#OneUtah: A weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. 

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Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Reply to this email with any questions or suggestions regarding the newsletter. And thank you for subscribing! ([link removed])


** Touring the Great Salt Lake wetlands
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This week we were fortunate to visit the Great Salt Lake wetlands to see the impacts of water levels on migratory birds and other organisms. Our administration remains committed to saving the Great Salt Lake! We’ve signed landmark legislation and executive orders, coordinated efforts and will continue working to boost lake levels and make sure this natural resource stays vibrant for generations to come.

We appreciate the good work the duck clubs, the Department of Natural Resources and the Great Salt Lake Commissioner are doing to protect this precious ecosystem. View photos from the tour here ([link removed]) .


** Addressing Utah’s housing crisis
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We were pleased to join Ivory Innovations and the Call to Action Foundation as they announced a partnership to increase the availability of affordable housing units across the state! There’s a lack of affordable housing in Utah – and government can’t fix this issue alone. In the past few years we have seen our shortage of housing units statewide shrink, but because of rising interest rates, the cost of materials, and other factors, this deficit is forecast to increase to over 37,000 in 2024. And right now, Utah ranks 8th in the nation with the highest median sales price.

As a government, we are assisting in a number of ways including streamlining the approval process, increasing offsite housing, streamlining land use and development approval processes statewide, and implementing shared equity ownership models and first-time home buyer down payment programs.

The private sector is an important piece of the puzzle and partnerships like this complement government efforts. Thank you, Ivory and Maggelet families!
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** Monthly News Conference
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We joined PBS Utah this week for our Monthly News Conference ([link removed]) . Here are some highlights:

Q: Do you think, personally, that we are in a declining democracy?

A: I do, I really do. It scares me, and it should be to anyone else. It is a wake up call to all of us and we all have a role to play. Political leaders are really good at using fear to divide us. I am hoping today to use a little bit of fear to unite us because Pew has a new study ([link removed]) that says that 65% of Americans are exhausted with politics today. Only around 3% think that our democratic institutions, our government, and our politics are functioning very well. They have some of the lowest numbers of all time in the belief of the federal government, in the Supreme Court, in all of these institutions that are so important. In a very real way, what all of us do every day – posting on social media, attacking other people, attacking people instead of ideas – we are adding to that. I don’t expect that politicians are going to solve this for us but politicians are a reflection of all of us and we all
need to do better, I include myself in that.

Q: You mentioned the Legislature’s cautious approach on housing but do you think in any way they should take a more aggressive action? What would you like to see the Legislature do in the future about housing?

A: We are looking at everything we have done in the past few years and we are reevaluating that as we head into the next legislative session. We want to see what has made a difference and what hasn’t and double down on the things that are working. We have this first-time homebuyer subsidy we have put out there, that is for new construction. It’s really important because we are trying to increase supply and we want to see how well that is working and if that is working well, I want to put more money into it if it can show that it is helping young families get into homes and increase supply.

Q: Today political parties are extremely polarized in the United States, especially in America’s youth. How do you take on issues that are not aligned with your political party?

A: I believe that political polarization is the main driver behind failing and declining democracies or republics like ours. What this means is that it is not just what we believe, but it’s how we engage in these beliefs. It's hard because all the incentives are lined up against us. If you want attention, you have to be extreme. That is how the algorithms work on social media and news media. What we see is that it helps to drive the division. The louder and more combative you are, the more likely you are to get time on cable news shows. That adds to the tearing apart of the fabric of our society.

There is another piece that I think is so important and I like to bring it up every chance I get. There is something experts at Dartmouth refer to as the “perception gap ([link removed]) .” The perception gap isn’t the gap between what Republicans and Democrats believe; it is the gap between what Republicans think Democrats believe and what Democrats think most Republicans believe. The reason this is so dangerous is that if you think the other party is willing to violate democratic norms, we are much more willing to allow our side to violate democratic norms in order to put the other side in check. That leads to the death spiral that we are on, where we try to one up each other. We have found Republicans and Democrats are not that far apart but if we continue to think that we are far apart, that becomes really dangerous. I think there are things we can do in government to do better such as practicing the political virtues of humility, patience, and listening to
each other.


** A Day in Cache Valley
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Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson spent a day in Cache Valley with her team. They met with the new Cache County Clerk and his staff before lunch at a local favorite, Herm’s Inn, with several community leaders.

Making their way up Old Main Hill, the Lt. Gov. and her staff met new USU President Betsy Cantwell for a discussion about domestic violence and campus safety. The lieutenant governor also met with some students from Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honors society, before ending the day with some Aggie Creamery ice cream, of course!


** Happy Fall, Utah!
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The trees are starting to change colors at the highest elevations in Utah! In the near future, our mountains will be filled with beautiful fall foliage for all to enjoy. Whether you’re looking for golden quaking aspens or bright red and orange western sugar maples – Utah’s got it all. There are many ways to enjoy fall in Utah – one of them is hiking. Check out this list from Visit Utah ([link removed]) for 8 Utah Hikes for Leaf Peeping throughout Utah.


** ICYMI
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* Continuing our great Utah tradition of honoring and supporting artists, we were pleased to present the Utah Governor’s Mansion Artist Award to two artists who have brought us beauty that can be both seen and felt – Ben Steele and Dr. Yu-Jane Yang. Read more about these incredible artists here ([link removed]) .
* We were honored to attend theinauguration of BYU’s new president ([link removed]) Shane Reese. Congratulations, President Reese!
* Last week, we held our first convening for our National Governors Association chair’s initiative, Disagree Better. You can watch the full convening here ([link removed]) , and learn more about how to Disagree Better here ([link removed]) .
* Lt. Gov. Henderson joined the celebration to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Salt Lake Community College. Read more here ([link removed]) .


** Coming up
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* Sept. 25: Excited to attend the Geothermal Energy Project groundbreaking in Milford!
* Sept. 26: We’re honored to welcome Hungarian President Her Excellency Katalin Novák to Utah.
* Sept. 27: Looking forward to speaking at The Atlantic Festival in Washington, D.C.
* Sept. 27: Lt. Gov. Henderson will welcome Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa from Samoa to Utah.
* Sept. 29: Lt. Gov. Henderson will speak at the Utah Tourism Conference in St. George
* Oct. 2: It’s the One Utah Summit in Cedar City! Learn more here ([link removed]) .

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** Get involved!
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Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits ([link removed]) to versatile work schedules ([link removed]) , the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today ([link removed]) !

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions ([link removed]) . Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved [link removed] ([link removed]) !


** Get in touch!
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You can reach the Governor's Office here ([link removed]) . And you can follow us on X ([link removed]) , Facebook ([link removed]) ,Instagram ([link removed]) , and YouTube ([link removed]) for the latest news and updates.
Contact the Governor's Office ([link removed])

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