Comments about ‘Utah could be on the verge of becoming a hi-tech hub’

One thing the economic development office can do is stop playing favorites with companies. Sure, some companies might come here because they get tax breaks, but it might discourage other companies from coming or staying. Be fair with everyone and everyone will be happier.

One area where we could see improvement is in Utah's ability to match technology coming out of our universities with Utah entrepreneurs. There is sometimes a disconnect between a university's desire to maximize their royalty income and the importance of returning economic value to the taxpayer. Placing a technology with an out-of-state firm may generate more money for the university, but does not have the same impact as placing it with a Utah firm. In addition, there is an assumption that university research is superior to that of private firms which is not always the case. Perhaps some of the millions we invest in university research should be dedicated to promising research by private firms located in Utah.

We are not "on the verge". We are there.

It is only going to get better and better.

I remember when I was a kid in junior high back in 1980. A church leader came to speak to the youth and told us, "learn all you can about computers. They are going to change the way we do just about everything."

How right he was.