A Message From
Stan Lockhart
Utah Republican Party Chairman

The "I can" Campaign

Let me again thank elected officials at all levels, county parties and private sector donors that have been contributing to the "I can" campaign.

You already know the "I can" campaign is built on a foundation of Republican principles of individual freedom, liberty, and personal responsibility. There are several accomplishments Utah Republicans look to highlight this year including:

·Utah is the best managed state in the country (The Pew Center on the States) - Because our Legislature has used conservative Republican principles of financial management, we have a healthy state budget at a time when many other state budgets are in crisis.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695273651,00.html

Utah has one of the best economies in America - Most Dynamic Economy (Kauffman 2007 State New Economy Index), #1 Economic Outlook (ALEC- Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index), #2 Best State for Business (Forbes Magazine), Most Competitive State for Business (Beacon Hill Institute), #3 in America's Top Ten States For Business (CNBC) - Respected Utah economist Jeff Thredgold recently indicated, "Even as it [the US economy] has slowed, however, Utah's economy ranks with the nation's strongest."

Utah's Republican-led Legislature invested over $1 billion in new education funding during the last three years - to put this in a longer term perspective, since fiscal year 2000, total education appropriations have increased more than 73% (6.4% per year) while student enrollment has increased by 15.7% (1.6% per year).

Republicans have initiated unprecedented road and mass transit funding, much of it from existing taxpayer sources - examples include the almost completed Legacy Highway, additional lanes on I-15, work on regional roads and rural projects, authorizations for Front Runner commuter rail and expansions of light rail.

These are all significant successes brought to the people of Utah by Republican leadership in the Legislature and Governor's office.