Public Policy

The Gardner Institute provides data-driven, context-specific insights about public policy in Utah. We prepare in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies on key Utah issues in partnership with private-sector stakeholders and state and local government. Our research provides vital information decision-makers and the public use to help Utah prosper.

1412, 2022

Property Tax Insights

December 14th, 2022|

The property tax is Utah’s most stable tax. This stability comes from both the less volatile nature of property and the design of Utah’s property tax system.

512, 2022

A Cloudy Crystal Ball: Pandemic Forecasting Challenges Highlight Need for Budget Relief Valves

December 5th, 2022|

STATE BUDGET OFFICIALS HAVE RUN a gauntlet of challenges since COVID-19 descended upon the US in January 2020. The nation’s economy whipsawed through the pandemic—from growth to contraction to recovery to overheating—as the federal government’s crisis response encourage shutdowns and unleashed trillions of dollars of stimulus money.

1210, 2022

A Business Vision for Utah’s Energy Future (Data Compendium)

October 12th, 2022|

This Data Compendium provides supplementary data, definitions, and focus group summaries for the companion report, “A Business Vision for Utah’s Energy Future.” This companion report can be accessed on the Salt Lake Chamber or Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute website.

1210, 2022

A Business Vision for Utah’s Energy Future

October 12th, 2022|

Utah's business community envisions an energy future that places Utah at the center of the nation's energy transition by harmonizing environmental and economic progress to ensure a balanced low carbon energy future that remains affordable, reliable, and sustainable.

2809, 2022

Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, Second Quarter 2022

September 28th, 2022|

During the first six months of 2022, total permitted construction value reached $7.23 billion, a 1.8% decrease over the same time period from 2021 (see Table 1). However, when controlling for inflation, the construction value decreased 6.0% (see Figure 1). This is the first decrease in inflation-adjusted construction value activity since 2012.

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