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 coming through the pipeline, and more.

Calling on all Utahns to conserve

We were at Jordanelle Reservoir this week and as you can see, it's half empty — or half full, depending on your optimism.

The fact of the matter is we’ve had a very volatile water year, and unfortunately, recent spring storms are not enough to make up for it. Utah has been in drought eight of the last 10 years. Snowpack is 25% below normal, and our statewide reservoir storage is only at 59% of capacity. Once again, we call on all Utahns – households, farmers, businesses, governments and other groups – to carefully consider their needs and reduce their water use.

We saved billions of gallons last year and we can do it again.

To underscore our need to conserve and to open up any and all state resources we need to cope with the drought, we’ve declared a state of emergency. Read more here.

Spotlighting legislation

This week, we held a few more ceremonial bill signings to highlight some of the incredible work done during the legislative session by our state legislators. 

We signed 10 bills that create opportunity for all Utahns, and ensure that people from diverse backgrounds can feel included in our great state. Those included a bill that makes drivers’ license tests available in different languages, a bill that makes Juneteenth a state holiday, a resolution that strongly condemns anti-semitism, and a bill that allows athletes to practice religious freedom in respect to modesty standards. Review the rest of those bills here!

Water conservation is such an important issue in our state, and that is why we were happy to spotlight 11 bills that dealt with water and other natural resources. That included a bill that gives homeowners and businesses more flexibility to install waterwise landscaping, a bill that makes sure cities include water conservation in their master plans, and a plan to improve the Great Salt Lake and increase its water levels. Read more about these bills here. 

Finally, we also wanted to highlight some important legislation affecting economic development. There were 12 bills we found especially impactful, including a bill that tasks Go Utah with issuing tax credits for more remote jobs, a $10 million grant program to help Utah manufacturers, a program that rewards businesses when they address air quality or water conservation, and a bill that allows taxes to be paid with virtual currency. See the full list of bills here!

We are so grateful for all the hard work of our legislators to ensure that Utah is a place where businesses can thrive, our natural resources can be preserved, and where everyone can have access to opportunities for success.

Monthly News Conference

Every month we answer questions from local reporters in a live news conference. Here are a few of the questions we got asked: 

Q: How are we working to address inflation, particularly when it comes to gas prices?
A: There are a few reasons we can’t eliminate the gas tax: One is the way the gas tax funds state government. It goes specifically to UDOT and to local governments for road issues that have to be taken care of. The other problem is that we actually don't tax directly at the pump; we tax petroleum companies at the rack. So any tax relief that comes may not automatically get passed on to consumers.

One of the things we proposed and are in favor of is extending the “Free Fare February” for transit along the Wasatch Front across transportation districts. And that the state would fund that for a few months. We’ve brought these ideas to the Legislature and now the ball is in their court. We’ll continue to work for solutions to help hard-working Utahns.

Q: Do we support the idea to open up federal land for more housing?
A: We do support the proposal. We need to increase housing supply, and we can do it in smart ways that don't harm the environment. We can do it in ways that require density in the right areas. This proposal isn’t about putting housing developments in the middle of national parks or wildland areas. It’s about federal lands that, in some cases, are inside of cities. It's just categorically unfair that so much of western land is owned by the federal government. Those who don't understand these lands, who don't spend time out here, are the ones making the decisions about how these lands are utilized. And it doesn’t have to be an either-or situation; we can use federal lands in a smart, environmentally-safe way.

Q: How many Ukrainian refugees will Utah accept?
A: As many as we can get. We’ll continue to work with the Biden administration. The people of Utah have shown over and over again how much they care about refugees, no matter where they come from.

Check out the whole news conference here!

UVU Civic Thought and Leadership Conference

We were honored to join Chris Peterson, the Democratic nominee for the 2020 Utah gubernatorial election, on a panel at Utah Valley University’s Civic Thought and Leadership Conference. We met with K-12 social science teachers from across the state and answered their questions about civility in politics. 

A huge thanks to UVU for helping us highlight the importance of bipartisan cooperation and mutual respect, despite ideological differences.

Finding the Utah Way together

Unity, unfortunately, is in short supply these days. Often the loudest voices focus on division and discord rather than common ground. But we can come together if we do so intentionally.

We were so grateful to join Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center, to hear her story and the lessons of courage and perseverance she learned from her father, Dr. Martin Luther King, and her mother, Coretta Scott King. We’re also thankful to Kathi Garff and the Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation for inviting us to this Women Who Succeed event. 

We’re inspired by both of these accomplished women and their leadership in improving our community and our world.

National Volunteer Month

Utah educators really are the best! We cannot thank Endeavor Charter School enough for letting us show our appreciation last Friday by spending time with kids in the classroom and cleaning up school grounds. Serving alongside our teachers was a wonderful experience for our Cox-Henderson team. 

Be sure to find time to get to know your neighbors and serve them – it’s a great way for our state to grow together in empathy and community. Check out United Way to find out about how you can get involved in your county!

ICYMI

- Last call for Utah flag designs! The April 30 deadline is fast approaching for public submissions for new Utah state flag designs. Check out flag design suggestions here, then answer a survey with your ideas or submit a drawing here.

- We took several questions on this month’s edition of KSL’s “Let Me Speak to the Governor.” Listen to them here!

- According to a recent study, Washington, Utah, is the best city to start a business. A total of 10 Utah cities were ranked within the top 30. The study measured the business environment, access to resources, and business costs.

- We're excited to see that Utah is being recognized as the state with the best economic outlook for the 15th year in a row! This administration will continue working hard to achieve economic success that lifts all of Utah. Read more here.

- Something must be done about the crisis at our nation's southern border. We're joining other governors in an effort to protect our communities and alleviate the humanitarian crisis at our border.

- We spent some time this week visiting with different tech companies that are helping lead Utah into the future, including Podium, Vanderhall, and Kizik.

- Utah is home to many wildlife species and spectacular landscapes. Earth Day is a great time to reflect on the ways we can help restore and preserve nature, including wildlife. Here are five simple steps you can take to help the wildlife in your area.

- The Kanab Film Fest kicks off today and runs through April 24th! More details at kanabfilm.com.

- This week, millions of people — including many Utahns — participated in the Great ShakeOut. We all must get better prepared for major earthquakes, and practice how to protect ourselves when they happen. Learn more here.

Coming up

- April 22: Mark the Utah State Capitol exhibition of "Topaz Stories" by attending a public reception. Support Utah's Japanese community and hear stories from camp survivors and their families at 4 p.m. today in the Capitol Rotunda.

- April 24 to April 29: We’ll be in Mexico meeting with government and business leaders! Stay tuned for details.

#OneUtah agency highlight: Carrie Cochran

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Cochran. Carrie is the chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, where she and her team work to provide fair and balanced release, supervision, and clemency decisions that address community safety, victim needs, offender accountability, risk reduction, and reintegration.

We’re grateful for Carrie’s experience in the field and are lucky to have her on Team Utah! Learn more about her here.

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