From Deseret News archives:
Transportation to be key issue for Huntsman
At that event, several leaders of Utah high-growth companies mentioned the need for improved transportation infrastructure as a way to boost economic development. During a similar summit Friday with a larger group of local government officials, chamber of commerce members and others, Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert said administration officials will meet with people throughout the state prior to an October summit on the transportation issue.
"Clearly, we have a major problem out there," Herbert told the crowd of about 300 on Friday.
By year-end, after discussions with legislators, the business community and local government, "there's going to be a Huntsman/Herbert transportation initiative that we'll roll out with the idea that we will implement something and actually start taking care of the transportation challenge we have in this state. It's no longer acceptable to just talk about it. It's really now time to do something," Herbert said.
"It's sometimes hard to do, but I believe from the bottom of my shoe tops, if we all work together, we can do it. We can address those challenges and find those solutions — which maybe are unique to Utah — that have to be found and delivered upon."
In a spirit of collaboration and input, Herbert said the state will have a Web page devoted to the issue and allow people to submit ideas. "There's going to be no excuse for anybody not to have an opportunity to give input and have a say in the ultimate outcome on transportation," he said.
Several members of the new Governor's Office of Economic Development brought the crowd up to speed on economic development activities and programs the new administration has under way — from tourism promotion to the development of economic "clusters" and from tax reform to increasing the average Utahn's income. Many, like Herbert, asked for ideas and suggestions.
Huntsman said Friday's event was an effort to let everyone "know exactly where the state is going" and "know what needs to be done on the localest of levels."
The governor said he wants Utah in the future to always be "in a position of relative growth," even when economic downturns hit the national and world economies.
But Huntsman cautioned that most economic development efforts may not bear fruit for years, if not decades. Former Utah Gov. Cal Rampton said that 20 years after his administration ended, "he was still trying to make sense of whether or not his economic development policies were taking root in the state," Huntsman said.
"This is a long-term effort, and it's going to take the Leavitt efforts, the Walker efforts, the Huntsman efforts and whoever comes after me, and 25 years from now we'll sit around the table and we'll be able to assess basically what we've been able to do," Huntsman said.
E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com
