Quality Growth Report I. Introduction Michael O. Leavitt holds the distinction of longest economic expansion in modern Utah state history. His governorship consists of eight consecutive years of three percent or higher job growth. This had never happened in Utah since about 1950. Net migration in a year during Leavitt’s term was never lower than 9,700 and during many years was as high as 30,000 which meant during his entire term more people were entering the state than leaving. This created many new problems and challenges for the state of Utah. The major issues revolving around this increased growth were transportation, air quality, land conservation, water quality and water conservation. These were part of the authority of state government and also outside of state government. People were starting to talk about the need for something besides state government which brought on discussions for the creation of Envision Utah. The Coalition for Utah’s Future with Robert Grow and Stephen Holbrook had some of these discussions. Leavitt entered the scene in 1992 and ideas started to percolate. By the middle of 1993 the question had spread and it was a live discussion. II. Growth Summit In 1995 the Growth Summit was created. (more…)
