Utahn killed in Osprey crash; hackers breach 23andMe; BYU men's basketball now 8-0; Orem has a new motto: 'In God We Trust'
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The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com.

 

Situational Analysis | Dec. 6, 2023

It's Wednesday and St. Nicholas Day. 🧑🏼‍🎄

Also, happy, happy birthday to Mia Love!

What You Need to Know

  • The Governor and Lt. Governor have released their budget recommendations for the coming fiscal year. They are emphasizing housing, including starter homes, deeply affordable housing and reducing homelessness. Gov. Cox has appointed former Rep. Steve Waldrip to be his new Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation.

Rapid Relevance

 

BLM Releases Plan that finally protects Labyrinth Canyon

After years of prioritizing off-road vehicles, a recent decision from the Bureau of Land Management brings balance to this special place. Travel plans are an opportunity to develop reasonable, balanced, and forward-thinking blueprints that ensure public access while preserving the backcountry and minimizing damage. Learn more at suwa.org

 

Utah Headlines

Political news

  • Salt Lake County council member proposes ordinance for single-sex restrooms and locker rooms (Deseret News)
  • Harvard, Penn and MIT presidents face blistering criticism from Rep. Burgess Owens, other GOP House committee members (Deseret News)
  • Utah’s revenue growth is slowing. Here’s why lawmakers were advised to be cautious about the new budget (Deseret News)
  • Gov. Spencer Cox unveils the largest budget proposal in Utah history (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • ‘In God We Trust’: Orem City adopts new motto in a unanimous vote (ABC4)

Holiday corner

  • If you’re stressed this holiday season, you’re not alone and here’s why (Deseret News)
  • Veterans gift shop provides free presents to veterans in need (KSL Newsradio)
  • Data shows less charity for Giving Tuesday despite record holiday spending (KUTV)

Utah news

  • Mom, 2 kids pinned by car in Layton school parking lot; students help lift vehicle off (KSL)

Business/Technology

  • Hackers breach 23andMe, access personal info on nearly 7 million users (Deseret News)
  • Smithfield Foods ends contracts with 26 Utah hog farms, lays off workers (KSL)

Crime/Courts

  • Millard County deputies charged with obstruction, misconduct over domestic violence case (KUTV)
  • Nurse arrested, charged with injuring 1-month-old at Provo hospital (KSL)

Culture

  • TikTok, the Gen Z source for career and salary advice (KSL Newsradio)

Environment

  • Tooele County inland port areas approved amid concerns from residents, environmental groups (KSL)

Health

  • Utah hospitals report surge in RSV cases among children after Thanksgiving (KUTV)

Housing

  • Gov. Cox wants 35,000 starter homes built within the next 5 years. Here’s how he wants to do it (Deseret News)
  • High mortgage rates impact Utah homeowners facing divorce (KUTV)
 

National Headlines

General

  • Americans facing the ‘storm clouds of politicization’ (Deseret News)

Political news

  • Sandra Day O’Connor’s religious freedom legacy (Deseret News)
  • Senate approves hundreds of military promotions after Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville ends blockade of nominees (AP)
  • House Speaker Johnson is insisting on sweeping border security changes in a deal for Ukraine aid (AP)

Election news

  • GOP debate tonight: Another candidate drops out and the stage shrinks (Deseret News)
  • LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic donor gives $250,000 to Nikki Haley super PAC (Washington Post)
  • Biden tells donors: ‘If Trump wasn’t running I’m not sure I’d be running. We cannot let him win’ (AP)
  • Fewer young Americans plan to vote in 2024, Harvard youth poll finds (Washington Post)
  • Rep. Patrick McHenry, who briefly served as acting House speaker, will not seek reelection (Washington Post)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

  • Ukraine sees 'big risk' of losing war if U.S. Congress postpones vital aid (Reuters)
  • Senate Republicans to block Ukraine funding after tempers flare at classified briefing (The Hill)

Israel 🇮🇱

  • Netanyahu says Israel will retain open-ended control of security in Gaza long after war with Hamas (AP)
  • ‘Widespread’ sexual and gender-based crimes committed during Hamas attack, Israeli officials say (AP)

World

  • Woman protecting her 5-year-old daughter killed in shark attack at Mexican beach resort (Deseret News)
 

Number of the Day 

Number of the Day, Dec. 6, 2023

 

News Releases

Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson announce $150 million ‘Utah First Homes’ starter home program in budget announcement

Gov. Spencer J. Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson unveiled their full budget recommendations and priorities for Fiscal Year 2025. On top of generational investments into a comprehensive statewide homelessness support system announced on Monday, Dec. 4, the budget includes a $150 million investment towards an ambitious goal of creating 35,000 new starter homes by 2028. The proposed FY25 budget also highlights service, homeless supports, education and workforce initiatives that strengthen families. (Read More)


