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.
Policy Brief: Public Asset Development in Utah
Public asset development rose to national awareness with the publication of The Public Wealth of Cities by Dag Detter and Stephen Fölster in 2017. Detter and Fölster, among others, offer the asset inventorying process as a public finance tool to help public sector organizations – including cities, counties, and any other land-owning public entity – to increase revenue without increasing taxes or public debt. Specifically, Detter and Fölster address assets that are “economic assets or operations that generate non-tax revenue, or could do so if properly structured and used.”
Retail Sales and the Pandemic: A Most Remarkable Year
This research brief examines 2020 retail trade sales in the context of long-term historical trends in sales activity. A seemingly straightforward comparative analysis of yearly sales, however, was complicated by data comparability issues. Hence, care was taken to ensure an “apples to apples” approach, which required some discussion of evolving tax reporting and remittance requirements
March Newsmaker Breakfast: Federal Stimulus and its Impact on Utah
Hear from local economists and experts on the impact of federal stimulus spending on Utah.
Informed Decisions 2020 Election Brief
In this INFORMED DECISIONS™ election brief, we share insights in three areas of critical concern to Utahns: education funding, housing affordability, and the impact of COVID-19 on Utah’s economy. We will also host forums and candidate discussions as a companion to this research.
Utah System of Higher Education: State Aid Project
USHE commissioned the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute to assess system-wide tuition and state aid policies. This report focuses on three main topics: tuition and state aid policies, the economic impacts of nonresident students, and measuring college affordability. This comprehensive report presents a baseline analysis for further policy discussion surrounding state aid in Utah.
State Budget Stress Testing: How Utah Budget-makers are Shifting the Focus from a Balanced Budget to Fiscal Sustainability
State budget stress tests help policymakers to plan for and create appropriate, measured responses to economic volatility. Utah is the first state to implement comprehensive budget stress testing, evaluating the sufficiency of reserves and other budget contingencies to cover recession-spurred revenue shortfalls and countercyclical cost hikes.
State Budget Stress Testing User Guide
This user guide is a supplemental piece to the Gardner Institute’s report “State Budget Stress Testing: How Utah Budget makers are Shifting the Focus from a Balanced Budget to Fiscal Sustainability.” It is intended to assist other states in preparing their own budget stress tests.
2019 Economic Report to the Governor (Highlights)
The Economic Report to the Governor has been the preeminent source for data and commentary on Utah’s economy for over 30 years. The Utah Economic Council, convened by the David Eccles School of Business and Governor’s Office of Management and budget, publishes the report annually.
2019 Economic Report to the Governor
The Economic Report to the Governor has been the preeminent source for data and commentary on Utah’s economy for over 30 years. The Utah Economic Council, convened by the David Eccles School of Business and Governor’s Office of Management and budget, publishes the report annually.
Video: Tax Modernization in Utah: Sales and Use Tax
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 video presents economic and demographic realities impacting Utah’s current sales and use tax system.
