KEY POINTS
  • Gov. Cox said Utah must plan for major growth or risk losing what makes the state special.
  • Cox renewed promises to incentivize construction of 35,000 starter homes and pass policies to double energy production.
  • Utah Democrats said growth can leave some communities behind if housing remains unaffordable.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox committed to work with lawmakers to advance an abundance agenda that places innovative growth at the center of every government policy.

This strategy is what elevated Utah from a barren desert to one of the best destinations for families, businesses and new technologies, Cox told the combined Utah Legislature in his annual State of the State address on Thursday.

But there is no guarantee of continued success. If Utah slowly puts up obstacles to growth, it will fall into the wider national trend of stagnation, Cox said, putting an end to the Beehive State’s 180-year winning streak.

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“And so today, we are at a fork in the road: We can either press forward with our pioneer spirit, our grit, our industry and our faith, and build the next great chapter of Utah’s story — or we can be washed away in the negative, nationwide malaise of dysfunction,” Cox told the lawmakers, statewide officials and state Supreme Court justices in attendance.

In the first month of his second term in office, Cox staked out what he hopes will be his administration’s lasting legacy, to reaffirm Utah’s reputation as a state that builds — and builds big — in the most unlikely of conditions.

Gov. Spencer Cox gets a standing ovation after delivering his 2025 State of the State address in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

Cox’s 2nd term goals

Cox condensed his vision for the state into five lofty goals for state government, powered by allies Cox recognized by name in the state House and Senate.

  1. Housing: Cox renewed his promise to kickstart the construction of 35,000 starter homes — single family units under $400,000 — over the next few years. Cox previewed efforts to fast-track approval for new projects in the current legislative session that began on Tuesday. In 2024, Cox touted a package of housing bills that included a novel piece of legislation authorizing $300 million in public investment funds for low-interest loans to incentivize developers building affordable homes.
  2. Energy: Cox pointed to priorities he shares with legislative leadership to facilitate the construction of nuclear energy facilities in the state. In October, Cox announced “Operation Gigawatt,” to double the state’s energy production over the next decade by increasing transmission capacity, developing new energy sources and investing in nuclear and geothermal innovation. Cox’s budget proposal for FY2026 contains $4.3 million for research into geothermal energy and $20.4 million for nuclear reactor site preparation.
  3. Infrastructure: Cox criticized federal policies that slow large infrastructure projects. Utah will continue to spearhead initiatives that streamline permitting processes while maintaining environmental stewardship, Cox said. The governor’s first executive order after being sworn in for a second term instructed state agencies to find ways to get projects started more quickly.
  4. Safety: Cox praised legislators’ efforts to pursue law and order with an eye toward compassion and accountability. On homelessness and crime, Utah has developed policies that achieve both security and dignity, Cox said. In recent days, Cox has endorsed the Legislature’s push to enhance penalties for migrant-related crime as a “priority,” and has thrown his weight behind the Legislature’s emphasis on local law enforcement in addressing chronic homelessness.
  5. Family: Cox plugged the “cornerstone” of his budget recommendations for this year, the elimination of the remaining state tax on Social Security benefits. Cox opened 2025 with a focus on supporting the state’s older generation, which is expected to double by 2060. In addition to the targeted $143.8 million tax cut — which he called “a gift” to the Legislature — Cox has promoted other policies that he says will support the wealth, independence, security and engagement of seniors.

Is more growth always better?

Cox said he recognized his attention to growth might worry those who look around and see clogged highways, water shortages and increased housing density.

“Some might even argue that we’ve blossomed a little too much,” Cox said.

But these concerns are not new. Cox highlighted Deseret News articles from 80 years ago and older, with worries about the lack of natural resources to support an exploding population. So, what allowed Utahns to overcome expert forecasts?

Gov. Spencer Cox delivers his 2025 State of the State address in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

“They built here,” Cox said. “Almost 180 years later, our Utah desert has pulled off the most miraculous upset. The land has blossomed as promised, and our home has become the envy of the earth, and a worldwide destination.”

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In a prerecorded response, Utah’s Democratic legislative leaders voiced their shared support for increasing Utah energy production — if that meant including all sustainable options — and increasing the housing supply.

But state Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla and House Minority Leader Angela Romero, both of Salt Lake City, cautioned their Republican colleagues not to lose sight of the underrepresented communities that may not have benefitted to the same degree from the state’s economic success and new public safety approaches.

“Utah’s economy is often praised, yet so many of our hard working families feel left behind by the increase in cost of living and housing,” Romero said.

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The two lawmakers said their focus will be on increasing child care options, fully funding public education and maintaining access to elections.

On issues like these, Cox has also shown a willingness to pursue fixes, as long as the focus remains on what he says really “makes Utah great.”

“It’s our people,” Cox said on Thursday. “Faith, Family, and Community.”

During his remarks, he honored Alben and Gunda Borgstrom, who lost four out of five sons in World War II. “These are the kind of people we build in Utah,” he said. “Even when life forces us through more than we can seemingly bear, we build.”

Jennifer Nelson, center, grabs the hand of her mother, Deborah Borgstrom Long, as they and Merrilee Gardner, center left, are all recognized as relatives of the Borgstrom family by Gov. Spencer Cox as he delivers his 2025 State of the State address in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The Borgstrom brothers were four siblings killed over a six-month period during World War II. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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