Guest opinion: Utah deserves more flight options
by Mayor Troy Walker
Every year, millions of visitors come to Utah for our natural beauty, national parks, outdoor adventures, and diverse attractions. While we know visitors will have an incredible experience once they arrive, we also want the journey to Utah to be an easy one. A key part of the trip for many is the flight they take to get here, and the pending merger between JetBlue and Spirit will go a long way towards making that part fun and painless. By joining forces, JetBlue and Spirit will ensure that visitors have an exceptional journey from start to finish, starting with their flights to our great state.
As an elected official, a pilot, and a traveler I know the impact a comfortable and stress-free flight can have on the overall travel experience. We believe that the journey should be as enjoyable as the destination. This is why we want visitors to our great state to arrive excited, and ready to explore, and for our residents to return home feeling relaxed and refreshed...
The JetBlue/Spirit merger will result in an expanded, low-fare route network, flying more people to Utah than ever before and strengthening our stateâs economy. Bringing more affordable flights to Utah is important â Salt Lake City is one of the most expensive airports to depart in the US â and so is the quality of the flights themselves. JetBlue is well-known as a disrupter in the industry, offering low fares without sacrificing great customer service. Itâs time to challenge the âBig Fourâ airlines â Delta, American, United and Southwest â and their grip on 80% of domestic flights. Allowing a low-cost JetBlue to grow and build capacity helps every consumer and every Utahn. As we continue to promote Utah as a must-visit travel destination, we understand the importance of offering cost-conscious travelers greater flexibility and affordability when it comes to flight options... (Read More)
News Releases
Most likely voters in Utah support teaching âsuccess sequenceâ in schools, new Sutherland survey finds
Sutherland Institute partnered with Y2 Analytics to measure the attitudes of likely voters in Utah toward a series of life milestones known as the âsuccess sequenceâ:
- completing high school education,
- working full time, and
- waiting until marriage to have children
Highlights from the survey:
- 73% of Utahâs likely voters support inclusion of the economic outcomes of the success sequence in school curriculum.
- Strong majorities of Utahâs likely voters agree that graduating from high school (89%), working full time (86%), and marrying prior to having children (68%) are important steps to securing a successful and happy life.
- Teaching the economic outcomes of the success sequence in schools has bipartisan support in Utah (80% of Republicans and 60% of Democrats). (Read More)
Utah students perform above average in math
Compared with students internationally and across the United States, Utah students performed well above average in math, and were the least impacted by projected loss in lifetime income from pandemic-related learning losses, according to recent results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). This worldwide study, conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science to evaluate how well students are prepared to meet the challenges of the future. 81 countries participated in 2022, and the United States has been participating since 2003. (Read More)
Utah Senate Majority Caucus announces 2024 General Session priorities
The 2024 Utah Senate Majority priorities will focus on what can be done today to create long-lasting and enduring prosperity. Priorities include:
- Progressing toward energy independence
- Expanding and optimizing water supply and infrastructure
- Increasing options for affordable housing
- Addressing the cycle of homelessness
- Improving roads and transportation
- Strengthening public safety through criminal justice reform
- Enhancing innovative education outcomes and programs
- Maintaining Utahâs strong economy
- Providing more financial freedom to Utahns through fiscally responsible tax cuts
- Empowering parents with resources to protect their children against the harms of social media (Read More)
.png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah_Policy_Logo_Email_Full%20(1).png){kind=logo}
