Most Utahns support immigration reform

On June 18th, 2013 in Immigration, Public Policy by Salt Lake Chamber

As the Senate takes up debate this week on the bipartisan immigration reform bill, Harper Polling released the results of a new state poll showing overwhelming voter support for the legislation. State leaders and supporters of immigration reform released statements below on how the new poll indicates voters in Utah are ready for a bipartisan commonsense solution to the country’s broken immigration system that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

The poll was sponsored by the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform, three organizations who represent the broad support for immigration reform from across the political spectrum.

“We need to solve the immigration problem in America,” stated Jonathan Johnson, executive vice chairman of Overstock.com. “I’m not surprised by these new poll numbers. It’s clear that an overwhelming majority of Utahns feel immigration reform is long overdue.”

“Now is the time to adopt bipartisan national immigration reform that promotes national security, keeps families together, ensures fairness to taxpayers and protects human dignity,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. “For the good of our economy and the immigrant population in Salt Lake County, I would urge our leaders in Washington to move legislation forward in order to achieve progress on this critical issue.”

According to the poll, voters in Utah support the Gang of Eight bill by large margins. Moreover, the results show that there is a genuine imperative for Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Mike Lee to support the bill as constituents said they are more likely to vote for an elected official who votes for reform.

“Business leaders make tough decisions every day and we have that same expectation of politicians who represent the people of Utah,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. “We deeply appreciate political leaders who are working to solve problems instead of making excuses. The business community stands with religious leaders, local politicians and the vast majority of the people of Utah in urging congress to adopt comprehensive immigration reform this year.”

“I welcome these polls as a sign of hope that we are finally going to achieve the elusive goal of comprehensive immigration reform in our country, demonstrating once again what makes our country great,” stated Bishop John C. Wester from the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. “The poll demonstrates that Americans in general, and Utahns in particular, are compassionate and do not want to see immigrant families continue to be separated by enforcement only policies. Utahns are telling their elected officials to act and, if they do, they will have their back.”

Highlights of the findings include:

· 71 percent of those polled said they strongly or somewhat support bipartisan immigration reform legislation being debated in Washington;

· 74 percent of those polled said they strongly or somewhat support a bill that includes a tough but fair path to citizenship;

· 64 percent of those polled are more likely to vote for an elected official who supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.

· 90 percent of those polled said it was very or somewhat important that the U.S. fix it’s immigration system this year.

· Of those polled, 55 percent identified as Republicans, 18 percent as Democrats, and 27 percent as Independents.

Full results of the poll can be found here.

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For more media coverage on this poll:

· 90 percent of Utahns want immigration reform this year, poll says [KSL]
· Poll: Majority of Utahns want immigration reform [DesNews]
· Advocates’ poll shows Utah support for immigration reform [SLTrib]
· Poll: Utah voters show strong support for immigration reform [ABC4]

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UCAIR evolving, transitions to non-profit organization

On June 17th, 2013 in Air Quality, Public Policy by Salt Lake Chamber

It’s official. The Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) will be a non-profit, independent organization.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert announced UCAIR’s transition from a government entity to a non-profit this past week. UCAIR is charged with uniting the air quality community and supporting innovative approaches to addressing air quality challenges.

“Today marks an exciting milestone for UCAIR as we begin the next steps in our statewide effort to improve air quality and in turn public health, economic stability and our way of life,” said Herbert. “When we launched UCAIR in 2012 our vision was to bring air quality organizations from across the state together to work toward improving Utah’s air. Today I am proud to report that this effort is moving forward thanks to the dedication and passion of these outstanding organizations.”

It was also announced that Shawni McAllister will be the new Executive Director of UCAIR.

“UCAIR was created to make it easier for individuals, businesses and communities to make small changes to improve Utah’s Air,” said McAllister. “Our vision of UCAIR is to provide a table where all partners can combine their knowledge and capabilities to coordinate messages, share data, identify and support innovative strategies and work together to strengthen air quality efforts.”

UCAIR is a statewide clean air partnership designed to bring business, industry, non-profit, education and government partners together with one goal in mind – improving Utah’s air. For more information about UCAIR, including details about partnership and grant opportunities, visit their new website UCAIR.org.

The Chamber believes that UCAIR will play a valuable role in developing a more unified, state-wide communication strategy to help educate Utahns on the importance of air quality and how each of us can make a difference. Additionally, the creation of a grants and loans program will likely be very beneficial to encourage new clean air technologies and implementation of existing clean air technologies and strategies. We are a supportive partner of UCAIR and proud to serve as the official business arm of their outreach efforts.

