As with my drive for economic development in Utah, my support of first-rate public education is deeply rooted and long standing. There are at least 2,750,000 good reasons to support a robust education system for our state. That equates to one reason for every single Utahn, because superior public education directly benefits every single one of us. Quality public education and economic development go hand in hand. I am reminded of that almost every working day. As the development director for a commercial construction company and a member of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, I receive frequent notices about major companies that are considering moving to and/or expanding in Utah. Each notice lists a variety of features that a potential site must provide if the company is to locate there. Needed attributes vary from one solicitation to the next (sufficient acreage, low cost utilities, proximity to transportation, etc), but one requirement is listed predominantly on every notice: must have available well educated workforce.
These companies offer hundreds of good paying, long term jobs and millions of dollars in infrastructure to invest. The quality of our public education system is at the heart of their decision whether or not to come to Utah. And once they make the decision to come, much of the revenue they generate in Utah is invested right back in public education.
As your future Representative to the Utah House, I will consider Return on Investment (ROI) as a key factor in State government funding decisions. In other words, what benefit will spending bring directly to the Utahns who pay for it? Education funding bolsters economic development and economic development bolsters education funding. It is a funding cycle of critical importance to all the people of Utah and I will work tirelessly to keep it growing for all of us.
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