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Transportation Watch

Big transportation projects come at a high cost – billions of dollars. But what is the cost of NOT building the projects? That cost is harder to quantify, but it’s important to consider in the cost-benefit analysis. See feature story below.

Get Your Item On the Calendar

UPD’s political calendar is Utah’s best source of information about upcoming political and government events. If you’re aware of an event of interest to Utah’s political community, this is the place to post it. We encourage elected and appointed officials to send us information about public appearances, speeches, etc.  We welcome info about campaign events, press conferences, and so forth. Send schedules and calendar items to daily@utahpolicy.com.

 

News Highlights

The House and Gov. Huntsman hope to move forward on their dual income tax plan, but the Senate threatens to stand in the way (Salt Lake Tribune).

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson wants to raise property taxes to hire up to 44 new city staffers (Deseret Morning News and Tribune).

Morning News editorial says higher ed leaders need to figure out why half of Utah college students never finish their degrees.

Legislator LaVar Christensen will spend what it takes in his race against Congressman Jim Matheson (Tribune).

  
 

Quote of the Day

"This sounds like a bad high school date."

-- Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, commenting on the silent treatment being given the county by Real Salt Lake because Real is miffed over disclosure of documents to the news media (Morning News.)

 

 

Wednesday Buzz
Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates

  

Careful Targeting Crucial for Primary Election

All indications are that the primary election June 27 will be a relatively quiet, low-turnout affair, with the possible exception of the 3rd Congressional District (depending on what happens at state convention) and a few places with hot legislative or county races. However, even in those voting jurisdictions, don’t expect a big turnout in June when people just aren’t tuned in to politics.

Therefore, the three most important things primary election candidates can do are to target, target, and target. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to waste time and resources on people who won’t be voting.

Focus on voters who are proven active voters, who have voted in past elections, especially primaries, and make frequent contact with them. In small voting jurisdictions this can mean calls and personal visits, in addition to direct mail. In larger jurisdictions, direct mail is a key tool.

It’s also important to raise overall visibility using reasonably inexpensive means like strategically-placed yard signs and, if budget allows, billboards and perhaps local newspaper ads (most newspaper readers are voters). Unless you have plenty of money, don’t worry about radio and television, which reach the masses who aren’t going to pay attention amid vacations and summertime activities.

In a low-turnout election, it’s crucially important to energize your base. Get to those who are your natural supporters, who are motivated to vote for you. Turn them out. It also makes sense to appeal to groups and coalitions who are already organized and who can turn out their members to vote. What groups are already organized who are likely to support you? In a low-turnout election, even a handful of votes can be the difference between winning and losing.

Blog Watch

Blogswarm, Part Trois: Pete Ashdown Day: A large segment of the Utah blogosphere unites to endorse Pete Ashdown's U. S. Senate campaign, including:

(Jen's Green Journal and Dee's 'Dotes join the 'swarm but stop short of endorsing Ashdown's candidacy, while Swinging the Buckeye State Blue endorses Ashdown from out-of-state)...

At the Senate Site, Sens. Michael Waddoups and Gene Davis continue continue blogging up a storm on health care reform... At the House Majority blog, Rep. Wayne Harper calls for a Utah income tax overhaul: "I think it is time that Utah takes a bold and futuristic step forward to allow the citizens of Utah to choose their tax treatment" (see also here)... Centerville Citizen has a long, thoughtful post "on the current illegal immigration controversy"... At New West, Tracey Medley discusses the Utah congressional delegation's opposition to the June 2 "Divine Strake" weapons test in Nevada: "Whether this is all just political pandering and lip service from our Senior Senator and his republican friends remains to be seen, but with the lives and health of so many at risk, it can’t hurt having them on our side"... dailywireles.org looks at Utah's UTOPIA project... Paul Rolly relates "[a]n incident at the recent Salt Lake County Democratic Convention [that] shows the Democrats in Utah are still struggling for an identity."

-- Compiled by Golden Webb

Utah Taxpayer Newsletter

The Utah Taxpayers Association has posted a PDF file of its May newsletter. Among other things, this month's edition looks at operations expenditures for Utah's school districts and charter schools, which increased 5.0% per student in FY2005; it also features a piece by Assoc. Pres. Howard Stephenson, who explains why "property tax hikes spell defeat for local officials."

Washington Watch

Cannon: Guest Worker Program, Not Amnesty

Rep. Chris Cannon's immigration advisory committee calls for comprehensive immigration reform that rejects amnesty in favor of a "well-thought-out" guest worker program (see press release).

  

Utah Policy Daily is a service
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Publisher: LaVarr Webb
Editor: Paul Hollingshead
News: Golden Webb
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Wednesday
May 3, 2006

Utah in the National News

Conservative news outlet ranks Provo, Utah, the #1 conservative city in America: "Represented by Republican Chris Cannon (ACU lifetime rating: 97%; 2005: 100%). Home of conservative Brigham Young University. Named 'Most Conservative City' by non-partisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research in 2005. According to New York Sun, Provo Mayor Lewis Billings responded to city's conservative title by noting that 'around 75% of [Provo] residents ... are members' of the Mormon Church and that 'I don't think people in our community will be all that surprised. We are what we are'" (Human Events).  

