Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert Names Budget, Economic Development and Education His Most Pressing Concerns
Governor Addresses Leading Technology and Life Science Executives at Utah Technology Council Roundtable Event
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Technology is a key that touches virtually everything in Utah, Governor Gary R. Herbert told executives in Utah. The Governor shared his thoughts with about 30 technology leaders recently at a Utah Technology Council (UTC) roundtable hosted by Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Governor noted that he sees Utah's future as positive, noting that the state economist's predictions have proven highly accurate thus far. According to analysts, Utah has reached what appears to be the bottom of the recessionary trough and is showing signs that conditions are poised to improve. The Governor also noted that Forbes Magazine recently named Utah the state best positioned to emerge from the challenged economy in good shape.
However, not all aspects of Utah's current situation are bright. Governor Herbert named continued economic development success, education and, perhaps most of all, the state's budget as the concerns that currently keep him up late at night.
"We are currently staring at a $650M shortfall, however, I am confident we will have a balanced budget," he said.
One of the Governor's top priorities will be increasing efficiency and effectiveness of state government. He recently launched the Utah Advisory Commission to Optimize State Government, an effort to find efficiencies that can help improve government operations. The Commission is headed by former Utah Governor Norman Bangerter, who serves with co-chairman Nolan Karras, former House Speaker; Fraser Bullock, former Olympic committee leader; and Charlie Johnson, former chief of staff to former governor Mike Leavitt.
Additional topics of discussion included USTAR, which the governor said he supports so long as the innovations it produces have a path to become economically viable, and education, particularly K-12.
"We are finding that Charter schools are successful due to significant parental involvement, while parents of children in the public school system are far less involved," Governor Herbert said. "We need to learn and adopt the methods Charter schools are employing to make parents in traditional education more empowered, as well.
