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Opinion: When will our legislature own up to our current state of crisis?

The Great Salt Lake is drying up, the housing crisis is unbearable, the air pollution isn’t going away, and we don’t have enough rain water. What is the Legislature doing?

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Gov. Spencer Cox stands in front of a podium and gestures while speaking to the Utah Legislature.

Gov. Spencer Cox addressees legislators in the House of Representatives at the end of the Utah Legislature’s 2022 general session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 4, 2022.

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

It is my belief that our state Legislature and Gov. Spencer Cox owe the people of Utah an explanation as to why economic development tax increment financing continues to bring more good paying jobs to Utah. 

If we continue to follow California’s Owens Lake experience with the drying up of our own Great Salt Lake, it is predicted that Utah will suffer the equivalent of an environment nuclear bomb. Utah will also suffer the equivalent of an economic nuclear bomb as well. 

Last year, with the housing crises, the state Legislature had an expert from the Utah Department of Workforce Services do a presentation on how more good paying jobs would solve the housing crises. I have worked in real estate for over 30 years. All arm’s length transaction pricing is dictated by supply and demand. That presentation was just gaslighting. 

We have an air pollution problem made worse by the increasing population. Promised relief through mass transit, as promised by the Legislature, has had little effect. 

Regarding our water crisis, if our Legislature is justifying the continuation of this program by promoting the idea that there is no climate change, then we need new lawmakers.

David Callister 

Millcreek