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This week on the Utah Business Report

On June 14th, 2013 in Utah Business Report by Salt Lake Chamber

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Utah Business Week is celebrating its 32nd year this summer.

The week-long business camp is held on the campus of Utah State University from July 28 through August 3.

At Utah Business week, high school students interested in business get hands on experience building a business and competing with their peers.

Students will learn first-hand from business leaders what it takes to succeed in business, from marketing to business ethics.

Utah Business week costs just 100-dollars—that’s less money than what you would pay to feed a teenager for a week!

So if you have a student who will be a high school junior or senior in the fall of 2013, go to www.UtahBusinessWeek.com today. Space is limited and registration closes this Friday, June 14.

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33 small business owners recently graduated from Utah’s inaugural Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Eleven sessions and more than one hundred hours of training from Salt Lake Community College supported business growth by boosting operations and creating job opportunities.

Over the last five months, the business owners who participated created more than 100 jobs.

Businesses ranging in industries participated and 17 of the 33 were women-owned, which is the largest group of women that have participated in a single cohort since the program launched in 2009.

10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million investment that gives entrepreneurs greater access to education, financial capital and business support services. More than 1,300 businesses have participated nationwide.

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While the nation is stuck in a slow recovery, Utah’s economic status is one to envy. The sixth edition of the “Rich States, Poor States” study recently listed Utah has having the Best Economic Outlook in the nation.

This is the sixth year in a row Utah has received this ranking.

Fifteen important state policy variables go into the Economic Outlook rankings. Utah ranked in the top 10 in almost half of them—making it one of the best performing states.

“Rich States, Poor States” also listed Utah as having the third best Economic Performance overall, coming in behind Texas and Nevada. The combined scores give Utah an overall number one ranking.

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Ten professional cycling teams have accepted invitations to compete at the 2013 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. The race this year will take place August 6 – 11, starting in southern Utah.

Many of the cycling teams are among the best in the world. Miller Sports Properties COO Steve Miller says cycling fans should be excited to see such a solid group of top-rated pro teams from around the globe.

The Tour of Utah was elevated to a 2.1-rated stage race by the UCI in 2011. It continues to be one of the top stage races in North America.

The Tour of Utah is still looking for volunteers to help with the week-long race. You can find out more at TourOfUtah.com.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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Scare tactics aside, immigration reform strengthens our economy

On June 14th, 2013 in Immigration, Public Policy by Salt Lake Chamber

Editor’s Note: This article, written by Marty Carpenter, executive vice president of communication at the Chamber, was originally published on KSL.com. 

As the debate over comprehensive immigration reform heats up through the summer, the messages—just like in any political campaign—will grow more divisive. Think of it like an election year, but over an issue rather than candidates.

Unlike in a presidential election, Utah will be somewhat of a battle ground state. So if you got sick and tired of Mia Love and Jim Matheson ads last fall, brace yourself; we may be in for more of the same on the immigration front.

Take for example an ad running in Utah right now, paid for by a group called Numbers USA.

If you’ve taken the 30 seconds to watch, you should notice right away it has all the makings of a political scare ad, including its extremely loose relationship with the facts.

Last month, I spoke with KSL 5’s Richard Piatt about the ad; you can see a portion of that interview here. As Piatt points out, 20 million unemployed Americans is guessing on the very high side. And the 33 million immigrants? Well, that number is spread out over a decade. Also, many of those immigrants are working now so unless they’re taking their own jobs, it doesn’t factor into the equation.

Comprehensive immigration reform will strengthen the U.S. economy and create more middle-class jobs.

It’s a principle we call, “growing the economic pie.”

Not all jobs are the same. Some require high levels of education and technical skill; others require more intensive manual labor; many fall in between. In order to grow the number of jobs in the middle—the kinds of jobs the vast majority of us hold—you need to have people working in both other categories. Our economic engine cannot fire on all cylinders when there are holes in our labor market and we have two sizable gaps right now.

Numbers USA got one thing right. Today, there are far too many Americans out of work. We do have an unacceptably high unemployment rate (7.5 percent nationally) and a modest at bet job growth rate (just 1.5 percent for the U.S.). What they don’t understand, however, is that reforming our broken immigration system will have the opposite effect than what they claim.

Even here in Utah where the economic picture is much brighter (4.7 percent unemployment, 3.5 percent job growth), we have thousands of high skilled jobs that we can’t fill. Our housing market is growing but home builders struggle to find the construction workers they need to keep pace with demand. And Utah ranchers and farmers consistently rank finding able workers among their biggest challenges.

These are all jobs waiting to be filled, but the native workforce doesn’t have the necessary skills or willingness to do the work.

That’s where smart immigration policy can help. We can bring in the top talent from around the world to drive innovation. We already play a key role in developing talent in our universities… right before we send them off to strengthen our competition.

And we have people who want to come and make a better life for themselves and their children in America. They work hard, often in the jobs we have real difficulty filling. They cook, clean, make up hotel rooms and harvest crops. They supplement our native construction workforce as dry-wallers, cement workers, framers and landscapers. The jobs they take may not make them middle class Americans right away, but they come for the opportunity to build a better life for their children.

Fill a high-skill position and that creates a demand for jobs to support it. The work done by a software coder creates a need in other areas like human resources, accounting, marketing and more.

Filling hourly positions helps a home builder build more houses, a hotel host more events and a farm grow more produce and harvest it more efficiently and effectively.

Those workers also play a role as consumers as they take their wages and pay rent, buy food, gasoline, electronics and recreational activities.

A recent study by the Immigration Policy Center shows just how important immigrants are to the Utah economy. They account for nearly 12 percent of our state workforce. If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Utah, the state would lose $2.3 billion in economic activity and $1.0 billion in gross state product. Those consumers keep a lot of people in jobs and a lot of companies in business.

We need to increase the amount of consumers in our state and strengthen their purchasing power. That increases demand. We also need to create more jobs for the middle class. We do that by filling the gaps in our workforce, and that requires using the skills of immigrants.

Smart immigration reform strengthens the American economy and that’s good for everyone.

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The Lowdown on the SLC Farmers Market

On June 13th, 2013 in Downtown Alliance, Farmers Market by Mikael Short

This past weekend marked the beginning of the SLC Farmers Market for 2013–with new extended hours.

From now until Oct. 19, the SLC Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can find it in it’s usual home at Pioneer Park (300 South 300 West).

This summer, the Downtown Farmers Market will host a smorgasbord of programs and events, such as Music at the Market, Waste Wise Program, SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Eat Local Week and much more. Each weekend will also feature a different event. For example: this Saturday, June 15, you can come Celebrate Kids with Discovery Gateway while crafting fruit stamps with your children. So bring them along with you!

Don’t miss out on all the fresh produce, artisan cooking and crafts, live music and more this summer at the Farmers Market!

And come August, the Tuesday Market will be back, running from 4 p.m. to dusk. Those of you who work downtown can get all of your fresh produce needs without having to come back on the weekend.

To see a map and a list of vendors available on Market Day, click here. You can also find parking information on the SLC Farmers Market website.

From its inception in 1992, the Downtown Farmers Market has become a summer tradition for Salt Lake City residents and visitors.

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April 2013 export numbers surprisingly positive

On June 12th, 2013 in Chamber News, Economic Development, International Business, World Trade Center Utah by Salt Lake Chamber

In the April 2013 Export report from World Trade Center Utah, the Beehive State saw more positive numbers than originally expected.

Despite dropping $31 million in exports from March to April, Utah is still giving a strong export showing. Total exports from Utah in April 2013 totaled more than $1.5 billion, which is quite a bit higher than last April’s total of $1.2 billion. This is the first month this year that came out ahead of its counterpart in 2012.

WTC Utah report noted that the Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. Census Bureau released revised final figures for 2012 that indicated a rise in Utah’s total from $19.11 billion to $19.25 billion.

“I wish it had stayed lower, because it’s going to take a lot of miracles to beat that this year,” said Lew Cramer, president and CEO of WTC Utah. “However, Utah does specialize in exporting miracles.”

Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 60 percent of Utah’s exports were of primary metals in April, or approx. $922 million. There was some uncertainty surrounding primary metal export numbers because of the recent landslide at Kennecott, so the strong number was good news. It nearly matched the March 2013 figures for the industry, just shy of a $7 million difference.

What Utah saw a jump in exporting is transportation equipment (increase of 28 percent since April 2012) and computers and electronics (increase of 20.87 since April 2012). In April, the top five industries exporting from Utah include primary metals, computers and electronics, and chemicals.

Utah’s exports mostly head to Hong Kong, United Kingdom, China, Canada and Thailand. From April 2012 to April 2013, China saw the greatest jump in Utah exports from $174 million to $608 million (increase of 248 percent).

The number of positive revelations that came from the April 2013 Exports report are solid indicators that 2013 will continue Utah’s trend of being a strong and growing export state.

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Business leaders place letter in newspapers in a push for immigration reform

On June 11th, 2013 in Chamber News, Immigration, Public Policy by Salt Lake Chamber

 

 

On Sunday, Utah business leaders gave a very public call to our federal delegation emphasizing the need and urgency for action on comprehensive immigration reform. Dozens of leaders signed into an open letter that was featured in the Sunday editions of both the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. You can view a copy of the letter below.

Today the Senate will vote on cloture on S. 744, the Gang of 8’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, at 2:15 p.m.

Since the letter ad hit the streets, there’s been much discussion on both immigration reform and the letter.

Clark Ivory, a signatory of the letter, joined Doug Wright Monday morning to discuss the open letter and its call to action for Utah’s federal delegation. In his comments, Clark discussed the need for the Utah’s federal delegation to be problem solvers and the unique opportunity the delegation has to have a significant impact on the outcome of reform.

Clark was also very thankful for Senator Hatch’s significant and positive contributions thus far in the legislative process and is hopeful that the Senator will continue to provide much needed leadership.

Natalie Gochnour also joined Doug Wright to discuss other issues. However, the conversation led back to immigration reform, where Natalie emphasized the need for real leadership in D.C. and that no issue exemplifies that more than immigration reform.

In a second letter to Utah’s senators, the Chamber brought together 50 business leaders to advocate specifically for reforms addressing skilled-worker needs. It reads:

U.S. immigration policy has proven inadequate to address the needs of companies competing in a globalized, 21st-century economy. Tens of thousands of skilled foreign workers, highly trained science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates of U.S. universities, and overseas entrepreneurs are being shut out of the U.S. economy by outdated restrictions and limitations. America’s competitor nations have capitalized on this shortfall by actively and aggressively revising their immigration policies to welcome many of the world’s best and brightest to their shores. Congress has an historic opportunity to reverse this international “brain drain” and send a strong message to skilled workers across the globe that the United States is open for business. There are currently proposals before the Senate aimed at significantly expanding the nation’s supply of skilled workers and innovators, including provisions to:

1) Increase the availability of temporary, skilled worker (H-1B) visas by substantially raising the annual cap and enabling additional market-based adjustments – creating a program that is more responsive to market demand while avoiding overly burdensome hiring and recruitment requirements.

2) Exempt all advanced STEM degree holders from U.S. universities from the annual employment-based green card cap – retaining more of these highly sought-after graduates in the U.S. and placing them on a fast track to permanent residency.

3) Create new INVEST visas and green cards for immigrant entrepreneurs who launch businesses in the U.S. and meet key job creation, revenue generation, and financing goals – addressing a significant policy gap and fueling the nation’s engine of economic growth and innovation

Here is an infographic highlighting how the Gang of 8’s immigration reform bill will make it so America will attract the top talent.

Also this weekend, both editorial boards from The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News echoed our call for action and principles upon which reform should be based. You can find links to these editorials here:

Salt Lake Tribune – Immigration bill: Hatch should support reform

Deseret News – In our opinion: Politicians should use Utah Compact framework in immigration reform debate

Two years ago, community leaders launched The Utah Compact in support of civil, constructive and compassionate immigration reform. Thousands from around the world signed The Compact in support, and now your support has never been more important.

The first principle of The Compact states that immigration is a federal issue and urges Utah’s congressional delegation to lead efforts to strengthen federal laws. After years of apathy and neglect, the U.S. Senate is ready to act. Please take a moment right now to contact Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Mike Lee and urge them to play constructive leadership roles, to improve and pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.

Consider using all four methods of communication below.

Senator Orrin Hatch
Facebook: facebook.com/orrin.g.hatch
Twitter: @OrrinHatch
Telephone: 202-224-5251
Website: www.hatch.senate.gov

Senator Mike Lee
Facebook: facebook.com/senatormikelee
Twitter: @SenMikeLee
Telephone: 202-224-5444
Website: www.lee.senate.gov

The U.S. House of Representatives is also beginning long over-due discussions on this issue. Please use this link to find contact information for your representative. Let them know that you support comprehensive immigration reform.

As immigration reform works its way through the legislative process, we continue to ask that you reach out to our federal delegation directly.

Below is the contact information for our Senators and remember what Clark expressed this week:

“I don’t need to be an expert to ask for action.”

Now is the time for Utah to lead.

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For more media on business leader’s letter to our federal delegation, see below:

Deseret News: Utah business leaders push for immigration reform

Click here for the KSL story and interview with Clark Ivory and Jason Mathis on this public call emphasizing this important need (the video at the top of this blog is from this news story).

 

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What’s Keeping These Business Leaders Up at Night?

