Jonathan Ruga is the vice-chair of the Better Utah Board. Brian Jones is director of government relations at Sentry Financial. COVID-19 has impacted our world in extraordinarily negative ways. Millions have been infected, hundreds of thousands have died, many of our healthcare systems have been exposed as grossly inadequate, and broad swaths of local and […]
How should we rebuild? Read More »
As a new cohort of Americans begin to reach adulthood, the country again faces the search for finding a new moniker for the next generation. So far the frontrunner seems to be Gen Z, but “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That
What is the purpose of a free press? Our founding fathers saw it as a safeguard for democracy. President Donald Trump sees it as a purveyor of “fake news.” And in tweets such as “91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake),” he has helpfully revealed his definition: “Fake news” is any report
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PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2019 Salt Lake City, UT – Alliance for a Better Utah released their annual Legislative Scorecard today, this year under a new name: Legislative Progress Report. As a whole, the House and Senate both averaged a C grade. “The process of scoring votes is always illuminating,” said Lauren Simpson,
This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Tuesday, Gov. Gary Herbert proudly signed Utah’s new hate crime bill into law. It was a legislative effort that stalled for a number of years, but grew wings after the infamous attack at Lopez Tires, where a man brutally beat an 18-year-old and his father with a metal
Commentary: Utah’s new hate crimes law is a complicated victory Read More »
PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2019 Salt Lake City, UT – In response to the first day of Medicaid enrollment following implementation of limited Medicaid expansion, Chase Thomas, executive director of Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement: “Thanks to the hard work of advocates, activists, and voters, more low-income Utahns will
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This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Read it in its entirety here. Leonard Bagalwa, a Congolese immigrant who helps Utahns find health insurance through federal programs, said he was excited when voters approved Proposition 3 last year, believing it would mean Medicaid coverage for his family beginning April 1. “Making enough money
This interview originally appeared on KRCL. Listen to the radio segment here. Katie Matheson of Alliance for a Better Utah and Christine Stenquist of TRUCE talked about the work they do to help people get involved in local politics. March 27: People Before Politics: Elections 101, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Salt Lake City Public Library, 210 E. 400 S., SLC. Alliance for a
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This article originally appeared on ABC 4. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 News) – Time ran out on a massive tax reform bill during the legislative session, but the conversation is moving forward. “Broaden the base and lower the rate.” That has been the rallying cry for tax reform in
Tax reform falls short this session, but conversation continues Read More »
This article originally appeared on KJZZ. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Utah Senate has passed a bill which protects gravel pits and mining businesses from local interference. Originally failing in the House, H.B. 288 bounced back to the Utah Senate, where it was amended and passed late Thursday night. The Utah