Category Archives: Economic Development

To grow Utah’s economy, start at home

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

Tweet   We have been critical of many of the state’s economic development programs designed to lure large corporations to Utah. For example, see here and here. But any legitimate critique of policy should be accompanied by a reasonable alternative. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Government-created jobs? Pure fiction

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

Tweet   Jobs are a hot topic in politics these days. President Barack Obama is pushing his jobs plan; his Republican challengers are wrangling over who can create the most jobs; and Governor Gary Herbert has announced a goal to … Continue reading →

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KCPW brinksmanship shows how businesses dupe policymakers

Posted on November 7, 2011 by

Tweet   A very instructive interaction recently concluded in Salt Lake City between the city council and KCPW, a local nonprofit radio station. It helps illustrate how private-sector businesses can (and often do) dupe policymakers into giving them special, privileged … Continue reading →

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The price of a blender and the market economy

Posted on September 29, 2011 by

Tweet   The other day, I stopped at a yard sale with a friend. He had spotted a blender as we drove by and wanted to take a look at it. He picked it up, pulled out the glass jar … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development, Free market | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Will the economics of nuclear energy work for Utah?

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

Tweet   This morning, during part three of Sutherland’s series of policy forums called “Is Utah Ready for Nuclear Energy?” a panel of experts discussed the economics of nuclear power generation. A Utah company is currently working to build a … Continue reading →

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Economic gardening: helping entrepreneurs grow Utah’s economy

Posted on June 24, 2011 by

Tweet   Last night, Ernst & Young presented Entrepreneur of the Year awards to nine Utah entrepreneurs who were recognized as being innovative and influential. This recognition is important because entrepreneurs are the engine of Utah’s economic prosperity. Entrepreneurs are … Continue reading →

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West Valley City to own $30 million hotel

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

Tweet West Valley City is providing a loan of $30 million to a private developer to build a hotel as part of the city’s Fairbourne Station project. If the hotel fails, then the city will be responsible for covering any … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Economic Development, Free market | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Does Utah have enough water to support a nuclear power plant?

Posted on June 15, 2011 by

Tweet Yesterday, Sutherland hosted the second of three forums on nuclear energy in Utah. In this session, we discussed water requirements and water resources needed in the proposed nuclear power plant near Green River, Utah. Sutherland President Paul Mero interviewed three water … Continue reading →

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Sundance Film Festival brings much more than money to Utah — and you may not like it

Posted on May 27, 2011 by

Tweet   The Sundance Film Festival brings a lot of economic activity to Utah, but is the festival something the state should endorse using tax dollars and legislation? A recent report estimates that the 2011 Sundance Film Festival produced $70.9 … Continue reading →

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GOED board meeting: 2 new subsidies, bratwurst and ‘economic gardening’

Posted on May 26, 2011 by

Tweet At this month’s meeting for the Board of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the board approved two new corporate tax subsidies and discussed efforts to grow businesses in rural Utah through an approach called “economic gardening.” … Continue reading →

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Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development gets a D+ for transparency

Posted on May 12, 2011 by

Tweet This morning, I arrived at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) to attend a GOED board meeting at 10 a.m. No one was there. Apparently, the meeting had been postponed until May 26. The funny thing is that … Continue reading →

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Alcohol Regulation: Moral Issue or Economics Issue?

Posted on April 28, 2011 by

Tweet In recent weeks, there has been talk of privatizing Utah’s liquor stores.  Most likely, this debate has gained traction with the announced closure of 10 state liquor stores (one closed, but the other nine will remain open).  As some … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Budget, Economic Development | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment