From Deseret News archives:
Is Utah's success too much for economy?
However, a new survey of more than 100 businesses that have relocated or expanded in Utah during the past five years shows that those perceptions may be turning.
In fact, Utah's success in attracting new businesses and erasing old perceptions could backfire, according to a report commissioned by the Real Estate Professionals for Economic Development.
"The question is not can we and have we done a good job of recruiting businesses to Utah because we certainly have but have we done too much? Is the engine heating up too fast?" said Antonio Lima, an account manager at the Summit Group, a Salt Lake-based public relations firm that prepared the report.
According to Lima, the study revealed that site selectors are less interested in Utah's polygamous past and more concerned about finding enough employees.
Many respondents in the report expressed concern over Utah's record low unemployment rate 2.6 percent in December.
One respondent in the report said, "When we started looking in the Tooele area, the unemployment rate was around 8 or 9 percent. Now, the unemployment is in the 3 percent range. I don't know why any real estate guys would be trying to drum up more business in Utah. I mean, you don't have any workers to work. If unemployment is at 3 percent it might as well be zero."
Others expressed disappointment about trying to find quality employees. Some said that the state was sold to them as having a "ready, willing and able labor pool," but that no longer exists.
"Sure it's not easy to find workers, but it's ludicrous to ever think that we somehow won't have this ongoing pipeline of labor," said Kelly Matthews, executive vice president and economist with Wells Fargo in Salt Lake City. "I don't think there is any state in the country that even remotely can match our labor force growth year after year after year."
Bill Martin, managing partner of Commerce CRG, said another concern expressed by out-of-state employers was the lack of interest by Utah workers to work overtime.
"We have a great employment base," Martin said. "But they tend to like to work only eight to five. They don't like to work overtime because that is cutting into their outdoor activities."
Comments
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime 1:11 a.m.
- UVU beats SUU; USU wins big 12:57 a.m.
- BYU spikers end season with a loss 12:55 a.m.
- Iverson may be headed to 76ers 12:34 a.m.
- Credit Coug defense for win 12:33 a.m.
- Aggies blow away T-birds 12:32 a.m.
- Mo steals show in Cavaliers' victory 12:31 a.m.
- Editorial: Facilitate Big Brother? 12:22 a.m.
- Mom befriends wife of PTSD vet 12:21 a.m.
- Political clash over U.S. debt 12:21 a.m.
- Cave to be sealed with body inside
- Predicting the unpredictable: BYU wins
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- Vegas, Poinsettia bowls or bust
- BYU football: 5 keys to victory
- Glover gives Utes last-second upset
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Cougars turn back Wildcats'
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
396 - Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
150 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
88 - Hall's legacy measured today
75 - Y. focused on 10-win season
73 - Letters: C02 causes warming
70
If you're shopping online for gifts, take care. While there are some...
watch out for next year for sure, the negatives are just closet (and...
And something else, I generally follow players from the state schools when...
I could care less that Max Hall said what he did. The feeling is mutual BYU...
Dear Max, probably could have done without that comment. Probably would've...
As a Utah fan, let me first say congratulations to Max Hall, the Cougars, and...
Geno's and Pat's are good.. but, they are mostly for tourists, the real...
(You even got a middle initial... how's that for 'ya Max) It's nice to see...
Even today, I still cannot get enough of this movie or Charles Gitonga Maina....
...disappointed with Max Hall's comments that he hates everything about UofU....
Over the last few days I read comments of people complaining about tasteless...



You can be the first to comment on this story.