SALT LAKE CITY — “We must build,” Governor Spencer Cox declared in his annual State of the State address to the people of Utah, calling for major infrastructure changes.
“We stopped building infrastructure, as a tangle of overregulation, outdated permitting processes, and entrenched NIMBY-ism fed by special interests and bureaucracies block the projects we desperately need,” the governor said in his speech from Utah’s Capitol Hill on Thursday night.
“We stopped building technology, ceding far too much of our manufacturing, industry, critical minerals and energy production to our adversaries. And worst of all, we stopped building resilient people.”
Watch Gov. Cox's full State of the State address below:
The governor reiterated his call for 35,000 starter homes in five years. He also pushed a massive expansion of energy infrastructure in the state.
“We’re laying the groundwork for advanced nuclear reactors while protecting national security by building capacity to be a net energy exporter through Operation Gigawatt,” he said, referencing his plan to increase energy supply in the state that FOX 13 News first reported on last year.
Gov. Cox touched on some frequent topics in his speech — the dangers of social media and addressing homelessness. He repeated his call for an elimination of the tax on Social Security income.
“It's a bit embarrassing that we are one of only eight states that still taxes social security benefits and I am determined to see this tax eliminated, putting money back into the pockets of our beloved senior citizens,” he said.
So far, House and Senate Republican leaders have resisted his push. They have floated raising the amount that Social Security income is not taxed (currently it’s at $75,000 or less but may go up to $100,000). But they favor another income tax cut. House and Senate Democratic leaders, however, have lined up in support of the governor on eliminating the tax entirely.
Utah Democrats respond to Cox's State of the State address below:
Still, the governor’s initiatives appear to have support across Capitol Hill. In their own response to the State of the State, Democratic leaders outlined their policy goals that appeared similar to the governor’s in some respects.
“Utah's economy is often praised, yet so many of our hard-working families feel left behind by the increasing cost of living and housing. Creating common-sense improvements to our density policies and decreasing the cost of housing will help Utahns build the foundation for their families, careers, and long-term prosperity,” House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said in a video response.
But Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, drew a bright line on some policies being considered in the Utah State Legislature.
“We remain committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all Utahns, not just some. We will push back on reactionary policies that are punitive to working families and will fight for solutions that uplift all communities and address the real challenges Utahns face every day,” she said.
In a statement following the speech, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said he shared the governor's vision for Utah.
"Utah's success isn’t by chance — it is the result of foresight and determination to shape it. We know that Utahns are truly the backbone of our state. By embracing innovation and working together, we will chart a path forward to ensure enduring prosperity for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren," he said. "Building a future to secure affordable energy, ample water and abundant housing is essential to keeping Utah as the best state in the nation and the Utah Dream alive."