Columnist: Mass Gov. Mitt Romney "worked the crowd" at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner "with the fervor of the missionary he once was" (Human Events).

Some expert doubt it will become economical to extract the massive deposits of oil shale located beneath parts of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming (Scripps Howard).

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

- Rocky seeks tax, fee hikes

- Hopeful to spend all that it takes

- Flat or deductions: Governor, some House members for it; Senate members remain leery

- Bennett lauds tax cuts for economic bump

- Highlands West subdivision residents meet over landslides

- Nuclear experts push for waste re-use plan

- Rolly: Clock had the last word

- Provo mayor beams down budget

- Lost Boys, other teens get break from new law

- Utahn nominated for IRS board

- Entrepreneurs rub elbows at business expo

- Huntsman signs grazing revision into law

St. George Spectrum

- Thousands of immigrants march for boycott

- Waddoups to address Chamber

- Op-ed: Change needed to end partisanship, factionalism

Daily Herald

- Provo budget not as sky high as last year

- Group protests Alpine charter's new spot

- Editorial: Leaving some children behind

Logan Herald Journal

- Marching for diversity

KCPW

- New law allows "lost boys" to emancipate

- Governor Huntsman on global warming

- Immigration constitutional amendment?

- Governor interested in two-tier income tax

- Huntsman favors guest worker program

Deseret Morning News

- Real won't talk to county

- Ice-rink battle is heading to court

- Provo-Orem air unhealthy

- Refinancing a boon?

- Rocky aims to hire 44

- Billings' bird's-eye view

- Spanish Fork ready to bond for public safety site

- Change in law aids trucking students

- Salt Lake officials join opposition to nuclear waste storage

- City assails study on construction

- Don't OK homes in slide-prone sites, Morgan told

- Latinos hope Congress heeds boycott

- Granite mulls rebuilding Wasatch — with upgrade

- West High tops rankings

- Huntsman signs 'Lost Boys' bill

- Utility watchdog narrows its search

- Grazing-law revision signed

- Editorial: Utah's incomplete education

- Editorial: Springville sends a message

Political Calendar

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- May 3: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Mimi's Cafe, 304 E University Parkway, Orem.
- May 3: Midday Metro at 10 a.m. on KCPW 88.3 FM features a conversation on energy with Dr. Laura Nelson, Governor Huntsman’s energy policy advisor, and Sarah Wright, director of Utah Clean Energy; Simon’s Birthday Lemonade Stand for Pediatric Cancer Research, with Simon’s parents, Mary Craig and Markus Vodosek, and his sister, Miriam.
- May 3: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Golden Corral, 8860 S Redwood Rd, West Jordan.
- May 3: John Jacob Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Cracker Barrel, 2283 City Center Ct, West Valley City.
- May 3: Pete Ashdown Meet and Greet at the home of David Richardson, 5 p.m., 220 A Street, Salt Lake.
- May 3: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 6:30 p.m., Tyler Library, 8041 S. Wood St., Midvale.
- May 3: Sugar House Community Council meeting, 7 p.m., Sprague Library. Mayor Rocky Anderson and a large contingent of his department heads are scheduled to attend. The Mayor and his staff will be answering questions from the general public and the Community Council Trustees. Questions call Art Haddow: 801-209-1378 (cell), 801-892-0013 (office), 801-466-4360 (home).
- May 3: Congressional Debate: Cook v. Jacob, 7 p.m., Tahitian Noni, 333 River Park Dr, Provo.
- May 4-5: First session of the 2006 Sutherland Transcend Series. Jim Ferrell, managing director of the Arbinger Institute and best-selling author of Leadership and Self-Deception and The Peace Giver, will facilitate Arbinger’s renowned “The Choice in Political Leadership” two-day seminar.  For more information, contact Stan Rasmussen at 801-355-1272 or visit www.sutherlandinstitute.org.
- May 4: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Golden Corral, 3399 W 3500 S, West Valley.
- May 4: Gov. Huntsman to attend Dept. of Human Resource Management Manager's Conference, 1 p.m., Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 West 3100 South, West Valley.
- May 4: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 3:45 p.m., East Mill Creek Library, 2266 Evergreen Ave.
- May 4: Gov. Huntsman to attend Salt Lake Chamber Business to Business Expo, 6 p.m., Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City.
- May 4: Pete Ashdown Meet and Greet at the home of Jason Youngstrom, 6 p.m., 964 E 1700 S, Salt Lake.
- May 4: Davis County Democrats Planning Committee Meeting, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Commissioners Chambers, Davis County Courthouse, 28 East State Street, Farmington. Formation of standing committees and plans for the State Convention will be on the agenda.  All Davis Democrats are urged to attend.
- May 5: Closing the Achievement Gap for Hispanic Youth Presentation for community leaders concerned about Hispanic youth, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Lamb's, 169 S Main. Presentation by Barbara Lovejoy. For more information contact Barbara Lovejoy at 801-466-1117 or bclovejoy@msn.com.
- May 5: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Cracker Barrel, 460 S 2000 W, Springville.

