Utah’s economy has emerged strong from the uncertainty of the pandemic. Leading organizations have recognized this progress through their rankings. The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report and The Milken Institute have each shined a light on the progress Salt Lake and other cities have made in job creation, economic diversity and the performance of our cities, large and small. This is a tribute to our enviable business climate and decades of economic planning coming to fruition.

Now is our opportunity to lay the groundwork for the next phase of growth in Utah. This means we must scale out the infrastructure and economic ecosystem for post-pandemic growth. A key component of this effort is the Wasatch Innovation Network, an organization working to connect and catalyze the ecosystem for the new innovation economies sprouting up across Utah. To achieve a prosperous future, expanding our innovation economy will be critical. Headwinds are present with the current shipping crisis affecting nearly all businesses and consumers. Housing shortages remain an issue with inventory well below demand level. These are challenges present with growth, but the Salt Lake Chamber’s focus will be to mitigate these challenges and remove roadblocks to continued prosperity. Ultimately, taking targeted action to support the next phase of growth and enhancing our business climate is a top priority.

Legislative Priorities

  1. We support the evolution of the state’s incentives program to focus on durable industries in well-infrastructured environments or geographies in need.
  2. We support policies that are geared towards smart growth strategies.
  3. We champion legislative solutions that modernize the transportation of goods, solve e-commerce challenges and improve cargo flow across the state.
  4. We advocate for policies and innovation programs that provide support for start-ups, tech commercialization and foster a relationship with businesses and academia.