Huntsman eyes Utah's future

A year ago, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. traveled back in time, delivering his first State of the State address at the Territorial Capitol in Fillmore. It was a fitting setting for the new governor, a seventh-generation Utahn with strong ties to the community.

This year, Huntsman's sights are squarely in the future, focused on economic development, making meaningful investments in the state's public schools, creating an adequate transportation system and protecting Utah's environment. Fittingly, Huntsman delivered this year's State of the State address from Washington Elementary School in Bountiful "to share a vision of a future where we work together to build a hopeful foundation for Utah's next generation."

One important component of building a solid future, Huntsman noted, is tax reform. Huntsman again promoted a "flatter" personal income tax and the removal of the sales tax on food. Tax reform, Huntsman said, will enable Utah to be more competitive in the world marketplace.

Ditto for the Utah Science, Technology and Research Economic Development Initiative, or USTAR. USTAR would capitalize on seed money invested by the state to attract and house cutting-edge research teams in carefully focused specialties. For instance, these teams could build upon the state's unique assets such as Utah Population Database. USTAR is the natural segue to Research Park, established near the University of Utah in the early 1970s as a research-based, high-tech business incubator.

Huntsman also advocated for a stronger public education system, recommending a 5.5 percent increase in the value of Utah's basic education building blocks. Moreover, the governor proposed a $7 million voluntary, all-day kindergarten program in Utah's Title I schools to enhance students' school readiness. He also is seeking teacher training and incentives to boost Utah students' mastery of math and science in grades 4-6.

Huntsman also aims to build an adequate transportation system to meet the needs of a state that is "adding the population equivalent of one city of Ogden per year. We cannot afford to stand back and watch traffic gridlock increase." He's right.

Last, Huntsman reiterated his commitment to Utah's environment, sending a strong message to Private Fuel Storage, LLC, a consortium of out-of-state nuclear power plants that has had designs on storing spent fuel rods in containers on the Goshute Indian Reservation on Utah's western desert. In short, nuke waste is not welcome here. On a happier note, Huntsman celebrated progress in the decades-old fight to move uranium mill tailings that are seeping into the Colorado River near Moab.

As Huntsman noted in his address, Utah's economy, natural wonders and human potential are cause for great optimism. Capitalizing on Utah's attributes will require smart investments in capital and artful policy making. Credit Huntsman, in his second State of the State address, for setting an ambitious agenda to enable Utah, in his words, to "compete in any market in the world."