- See the entire calendar

Elected Officials Birthday List



 

 

Feature Story

The Cost of NOT Building Transportation Projects

By LaVarr Webb

Big transportation projects come at a high cost – billions of dollars – and several big projects could be in Utah’s near future, possibly financed by tax increases. We properly spend a lot of time carefully analyzing the cost of these projects and how they will be financed.

But we also need to consider the cost of NOT building the projects. That cost may be harder to quantify, but it’s important to consider in the cost-benefit analysis. 

Here are just some of the needed projects: Rebuilding I-15 in part of Utah County will cost $2.5 billion. Building the Mountain View Corridor in western Salt Lake County will cost $2.2 billion. Four new TRAX light rail lines and extensions will cost $890 million in new tax dollars. Building commuter rail south through Salt Lake Valley and into Utah County will cost $600 million.

That’s starting to add up to one big chunk of change. Those costs are all assuming the projects are built by around 2015.

But what are the costs of NOT building? What are the costs of waiting until 2030 to have those projects completed?

Those costs are admittedly a lot harder to quantify, but they are very real. One cost that can be reasonably estimated is the increased construction costs of waiting, rather than getting started within the next few years and finishing by 2015. The price of the four Salt Lake County light rail spurs, for example, goes up by $640 million if they are built by 2030 instead of 2015. In other words, those rail spurs cost at least 2/3 more if we wait and build later.

I don’t have the figures for the increased construction costs on the highway projects, but given the escalating costs of cement, steel, labor, engineering and planning services, the cost of waiting is clearly in the billions of dollars. 

What is less quantifiable is the cost of congestion, the loss of economic competitiveness, the loss of productivity, the economic opportunities lost, more hours of delay for everyone, more traffic accidents, additional vehicle operating costs, longer delivery times, the cost of new parking structures that otherwise wouldn’t be necessary, the number of family second cars that will need to be purchased if mass transit isn’t improved, the cost of increased air pollution. What is the price of all that?

We know that many businesses and housing/office complex developments are entirely dependent on the construction of the Mountain View Corridor and light rail extensions into the west side of the county. We know that business development will be robust around TRAX stations. We know that higher education institutions, downtown businesses and the LDS Church are all counting on an expanded mass transit system to deliver shoppers, students and visitors to campuses, new mall developments and entertainment. What is the cost of not building?

We know that dramatic transportation improvements in northern Utah County are crucial or the area will soon be a parking lot and businesses will suffer. I know people today who avoid northern Utah County altogether, and we’re just seeing the start of horrendous congestion. What is the cost of that?

Provo Mayor Lewis Billings told me at breakfast last week that he knows people who live on the east side of Provo who choose to commute to jobs and activities in Salt Lake County by driving up Provo Canyon to Heber City, across to the Park City area, and down I-80 in Parley’s Canyon – all to avoid congestion on I-15.  What is the cost of that?

We also know that our economic competitors, notably Phoenix and Denver, understand the importance of mobility and excellent transportation infrastructure. They are embarking on massive mass transit and highway programs, including Denver’s $4.5 billion FasTracks initiative (approved by voters in 2004, boosting the transit sales tax to a full penny per dollar) and a whopping $16 billion combined highway and transit funding program in the Phoenix area, also approved by voters in 2004.

Perhaps the biggest evidence of the cost of waiting until 2030 to get these projects built is the willingness of Utah’s business community to step up and champion the cause of transportation infrastructure funding, even if tax increases are necessary. Businesses usually don’t like tax increases. But enough thinking and analysis has been done to reach the conclusion that when the costs of waiting are all added up, it’s just too costly. We bite the bullet and pay now and position Utah for the future, or we pay a whole lot more in lost opportunity, lost productivity, lost business activity, higher construction costs, reduced quality of life, reduced economic competitiveness, lower air quality and slower economic growth.

 
 

On the Move

Links to the Week's Key Transportation News Stories

-- Supporting Mesa Airlines just makes sense (St. George Spectrum).

-- UTA contractors win multiple awards for safety (Standard-Examiner).

-- Upcoming HOT lanes generate some heat (Deseret Morning News).

-- Summit mayors may block registration fee (Morning News).

-- Farmington gets Parkway progress report (Davis County Clipper).

-- W. Bountiful, Legacy collaborate (Clipper).

-- Editorial: Cautionary tale on U.S. 6 (Deseret Morning News).

-- $895M for TRAX could land on ballot (Salt Lake Tribune).

-- Trax and taxes: Would expanded light rail be worth the price? (Deseret Morning News).

-- Clearfield OKs bond to move rail station (Morning News).

-- 'You won't need a car': UTA chief calls public transit key to future (Morning News).

-- Can Westerners be wooed from their cars? (Morning News).

-- UTA to start using biodiesel fuel blend (Morning News).

-- Editorial: Road rage: HOV should remain a privilege to be earned (Salt Lake Tribune).

-- Summit delays vote on $10 boost in vehicle registration fees (Deseret Morning News).

-- TRAX sees record ridership numbers (KSL).

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Utah Transportation Watch is a service of Utah Policy.com