On June 10th, 2013 in Chamber News by Salt Lake Chamber

Statistics show that 3.8 million jobs in the United States sit vacant. Why?

In this video from the U.S. Chamber, the biggest concern is that our educational system isn’t preparing students with the critical skills needed to allow them to thrive in prosperous careers as well as in their own lives.

Watch the video above for more information on why this problem is keeping business leaders awake at night.

 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

On June 7th, 2013 in Utah Business Report by Salt Lake Chamber

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Utah Business Week is celebrating its 32nd year this summer. The week-long business camp is held on the campus of Utah State University from July 28th through August 3rd.

At Utah Business Week, students interested in business get hands on experience building a business and competing with their peers.

Students will learn first hand from business leaders what it takes to succeed in business from marketing to business ethics.

Utah Business Week costs just $100—that’s less money than what you would pay to feed a teenager for a week!

So if you have a student who will be a high school junior or senior in the fall of 2013, go to www.utahbusinessweek.com today. Space is limited and registration closes June 14.

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Tanner LLC has added two key team members recently. Tanner LLC is a leading Utah-based accounting and consulting firm recognized for its performance and quality on a national level.

Gary Vickrey joined the accounting firm as a partner. Vickrey is a nationally recognized professional in leadership development and business transition. He previously served as president and CEO of JLSVickrey where he established Leadership Development Academies for global organizations and professional service firms worldwide.

Tanner LLC also added Dan Griffiths as director of strategic planning for the firm’s Leadership Solutions Practice. In 2011, he was recognized as the Outstanding CPA in Business and Management by the American Institute of CPAs.

Tanner LLC is a leading Utah-based accounting and consulting firm recognized for its performance and quality on a national level.

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The Tour of Utah, America’s Toughest Stage Race, is looking for volunteers. This year, the race will take place August 6th through 11th and around two-thousand volunteers are needed in a variety of positions. Volunteers can help out each day of the race, or for just one day.

For the first time, the Tour of Utah begins in southern Utah, starting in Brian Head and finishing in Park City.

Volunteers will get a unique behind-the-scenes perspective into what it takes to put on a major sporting event like the Tour of Utah. They also get a Tour of Utah t-shirt and other merchandise.

To sign up to volunteer or to learn more you can visit TourOfUtah.com.

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Responsible recycling of electronic waste is important to conserve natural resources and protect the environment.

From now through August, you can recycle your electronic waste–or e-waste–through a series of free recycling events by Salt Lake City Green. The recycling events all take place on Saturdays—with one coming up this Saturday, June 8, at the Smith’s Grocery Store near 900 East and 800 South. Each recycling event will run from 8 a.m. to noon.

A wide variety of electronics from city and county residents will be accepted. E-waste accepted at community collection events includes computers and parts, televisions, cell phones, printers, scanners and cameras. All the E-waste collected will be recycled by Metech, a recognized environmentally responsible recycling company.

So remember to recycle your e-waste this Saturday and keep our environment healthier.

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In July of 1847, the pioneers first entered the Salt Lake Valley. And this July we will celebrate that legacy with the Days of 47.

This year’s theme is “Pioneers – Our Anchor for the Future.”

From July 12 through July 24, the calendar will be packed with a variety of events to celebrate our Utah heritage, including concerts and festivals.

Of course, the most popular and well-known event is the Days of ’47 Rodeo. This year, the chute opens on the rodeo on July 19th and runs every day except Sunday through Pioneer Day. And this year, the Days of ’47 Rodeo is back at EnergySolutions Arena.

And of course, everything leads up to the Days of ’47 KSL 5 Parade that will take place in downtown Salt Lake City on July 24th.

So start planning your Pioneer Day celebration. For a complete list of everything going on, visit DaysOf47.com.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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Utah Business Week

On June 6th, 2013 in Business Lessons, Chamber News by Mikael Short

One of the most valuable things teenagers can learn are real-life business skills.

Utah Business Week is celebrating its 32nd year this summer. The week-long business camp is held on the campus of Utah State University from July 28 through August 3 of this year.

At Utah Business Week, high school students interested in business get hands-on experience building a business and competing with their peers.

Students will learn first-hand from business leaders what it takes to succeed in business, from marketing to business ethics. Students work within teams to create a product, design a logo, and produce a radio commercial, among making different kinds of business decisions. Students will compete against other teams and be judged by professionals from the business community.

Utah Business Week costs just $100—that’s less money than what you would pay to feed a teenager for a week!

So if you have a student who will be a high school junior or senior in the fall of 2013, go to www.UtahBusinessWeek.com today for information on applying.

Space is limited and registration closes Fri., June 14.

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