UEOC builds groups to address state's issues

Brice Wallace 

The Utah Economic Opportunity Commission is prepping to write a few new verses but with mostly the same lyricists as its first two years.

The commission met recently to create working groups and affirm three legislatively required subcommittees that will work throughout the summer and fall to address some of the state’s biggest issues, with the ultimate goal of pushing bills for the 2024 legislative session or for inclusion in the governor’s budget.

As was the case following the past two{mprestriction ids="1,3"} sessions, the groups were disbanded. However, at a recent meeting, the reformed groups were the same, including most of their leadership positions. The working groups will focus on growth and transportation; water, energy and natural resources; technology, innovation and investment; and government efficiency. The three subcommittees will look at issues related to housing affordability; talent, education and industry alignment; and women in the economy.

Gov. Spencer Cox said he was hoping that the third iteration of the commission could follow the success of the second one.

“It should go without staying that this was a huge year,” he said of the 2023 general session. “You’ve heard me, the [House] speaker and the [Senate] president say it, but I truly believe that this was the most consequential session that we’ve had, at least as long as I’ve been involved and beyond.”

A summary presented to the commission indicates that items recommended by the commission received a half-billion dollars in one-time funding and over a half-billion in ongoing funding, and the commission’s recommendations ultimately took the form of 19 passed bills.

The commission was scheduled to meet again last week to discuss policy topics to discuss this summer, but that was after The Enterprise press deadlines. The subcommittees and working groups will have other meetings before bringing before the commission items for consideration to recommend to legislative interim committees or the governor’s budget.

The working groups and leadership are:

• Growth and Transportation, co-chaired by state Sen. Kirk Cullimore; Rep. Cal Musselman; and Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation.
• Water, Energy and Natural Resources, co-chaired by Sen. Scott Sandall; Rep. Casey Snider; and Joel Ferry, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
• Technology, Innovation and Investment, co-chaired by Rep. Jefferson Moss; Sen. Chris Wilson; and Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah).
• Government Efficiency, co-chaired by Sen. Evan Vickers; Rep. Robert Spendlove; and Rich Saunders, Utah’s chief innovation officer.

The subcommittees are:

• Housing Affordability, co-chaired by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore and Rep. Stephen Whyte.
• Talent, Education and Industry Alignment, chaired by Sen. Ann Millner.
• Women in the Economy, to be co-chaired by a pair of legislators from among a group of four: Millner, Sen. Luz Escamilla, and Reps. Karianne Lisonbee and Rosemary Lesser.

Cox commended the commission members and staff for their commitment to the betterment of the state. Members of the working groups and subcommittees are “prominent people in prominent roles all across our state” who are willing to use their time to help solve the biggest problems in the state, he said. By the time of the legislative general session, “we have worked through the hardest parts of that and have alignment,” he said. “It leads to better policy.”

That collaboration is “different” and “special,” he said. “And,” he told the group, “please don’t ever take it for granted, our willingness to step up and work together and disagree better.”

In many other states, unhealthy conflict makes it impossible to solve the biggest issues, the governor said. He said that “hating, fighting and destroying each other” has led to paralysis in the federal government. He warned against Utah falling into that same trap.

“I’m convinced that we are very unique but not that unique,” Cox said. “We may be a decade behind the rest of the country, but if we are not thoughtful and intentional about it, we will end up exactly like the rest of the country, paralyzed by stupid sh-t.”{/mprestriction}