Government Spending

Utah Priorities Gubernatorial Survey: A Comparison of Candidates’ and Voters’ Top Priorities for 2012

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Utah Foundation recently released The 2012 Utah Priorities Survey, which provides a summary of the findings of a statewide Dan Jones & Associates survey assessing which issues are most important this election year and how voters feel about Utah’s economy, society and politics.  For the first time, Utah Foundation also requested that the gubernatorial candidates complete part of this survey.  All of the Republican and Democratic candidates and two of three third-party candidates completed the … Continued

The 2012 Utah Priorities Survey: The Top Issues and Concerns of Utah Voters for the 2012 Election

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In this election year, Utahns are more confident that the state is heading in the right direction than they were two years ago. However, they are still not as confident as they were in the 2004 and 2008 elections.  Their concerns about issues like jobs and the economy, public education, and healthcare remain strong.  Some issues that were important in the 2010 election, such as ethics of elected officials, states’ rights vs. the federal government, … Continued

U.S. Federal Deficits and Debt: Understanding the History and Context

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Throughout its history, the U.S. federal government has often operated under a deficit, and has always held a federal debt.  Over this time there have been many debates over these issues, and the current contest over the presence of large deficits and the size of the debt is not surprising.  However, with the drastic increase of the deficit the past few years, and projections that show the persistence of large deficits because of mandatory spending, … Continued

Utah’s Education Funding Effort: State Faces Long-Term Challenges

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Each gubernatorial election year, Utah Foundation identifies the public policy issues Utahns find most important through our Utah Priorities Project. In that research, Utahns consistently rank education as one of the most important issues. In the 2010 election cycle, when voters were asked their level of concern on various education topics, funding ranked highest among all education issue areas. Because of this, information about current education funding and historical trends is vital knowledge for voters … Continued

The 2010 Utah Priorities Fall Survey: Voters’ Preferences for Candidates and Policy Solutions

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The purpose of this Utah Priorities Survey is to delve deeper on five critical policy issues to better understand voters’ preferences surrounding the most often discussed solutions. Voters were surveyed about K-12 education, economy and jobs, immigration, government spending, and states’ rights. The survey also asked voters about whom they plan to vote for in the upcoming election.

Spending Your Tax Dollars: An Update on State Spending Trends and the Impact of the Economic Recession

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The April 2010 Utah Priorities Survey conducted by Utah Foundation indicated government spending ranked number two of the top ten issues and concerns among Utah voters. While government spending has been a concern for Utahns in past surveys, it is likely that the recent economic recession contributed to the topic’s continuing relevance and Utahns’ continuing concern for how governments utilize tax money.

The 2010 Utah Priorities Survey of Party Delegates and Voters

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

As part of the 2010 Utah Priorities Project, Utah Foundation, KSL Television and Radio, Deseret News, and the Hinckley Institute sponsored a ground-breaking survey of Utah voters and delegates to the major party conventions. The survey shows distinct differences between party delegates and voters, with delegates usually taking more zealous positions than their party’s voters. The strongest distinctions are, as expected, between the two major parties. The survey also provides insight on Republican delegates’ opinions … Continued

The 2010 Utah Priorities Survey: The Top Issues and Concerns of Utah Voters for the 2010 Election

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In this special election year, Utahns are less confident that the state is heading in the right direction than they were two years ago. Their concerns about some issues, like energy and transportation, have eased since 2008. However, other issues are now of greater concern, including the economy, government spending, the ethics of elected officials, and states’ rights versus the federal government.

Thoughts on the Current Recession: Chicago Economics

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Continuing our series of research briefs on the economy, this brief examines the “Chicago school” of economic thought. These schools of thought represent different approaches to understanding how the economy works and what actions to take when the economy falters. Understanding these different schools of thought will help readers further understand the roots of the economic crisis and potential solutions. This is the final installment in this four-part series.

Thoughts on the Current Recession: Post-Keynesian Economics

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Continuing our series of research briefs on the economy, this brief examines the “Post-Keynesian school” of economic thought. These schools of thought represent different approaches to understanding how the economy works and what actions to take when the economy falters. Understanding these different schools of thought will help readers further understand the roots of the economic crisis and potential solutions.