Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more.

Investing in people, preparing for the future

This week we unveiled our proposed FY 24 budget! This budget invests in things we know work – people, preparing for growth and good government. 

Tax cuts

Our state’s economy is one of the nation’s strongest, but we know inflation has hit many Utah families hard and Utahns deserve relief. Our tax cut package includes: 

• Reducing the income tax rate from 4.85% to 4.75%;
• A $250 refundable dependent exemption; 
• Continuing to phase out Social Security taxes; 
• Supporting the expiration of the basic levy freeze;
• One-time property tax and income tax rebates; and
• A new dependent tax exemption for moms during pregnancy. 

If these recommendations pass this spring, we and other state leaders will have cut taxes by $1.3 billion over the three sessions of our administration! That’s the largest tax cut in our state’s history.

The Year of the Teacher

For the third year in a row, we’re recommending historic investments in education. We’re particularly excited about our proposal to give every teacher in the state of Utah a $6,000 boost in compensation starting this fiscal year. We want to elevate the teaching profession so we can attract and retain high-quality, qualified educators in classrooms. This budget will do wonders for our K-12 students and educators. 

Families

Utah is the most family-friendly state in the nation and we want to keep supporting families. We propose $16 million to expand home visitation services, $8.7 million to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, $53.5 million for domestic violence prevention and victim support, and $2.1 million to increase foster compensation all to benefit families. We are committed to keeping Utah the best place in the world to raise a family! 

The Next Generation

Our next generation is facing unique challenges. This budget will help these young Utahns by investing $53.5 million into mental health resources; providing $11.5 million in support for first-time homebuyers who are educators, firefighters and veterans; and allocating $1 million to start to tackle social media research and education. 

Water

Because of our ongoing drought, we’re recommending more than a half-billion dollars in water investments for the second year in a row. This includes a $132.9 million direct investment for the Great Salt Lake and $217.9 million for statewide water conservation that impacts the lake. We must continue to preserve and protect this vital resource! 

Housing 

We’re focused on ensuring attainable housing for everyone, from homeless solutions to market-rate rentals and home ownership. Our budget includes $100 million for deeply affordable housing units, $24 million for affordable housing tax credits and loans and $15.3 million to assist homebuyers and homeowners. These recommendations will lead to better market solutions.

We’re so optimistic about Utah’s future and we look forward to working with our Legislature to fund these priorities. To see our full FY-24 budget recommendations, visit gopb.utah.gov.

Meeting with fellow Western governors

This week we had the opportunity to attend the 2022 Winter Meeting of the Western Governors Association. We met with Lockheed Martin and learned about their work to actively combat forest fires. We also met with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to talk about some Utah specific challenges including water, grazing and sage grouse management. 

Western states face similar challenges, whether that be water, energy, oil and gas, infrastructure, housing and others, and we appreciated the opportunity to connect with other leaders in the West to search for common sense solutions. 

Learn more about WGA here.

Mexico Consul General Visit

On Wednesday, we met with Mexico Consul General Borjon. Consul Borjon has been a tremendous help to our team during his service as Consul General to Utah, especially during our trade mission to Mexico earlier this year. 

Utah and Mexico have a long-standing mutually beneficial trade relationship. We appreciate Consul General Boujon’s work and wish him well on his next assignment.

Governor’s Award For Excellence Highlight

We’re continuing to highlight a state employee each week who was recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence. This week we are recognizing Anthony Jaimes with the Capitol Preservation Board.

Anthony joined the Capitol Preservation Board team during the challenges of reopening the Capitol following the COVID closures. From the first day he accepted the position as Event Set-Up Manager, Anthony has given more than is required in every aspect of his job description. His efforts and attention to detail are praiseworthy. Anthony leads by example, from his smile and positive attitude, to his strength in communication skills and the ability to make every event, agency, colleague and visitor feel like their need is at the top of his priority list. Anthony works efficiently, clearly communicating what is needed from other team members by being out in front, demonstrating as he teaches. In addition to his work at the Capitol, Anthony is also nearing completion of his Masters Degree.

Keep up the great work, Anthony! To read more about the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, click here.

New Clerk Orientation

Utah’s newly elected county clerks joined Lt. Gov. Henderson for a new clerk orientation this week. The orientation is a sort of Elections 101 class hosted by the lieutenant governor’s election staff. This was the second gathering of new clerks during our administration. There are 12 new county clerks from rural and urban Utah who we are confident are ready to work tirelessly for their constituents.

A Visit from Diamond Fork Middle School

7th-grade students from Diamond Fork Middle School visited the lieutenant governor during a visit to the Capitol this week. Utah’s future is bright!

Winter in Southern Utah 

Snow on the red rocks of southern Utah is a sight to be seen! The peace of southern Utah during the less busy “off season” is an attraction of its own. Southern Utah is home to state and national parks that are open year-round for Utahns and tourists alike to enjoy. There are also many basecamps throughout southern Utah you can use as a launching-pad for your adventure. 

Be sure to check local conditions and plan your trip well before you set out on your journey. Click here to learn more about southern Utah in the winter.

ICYMI

• Last week we kicked-off the holiday season at the Governor’s Mansion with Midvale Elementary school and decorated one of the many mansion Christmas trees. See photos from our visit here. 
• Utahns are confident in the state’s elections. The state Legislature has spent decades building an election system that ensures Utahns have access to the ballot and confidence in the results. Thanks to county clerks and election staff throughout the state for making it happen. See the numbers from the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll here.

Coming up

• Dec. 15: We will be holding our Monthly News Conference Tune in at pbsutah.org.
• Dec. 15: We will be joining Let Me Speak to the Governor. Listen in on KSL radio.
• Dec. 18: Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!
• Dec. 25: Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! Our offices will be closed on Dec. 26. 
• Dec. 26: Happy Kwanzaa to all who celebrate!
• Jan. 1: Happy New Year, Utah! We are looking forward to a prosperous 2023. Our offices will be closed on Jan. 2, 2023.

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!

You can reach the Governor's Office here. And you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office

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