Situational Analysis | July 27, 2021

Happy Tuesday. It's National Crème Brûlée Day, a dessert that is easy and fun to make. I mean, who doesn't want a personal-sized blowtorch in their kitchen??

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Severe flooding prompted Cedar City Mayor Maile Wilson-Edwards to declare a state of emergency after the city is hit with more than 2 inches of rain in one hour. The city ran out of sandbags at about 3 pm, yesterday, just 30 minutes after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area. The American Red Cross has opened a shelter for residents without electricity.

Simone Biles is out of the team finals because of a medical issue. 😩 Russia then bested the US to win the gold. Team USA won silver and Britain won bronze.

One of the best stories out of the Olympic games: The math PhD who shocked Olympic cycling. "Anna Kiesenhofer wasn’t considered a big threat in Sunday’s Olympic women’s road race. The Austrian cyclist wasn’t considered a threat at all. Her name did not appear on any list of pre-race contenders. She was so unthreatening, Kiesenhofer assumed the big guns in the race would let her ride away at the beginning for a bit. She assumed correctly. They did. Then Kiesenhofer stayed away, for the whole incredible thing, 85 miles, up and down, over the flats, through the mountains, in the late July heat, with a ferocious pack of riders—cycling superstars, world champions, national team juggernauts—trying to chase her down…until some seemed not to know Kiesenhofer remained up the road, alone." The second-place finisher thought she had won gold - but Kiesenhofer had already crossed the finish line, ahead of the pack. 🙌🙌

The tragic 20-vehicle pile-up has left four girls without their parents and killed 5 members of an extended family, in addition to another 15-year old boy in a third vehicle.

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Governor Cox proposes occupational licensure review process after receiving reports from first executive order

Governor Spencer Cox has proposed a new Systemic Licensure Review Process after receiving agency reports to his first Executive Order addressing occupational licensing. This new process will ensure that Utah’s license reform efforts continue long after the executive order.

“Regulatory creep is real. Regulations exist to protect the health and safety of Utah residents, but tend to multiply over time. The very regulations designed to protect the public can end up hurting Utahns. Frequent checkups will give us the opportunity to remove outdated and harmful regulations so Utahns can participate in the economy safely and efficiently,” said Governor Spencer Cox. (Read More)

UAMPS, NTUA & Blanding City partner to bring electricity to Navajo homes

The Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), and Blanding City have entered into an agreement to provide essential electrical service to homes in the Westwater Village, a small Navajo Nation community which currently has no electric service.

The project will consist of an electric line extension from Blanding City’s distribution system to an interconnection point on the Navajo Nation, where NTUA will extend its distribution line to the individual Navajo homes. NTUA will purchase power from the UAMPS Power Pool. (Read More)

New Taxpayers Association report finds that, on average, Utahns pay $668 in taxes and fees to city government

The Utah Taxpayers Association just released its annual report, the “2021 Cost of City Government.” The report, based on FY 2020 data, compares the tax burden placed on citizens in Utah’s 50 largest cities by population.

On average, Utah city governments (including spending for public safety special districts) take $22.31 of each $1,000 earned by residents in the city.

Another metric provided in the report is the amount of taxes and fees paid by each city resident. Using this calculation, Utah cities collect an average of $668 in taxes and fees per city resident. This is an increase of $25 from the prior year. (Read More)

Number of the Day

Commentary: Romney is striking the right balance on climate change

By LaVarr Webb

The earth is getting warmer, no doubt about it. While sometimes it’s a little touchy for Republicans to focus on climate change as a top priority, two members of Utah’s congressional delegation are doing so — to their credit.

Sen. Mitt Romney talks frequently about climate change and the need to address it. Rep. John Curtis has organized the Conservative Climate Caucus, now with about 50 members.

I applaud them for showing leadership on this matter. And they’re doing it in a responsible, smart, practical way, emphasizing innovation and free market solutions, not radical mandates and regulation that would damage the economy and reduce the wealth that is necessary to effectively tackle climate change.

Romney himself has said that some climate change approaches, such as the “Green New Deal” proposed by ultra-progressives, are “silliness.”

The great thing about working on climate change is you get a two-fer: Many of the same measures that address carbon emissions also help reduce pollution and clean up our air — which we absolutely need in Utah.

Of note, Congress is currently debating a large infrastructure bill and other very large expenditures. Romney is in the middle of the discussions, attempting to forge a bi-partisan compromise on the infrastructure legislation.

I’m not a fan of additional deficit spending or higher taxes. But Romney argues that Congress can find money to pay for much-needed improvements in the nation’s infrastructure without additional debt. If approached wisely, many of the proposed infrastructure improvements will also address climate change.

The key is to invest in things that will really make a difference. That doesn’t necessarily mean enormous projects. Like air pollution, a million (maybe a billion) little things cause climate change, and it will take a million (billion) little lifestyle changes to improve it.

There are absolutely important and practical things we can do to slow and eliminate climate change. I serve as a trustee for the Utah chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This mainstream conservation organization is focused squarely on climate change with practical, science-based solutions. TNC works with all stakeholders and understands the importance of jobs, economic vitality and local control in this fight.

The TNC approach mirrors Romney’s approach, and that is the right formula to bring all sides together to really make a difference.

I believe a foundation is being laid for major progress on climate change, even though worldwide emissions are not declining right now.

Thanks to innovation, the free market, and a mix of incentives, the transportation industry is moving rapidly toward much reduced carbon emissions. Electric cars and public transit, combined with clean electricity to recharge batteries and power light rail, will reduce emissions. A significant investment is needed in electric vehicle infrastructure, including charging stations.

The energy sector is making rapid progress as well. Solar and wind electric generation, backed up by next-generation nuclear reactors produced in factories, battery and energy-storage technology, and grid upgrades could de-carbonize the energy industry and electrify many transportation and industrial processes, not just in the United States, but across the globe.

A big part of the solution, of course, is helping developing countries, which need enormous amounts of energy, to skip coal and oil and move directly to the newest technologies. The U.S. can set an example to be replicated elsewhere.

Some of the infrastructure money, supporting the economy of the future, could be wisely spent for these sorts of practical solutions.

Romney has rightly noted if we fail to address climate change, it will be viewed by future generations as “an extraordinary lapse in America’s judgment.”

The current infrastructure bill being negotiated by Romney and others is a great step forward on the climate infrastructure we need. Additional smart and practical work will be needed in the years ahead.

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On This Day In History

From History.com

Wise Words

"The only thing that almost stopped me was that I didn’t know how I could do it without a wife"
-Lindy Boggs, when asked if she had any doubts about running for her late husband's seat in Congress.

Lighter Side

“You can’t just ban Ben & Jerry’s because you don’t like their opinions. I mean, I still eat it, even though I’m annoyed they haven’t given us our own flavor yet. It would be called ‘A Closer Lick,’ and we’ve already mocked up what the container would look like. I sent this to them, and I’ve called their offices and left dozens of messages, and all that happened was one of their interns called me and said, ‘We already have a flavor named after you — it’s called vanilla.’”

— SETH MEYERS

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