participation, volunteerism, and more.On February 14, Utah’s university leadership explored the vital importance of Utah’s public system of higher education to the state economy. We were joined by the University of Utah P...
Utah ended the 2023 water year in September with higher-than-average accumulated precipitation. As a result, Great Salt Lake rose five and a half feet at the south arm of the lake after hitting a record low in Fall 2022. Critical issues remain, however, and policymakers continue to address how best to protect and preserve Great Salt Lake and its ecosystem.For our January 2024 Newsmaker Breakfast, the Gardner Institute was joined by decision-makers and policy experts who gave an update on Grea...
Downtown Salt Lake City is the foremost center for sports, entertainment, culture, and education in the Mountain West. Demographic and economic data show the city’s population is growing, with new construction taking the urban center’s skyline to new heights. In the next few years, Utah’s capital faces an inspiring opportunity to potentially welcome thousands of new residents, a professional sports franchise, a second Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and related entertainment and cultural...
The Gardner Institute employs a senior education analyst and a team of demographers and economists knowledgeable about Utah’s education policies and economy. We also benefit from a newly formed Education Advisory Council that guides our research agenda and supports the development of an education policy practice area. Our focus includes K-12 and higher education research, analysis, and reporting on education policies, Utah demographics, public finance, and the economy.On this episode, Gardner...
In the United States, more women are deciding to have children and remain single today than ever before. Almost half of all babies born in the U.S. were born to unmarried women in 2019, a dramatic increase since 1960, when only 5% of births were to unmarried mothers. This trend is not a direct result of divorce; today's unpartnered mothers are more likely never to be married.But what does this trend mean for our future from an economic standpoint?In a new book, "The Two-Parent Privilege: How ...
Over the past decade, Utah was the fastest-growing state in the nation, and that growth continues – Utah is projected to reach five million people by 2050. Envision Utah’s recent Values Study highlighted that for the first time in 20 years, more Utahns feel pessimistic about the impacts of growth rather than positive. Utah is growing because it is a great place to live, but our future life quality depends on our choices today.A statewide conversation called Guiding our Growth was launched thi...
One of the major headlines from the 2020 Census is the significant aging of the population in the United States. This data reveals that the U.S. population 65 and older grew faster between 2010 and 2020 than in any decade since 1890. This same data shows a spike in the growth of the older population in Utah, too. While the 65 and older population nationwide grew an impressive 39% last decade, Utah’s 65 and older population grew 53% between 2010 and 2020. During the same period, Utah’s overall...
Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values.On today's episode, we honor our third recipient: Friends of Great Salt Lake. The mission of Friends of Great Salt Lake is to preserve and protect the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and increase pub...
The COVID-19 pandemic years created unmatched volatility in Utah's housing market. Building permits for residential units increased by 26% in 2021, only to fall by 26% in 2022. The pandemic joins the Great Recession as one of those unique moments in Utah's housing market. The recession produced 16 consecutive quarters of declining housing prices, while the pandemic produced the shortest and steepest homebuilding expansion and contraction on record.The Gardner Institute's latest report, "State...
On August 31, the Gardner Institute hosted a special Newsmaker Breakfast on the role and importance of a diverse democracy and civil society in American life. We were joined by newly named University of Utah Impact Scholar Dr. Eboo Patel, who joins the U for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years Eboo is the Founder and President of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in the United States. Beginning this fall, Eboo and his Interfaith America team will work closely with Uni...
Utah’s tourism economy has experienced a strong recovery since the pandemic more than three years ago. Visitor spending, jobs, and tax revenue have all surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Utah’s ski industry reported another record year, while the state’s “Mighty 5” national parks and state parks continue to attract visitors from across the nation and around the world.The success of the tourism economy, like the overall success of the state, creates an imperative for tourism leaders to think more ...
As Utah moves forward after the COVID-19 pandemic, students across the state have returned to the classroom after an extended period of school closures and remote learning. These disruptions have led to significant learning gaps across various age groups, testing subjects, and racial and ethnic backgrounds. According to recent analysis by the Gardner Institute, 35 Utah school districts declined in learning proficiency rates from 2019 to 2022. Five districts improved. One was unchanged.Hear fr...
Utah's bonded indebtedness. which incurs debt solely for capital expenses, stands in sharp contrast to that of the United States. Federal government debt as a percent of the U.S. economy, currently at over 120% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has raised serious concerns about future economic stability. The debate over federal debt policy and borrowing has recently been exacerbated by a looming deadline to raise the national debt ceiling to avoid default.Gardner Institute Chief Economist Phil...
Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values.On today's episode, we honor our fourth recipient: Switchpoint Community Resource Center. Founded in 2014, Switchpoint provides temporary shelter and support for people experiencing homelessnes...
Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values.On today's episode, we honor our second recipient: Comunidades Unidas. Comunidades Unidas is dedicated to building the social and political power of people who identify as Latinx immigrants liv...
Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values.On today's episode, we honor our first recipient: Heidi Walker. Heidi serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah’s largest and statewide business association. She bega...
The federal government took emergency steps over the weekend of March 10th to prevent a broader run on the banks after the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the second largest bank failure in U.S. history, followed by the collapse of New York’s Signature Bank, which became the third largest bank failure in U.S. history. Over the course of a weekend, there was mounting fear and general uncertainty of what this all meant for the banking system at large, and what it meant closer to home fo...
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