Public Finance
The Gardner Institute employs a team of economists who specialize in public finance. We also benefit from a Public Finance Council that guides our research agenda and supports the development of a public finance practice area. Our research focus areas include, but are not limited to: tax policy, revenue forecasting, fiscal impacts, budget stress-testing, budget transparency, and public finance best practices.
Gardner Business Review: U.S. and Utah Debt Policy: A Study in Contrasts
The state of Utah’s bonding practices vary dramatically from that of the federal government. Instead of borrowing for ongoing programs as the federal government does, Utah wisely borrows for needed capital projects such as highways and buildings.
Insight: UTAXI Conference 2022
By: Enas Farag Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author alone and do not reflect an institutional position of the Gardner Institute. We hope the opinions shared contribute to the marketplace of ideas and help people as they formulate their own INFORMED DECISIONS™. […]
The Unprecedented Federal Fiscal Policy Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on State Budgets
Massive fiscal stimulus supported the economy during the pandemic, but also contributed to goods shortages, inflation, and long-term debt.
Insight: Are Utah’s Wages Pacing with High Inflation?
By Natalie Roney and Phil Dean The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic repercussions continue to reverberate throughout the Utah and U.S. economies. In particular, labor shortages and high inflation remain top of mind for many Utahns as a return to “normal” economic conditions remains elusive. This post explores aspects of real (inflation-adjusted) wage indicators. […]
Utah State Government Growth Presentation
In 2020, U.S. government expenditures climbed to 31.2% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the largest expenditure as a percent GDP since the end of World War II. Such a level of government participation in the nation’s economy alarms some analysts. Has the state of Utah followed a similar trend or is it on its own path.
Utah State Government Growth: Following the Feds or On its Own Path?
In 2020, U.S. government expenditures climbed to 31.2% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the largest expenditure as a percent GDP since the end of World War II. Such a level of government participation in the nation’s economy alarms some analysts. Has the state of Utah followed a similar trend or is it on its own path?
A Visual Guide to Tax Modernization: Understanding Property Taxes
Utahns share a common interest in a state and local tax system that provides for our needs, keeps the economy strong, and remains viable over the long term. This visual guide, which is the third in a series, illustrates key components of Utah’s property tax – the oldest and most stable of Utah’s major taxes.
USHE Data Book: The Costs and Benefits of Higher Education
As a large share of Utah’s state budget and a key input to economic development, higher education plays a significant role in the Utah economy and is associated with many individual and societal benefits.
Insight: What Goes Up Must Come Down? The Muddled Post-Pandemic Inflation Picture
By: Phil Dean Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author alone and do not reflect an institutional position of the Gardner Institute. We hope the opinions shared contribute to the marketplace of ideas and help people as they formulate their own INFORMED DECISIONS™. More than any time in recent memory, inflation is a hotly debated economic topic. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) July price change as measured by the seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows a 5.3% year-over-year overall increase (5.4% when not seasonally adjusted). […]
A Visual Guide to Tax Modernization in Utah: User Fees
The 2020 Census results confirmed what Utah residents already sensed: the Beehive State grew faster than any state in the country over the past decade, more than doubling the national growth rate. Growth brings opportunity, but it also brings challenges, as Utahns need an affordable place to live, water to care for basic needs, roads and other infrastructure to support a rapidly growing economy, clean air to breathe, schools and teachers to develop the workforce, and many other attributes of quality growth. In the coming years, Utah leaders must make significant investments if the state is to continue to prosper[...]