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.
Insight: Utah’s Social Determinants of Health: An Economic and Humanitarian Imperative
By: Laura Summers Health is a key part of Utah’s economy. It is one of the largest industries in the state, employs a substantial number of people, supplies good paying jobs—and, as we all know, your own personal health can have a significant impact on your economic situation. Poor health can make it more difficult to find and maintain employment and serious medical emergencies can leave people with unplanned debt. […]
Fact Sheet: The Economic Contribution of Utah’s Life Science Industry
Utah’s life science industry comprises a diverse spectrum of economic activity, from research and development to manufacturing, providing goods, services, and technologies that advance personal health.
Salt Lake City’s Current Apartment Boom: An Analysis of Salt Lake City’s Record Apartment Growth
Salt Lake City continues to add new residents and surpassed the 200,000 resident milestone in 2017. Much of this increase is the result of the recent and significant construction of apartments. Strong demand for rental units in recent years has evolved Salt Lake City into a rental dominated market, with rentals accounting for over half of housing units. Salt Lake City’s population growth from 1990 to 2010 was primarily new populations of large, younger families moving into existing housing on the city’s west side, replacing aging smaller households. In contrast, population growth since 2010 has primarily been enabled by strong[...]
Insight: From Restaurants to Retail: Spending Trends of Utah’s International Visitor Population
By: Jennifer Leaver English. German. Mandarin. French. Japanese. Spanish. Korean. If you’ve spent any time at one of Utah’s national parks or monuments lately, then you’ve most likely heard a mélange of languages inside the visitor centers and out on the trails. International visitors make up a healthy portion of Utah’s national park visitors. Studies show that around 20 percent—or one-fifth—of all Utah national park and monument visitors come from outside of the United States[1]. In fact, at the more popular parks like Zion and Bryce, more than 25 percent of tourist season visitors are international in origin. […]
July 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%.
Utah Travel and Tourism Profile: State and Counties 2016-2017
The State of Utah had an 11.9 percent leisure and hospitality share of total private jobs in 2017, ranking 36th among all states. Utah has a diverse travel and tourism industry, which generates jobs and income for Utah residents and produces tax revenue for the state. Domestic and international visitors are drawn to Utah’s natural, cultural, and historical assets. Utah has 14 ski resorts, 10 of which are within one hour of 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[...]
Insight: A Note of Clarification on Utah’s Housing Shortage
By: James Wood Realtors, home buyers, renters, and builders all agree: there are not enough housing units to meet demand. And their anecdotes are supported by housing market data. Typically the number of new housing units in a given year is slightly greater than the annual increase in households. In other words, annually we get more homes than households and the difference is explained by second homes and changes in vacancy rates. This decades old stable relationship, however has flipped since the Great Recession. The annual increase in households has exceeded housing units for the past several years creating a[...]
Insight: Utah’s Expanding Medicaid Coverage
By: Laura Summers, M.P.P. One thing I’ve learned from my time working on state health care reform is that Medicaid is a very important, but very complicated program. At the most basic level, it is known for providing health care coverage to low-income children, pregnant women, parents with dependent children, seniors, and people with disabilities. It also helps pay for long-term medical care such as nursing home stays, which Medicare generally does not cover. […]
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.