S.C.R. 4 Enrolled

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING ECONOMIC
RESETTLEMENT OF RURAL UTAH
1997 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Leonard M. Blackham
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO FUEL THE ECONOMIC RESETTLEMENT OF RURAL
UTAH; RECOMMENDING DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES, INCENTIVES, AND
LEGISLATION WHICH WILL ENCOURAGE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL UTAH; AND RECOMMENDING SUPPORT FOR
RURAL ECONOMIC RESETTLEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
WHEREAS the Governor has called for the economic resettlement of rural Utah, and has
recently reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to this policy;
WHEREAS the economic resettlement of rural Utah is important to the whole state, and
over time it could become our modern day planning equivalent of wide streets in a logical,
well-organized grid, as it serves to take pressure off the more populated regions of the state;
WHEREAS the Governor has challenged this generation of Utahns to become a generation
of planners;
WHEREAS effective state planning efforts must be inclusive of rural needs and strategies,
as well as the needs and strategies of the state's urban centers;
WHEREAS community and economic development planning have been identified as a
high priority by rural Utahns at the 1996 Utah Rural Summit, and is vital to the economic success
of rural Utah;
WHEREAS rural economies are fragile and generally lacking in diversity;
WHEREAS rural unemployment levels are higher than the state average;
WHEREAS income levels in rural Utah are below the state average;
WHEREAS rural communities are experiencing shortages of affordable housing;
WHEREAS the number of traditional resource-based jobs in rural Utah is declining rapidly

and are being replaced by lower paying service sector jobs, many of which are seasonal in nature;
WHEREAS increasing regulation and restrictive land management designations involving
public lands are combining to limit economic development options in rural Utah;
WHEREAS professional and technical resources needed for community and economic
development in rural Utah are limited;
WHEREAS many rural communities have an available workforce, in contrast to worker
shortages in many urban areas of the state; and
WHEREAS the Governor and the Legislature are committed to planning for and building a
healthy rural economy, and recognize its importance to the well-being of the state as a whole:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
Governor concurring therein, support efforts to fuel the economic resettlement of rural Utah and
support the development of policies and appropriate legislation pertinent to achieving these goals.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor give high priority to,
and encourage all administrative departments of the state to give high priority to, thoughtfully
directing time and resources toward policies and activities that will strengthen rural communities and
economies.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize the value
of the following goals and objectives, and encourage all departments and administrative offices of
the state of Utah to consider their implementation in appropriations, administration, and other
governmental processes: (1) Institute policies that provide incentives and basic infrastructure
necessary to attract businesses and economic investment to rural Utah communities; (2) Support
efforts which encourage Utah businesses to consider rural locations in their site selection processes
as they expand their business operations; (3) Support business efforts which encourage appropriate
out-of-state businesses to consider rural locations in their site selection processes; (4) Promote
policies and incentives which encourage and facilitate the deployment of "Information
Superhighway" telecommunications technology to rural Utah communities, and assist rural
communities in developing the capability to take advantage of opportunities provided by these
technologies; (5) Support policies which encourage the dispersion of state jobs or officers to rural

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areas of the state, and which facilitate telecommuting opportunities for both public and private sector
employees; (6) Continue and enhance training and technical support for rural small businesses; (7)
Increase educational and job training opportunities in rural areas of the state, enhancing the ability
of rural citizens to compete in a global marketplace, with emphasis on lifespan learning, tying
education to labor force needs, and retaining workers displaced from traditional resource-based jobs;
(8) Find new and innovative ways to resolve public land and resource issues in order to sustain both
ecosystems and economies; and (9) Encourage efforts toward collaboration and coordination of
various economic development entities and agencies throughout the state and across all levels of
government, including federal, state, and local entities, both public and private.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the governor encourage development
of affordable housing to accommodate population growth and meet the housing needs of employees
of new and expanding businesses in rural Utah.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to each state
government department and division director, the chairperson of the Division of Business and
Economic Development Board, the Utah Rural Development Council, the Utah Center for Rural
Life, and to Utah Small Cities, Inc.

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