Gov. Cox appoints Steve Waldrip as new Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has named Steve Waldrip as his Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation, a new position dedicated to developing a statewide strategic housing plan and leading efforts to increase housing stock and housing innovation in the state. (Read More)


Gov. Cox announces agreement with local governments, comprehensive approach to homeless services as key part of FY25 budget

Monday, Gov. Spencer J. Cox announced a historic agreement with local governments to respond to homeless services throughout the state, supported by recommendations in his FY25 proposed budget. Budget recommendations include transformational investments to support a comprehensive statewide approach to alleviate homelessness. The three areas of focus for the Cox-Henderson administration are stabilizing emergency shelters, expanding behavioral health care, and prioritizing prevention. (Read More)


One Utah Health Collaborative announces new partnership for state’s first ever healthcare visioning project

Tuesday, the One Utah Health Collaborative (the Collaborative) announced a new partnership with Envision Utah to understand the core values and priorities related to healthcare that are held by healthcare professionals, employers, and patients. This project will help define focus, methods, and goals for the Collaborative’s vision of affordable healthcare that improves the quality of life for all. (Read More)


Salt Lake County 2024 budget approved unanimously

Tuesday evening, the Salt Lake County Council unanimously approved the County’s budget for 2024. The 2024 budget faced multiple challenges, including a slowdown in tax revenues, the downward bias in property taxes, inflation, and increased healthcare costs. To navigate this challenging fiscal landscape, Salt Lake County Mayor Wilson and the County Council agreed to wide-ranging budget cuts, finding efficiencies and places to cut back wherever possible while protecting the essential work of Salt Lake County. (Read More)


Rob Newcomb announcing for U.S. Senate seat

Rob Newcomb, a Navy veteran from Farr West, Utah, will announce his bid for the U.S. Senate seat in the 2024 cycle at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7 at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial on the west lawn of the State Capitol. Newcomb will be running as a member of the Independent American Party. (Read More)


Gov. Cox meets with Israel Bachar, Consul General of Israel

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox hosted Israel Bachar, Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles, at the Utah State Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 5. Gov. Cox and Consul Bachar discussed Utah-Israeli relations, including the trade mission to Israel last year, economic and diplomatic ties, and the conflict in the Middle East. 

Utah and Israel have a long history of economic and diplomatic relations. Total trade volume between Israel and Utah exceeded $170 million in 2022, with many of the traded items supplying our state’s targeted industries. Gov. Cox headed a successful trade mission to Israel last year that led to new opportunities for Utah businesses. In addition, Utah water experts visited Israel in March to learn from Israel’s water-conserving innovation. (Read More)


President and Speaker meet with Israeli Consul General

President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz met with the Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest, Israel Bachar to receive a briefing on what is happening on the ground in Israel. 

“During our visit with Consul General Bachar, we reaffirmed our commitment to the State of Israel and their battle against terrorism...Israel is our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East. It is imperative our bond with Israel remains strong during this period of conflict and uncertainty. As elected officials, it is our responsibility to stand up for the American and Utahn values that we share with Israel and to support our ally in their hour of need. (Read More)

 

Tweet of the Day

Screenshot 2023-12-06 at 5.18.53 AM

 

Upcoming

  • Jan. 2 — Candidate filing period opens
  • Jan. 16 — Legislative session begins
  • Mar. 1 — Legislative session ends 
 

On This Day In History 

  • 343 - The traditional date for the death of Saint Nicholas
  • 1865 - The 13th Amendment is ratified. 
  • 1877 - The Washington Post publishes its first issue.
  • 1884 - The Washington Monument is completed
  • 1889 - Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America (1861-65), dies at 81
  • 1917 - The Great Halifax explosion, the most devastating manmade explosion in the pre-atomic age occurs as a French munition ship blows up, killing more than 1800, wounding 9000.
  • 1923 - First US Presidential address broadcast on radio by President Calvin Coolidge
  • 1927 - Patsy Mink is born. She became the first Japanese-American Congresswoman (D-HI), she wrote the Women’s Educational Equity Act and played a key role in the enactment of Title IX, which was renamed posthumously as the “Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act”
  • 1941 - FDR, convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States—telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that the emperor intervene “to prevent further death and destruction in the world.”
  • 1964 - "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" first airs on TV
  • 1973 - Gerald Ford is sworn-in as the first unelected Vice President, succeeding Spiro Agnew who resigned over corruption allegations
  • 1975 - Mia Love is born.
  • 2017 - Time Magazine names their Person of the Year "The Silence Breakers", people who came forward to report sexual misconduct #MeToo
  • 2017 - US President Donald Trump officially recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital, announcing plans to move US embassy there

Quote of the Day

"You have a story—own it. You have a voice—raise it. Then lead and help others do the same. You are qualified by the content of your character."

—Mia Love


On the Punny Side

How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?

Nothing, it was on the house.

 

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