This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Becky Lockhart, Gary Herbert, or anyone running for statewide office, should tell us what they intend to do about these long-term Utah problems:
Utah is one of the worst in the nation for: air quality, gender pay inequality, voter turnout.
Utah is one of the highest in the nation for: autism rates, prison recidivism rates and prescription drug abuse.
Utah is last in the nation for: per-pupil funding and women with bachelor's degrees.
I shudder to think what else Utah is first and last at. This dreary reality makes a lie of both Mormon and Republican stereotypes as competent managers of business or government. Shall we keep pretending that our state is being well-run?
It would seem a tall order for any tailor to fabricate "emperor's new clothes" for an entire political party, and yet — voila'! — it is already done!
David Scown
Murray