Latest Research
Utah’s Expanding Medicaid Coverage: Three Scenarios
After years of debating whether and how to expand Medicaid coverage to uninsured adults who do not currently qualify for the program, Utah is poised to move forward with one of three changes to its Medicaid program in 2019. This policy brief helps Utah voters, policy makers, and business and community leaders better understand and compare the proposed changes to Utah’s Medicaid program. It includes information on program elements, federal and state costs, lessons learned from other states, and policy concerns associated with each scenario. A summary of key information on the proposed changes is provided below.
The Utah Demographic and Economic Model
Models certainly do not replace thinking, but rather inform thinking. We build models to organize thought processes, understand relationships, shed light on cause and effect, and, ultimately, help people make INFORMED DECISIONS. In a high-growth state like Utah, long-term demographic and economic projection models provide vital information that helps with education, transportation, water, and other policies. They count on the development, upkeep, and operation of these models to help them make smart decisions and, ultimately, help our state prosper.
Utah Outdoor Partners Survey of Businesses, 2018
Utah is currently experiencing a period of dynamic economic growth. Executives from 50 of the fastest growing companies in Utah were interviewed to determine the influence Utah's outdoor recreational opportunities have on location decisions, employee recruitment and retention, and the overall desirability of doing business in the state.
Gardner Industry Trends Model
The Gardner Industry Trends Model (GITM) produces statewide long-term employment projections by major industry. These employment projections serve as drivers for the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s (GPI) long-term demographic projections.
June 2018 Economic Summary
The Utah economy remains healthy. Every major industrial sector expanded in 2017, contributing a total of 43,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.1% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. In 2017, Utah’s construction sector posted the highest job growth with 5.4%.
Ivory-Boyer First Quarter Report 2018
The value of all permit authorized construction in Utah during the first quarter of 2018 was $2 billion. This is a 7.5 percent increase from first quarter 2017. This rise was led by an increase in residential construction which represented 64 percent of total construction value this quarter. Overall, construction values rose after two consecutive quarterly declines in 2017.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2018
Utah’s diverse travel and tourism industry generates jobs and income for Utah residents and produces tax revenue for state and local governments. Domestic and international visitors are drawn to Utah’s natural, cultural, and historical assets. Utah has 14 ski resorts, 10 of which are less than an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, as well as five national parks, 11 national monuments, two national recreation areas, one national historic site, and 43 state parks. Throughout the year, Utah hosts several arts events, such as the Moab Music Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Tuacahn Theater Series, Utah Arts Festival, Utah Festival[...]
CEOutlook Surveys
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute has partnered with the Salt Lake Chamber to create CEOutlook, an economic confidence index informed by Utah’s leading business executives. The index is created by surveying these executives every quarter to “gauge the economic pulse of Utah’s business community.” The survey research team assists the chamber in this endeavor with survey design and management, methodology, and data management.
May 2018 Economic Summary
The Utah economy remains healthy. Every major industrial sector expanded in 2017, contributing a total of 43,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.1% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. In 2017, Utah’s construction sector posted the highest job growth with 5.4%.
Gardner Business Review: What Rapidly Rising Prices Mean for Housing Affordability
Since 2010, Utah has led the country in employment and demographic growth. This growth has produced exceptionally strong demand for housing, which in turn has put upward pressure on housing prices.