Accountability & Transparency

The fundamental purpose of our work is to maintain open and transparent government by keeping the electorate informed. Though some find it hard to believe, our state is home to a diverse population of backgrounds and perspectives. Utah citizens put a great deal of trust in local government to ensure that everyone is represented equally.

When elected government officials abuse that trust, whether by acting in accordance with their personal beliefs instead of the law, accepting “gifts” in exchange for political favors, indulging the influence of outside groups or by making important decisions in closed caucus meetings, ABU is there to speak out.

Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Humans Against Mike Lee

Mike Lee has been a United States senator for 12 years. So we decided to look into his record according to some of our core principles and let you know why we are #HumansAgainstMikeLee. Strong Communities Mike Lee is against affordable healthcare. The most vivid example of Mike Lee’s fight …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Interns

Skipping debates is bad for democracy

Have you heard? Skipping debates is the new summer trend. Jeff Gray, a candidate for Utah County Attorney General, said that he would not participate in a debate organized by the ACLU because the organization is ‘too liberal.’ In early June, Mike Lee’s two strongest opponents stood on a debate …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Guess who was in town?

If Paul Revere were alive and in Utah last week, I’d imagine he’d have been ringing the alarm for us all screaming, “ALEC is coming, ALEC is coming!” Yes, it’s true. ALEC, also known as the American Legislative Exchange Council, was in town last week, and we should all be …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

2 quick ways to take action on Utah’s COVID response

With the Delta variant spreading like wildfire, vaccination rates lower than hoped, and implementation of mask mandates made overly-political and difficult—or in the case of public schools, outright illegal (thanks to the Utah Legislature)—many Utahns are worried about how their communities will fare in the coming weeks and months with …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Four reasons why Mike Lee needs to go

We all know that Utah is an incredibly special state. From the majestic red rocks to the striking mountain ranges, the natural beauty and adventure are never in short supply. However, the thing that makes Utah truly wonderful is the people who call this great state home, and the values …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Utah’s conflict of interest problem

With the Legislative session now a month behind us, it’s a good time to reflect not just on what happened, but what we want the Legislature to look like in the future.  Utah has long resisted implementing meaningful ethical standards for public officials. As a matter of fact, a few …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

County politician is trying to divide Utahns

Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and it isn’t just because we tend to have a lot of kids. In a trend that has only accelerated because of the pandemic, people from around the nation are moving to Utah to take advantage of our strong …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Interns

Better education starts in our elections

It’s no secret that Utah’s funding of education is lackluster compared to the rest of the country. On average, the United States spends $12,612 on each student. Utah ranks last, spending only $7,179 on each student. Despite this, Utah’s high school graduation and college attendance rates are higher than average. …

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