In the United States, more women are deciding to have children and remain single today than ever before. Almost half of all babies born in the U.S. were born to unmarried women in 2019, a dramatic increase since 1960, when only 5% of births were to unmarried mothers. This trend is not a direct result of divorce; today's unpartnered mothers are more likely never to be married.

But what does this trend mean for our future from an economic standpoint?

In a new book, "The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind," Dr. Melissa Kearney makes a provocative, data-driven case for marriage by arguing that the institution's decline has led to many economic issues. Eschewing the religious and values-based arguments that have long dominated this conversation, Kearney argues the most significant impacts of marriage are, in fact, economic: when two adults of any gender marry, their financial and household lives improve, offering a host of benefits not only for the married adults but for their children as well. Her research focuses on single mothers, given their outsize number compared to single fathers.

On November 8, the Gardner Institute hosted Dr. Kearney at our monthly newsmaker breakfast for an in-depth discussion about her view on the underlying causes of marriage decline in the U.S. and how decision-makers can draw lessons from the data to help the country's future prosperity. The conversation was moderated by Adam Looney, director of the University of Utah's Marriner S. Eccles Institute for Economics and Quantitative Analysis. 

About the Author

Melissa S. Kearney is the Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland. She is also the Director of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a non-resident Senior Fellow at Brookings.

Kearney's academic research focuses on domestic policy issues, especially issues related to social policy, poverty, and inequality. Her work has been published in leading academic journals and is frequently cited in the popular press. She has testified before Congress on the topic of U.S. income inequality.

About the Moderator

Adam Looney is a professor in the Department of Finance and Executive Director of the Marriner S. Eccles Institute for Economics and Quantitative Analysis. Previously, he was the Joseph A. Pechman senior fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings and the Director of the Center on Regulation and Markets. While at Brookings, he has been called to testify in Congress by members of both parties on tax and student loan policy, and his research has influenced the development of federal tax policies and education reforms.

Mr. Looney returned to Brookings in 2017 after three years of service in the U.S. Treasury Department as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Analysis. At Treasury, he advised the Secretary on economic issues related to tax policy, analyzed current and proposed legislation, and provided the official receipts forecasts and revenue estimates for the Administration’s budgets.

Over the past decade, Utah was the fastest-growing state in the nation, and that growth continues – Utah is projected to reach five million people by 2050. Envision Utah’s recent Values Study highlighted that for the first time in 20 years, more Utahns feel pessimistic about the impacts of growth rather than positive. Utah is growing because it is a great place to live, but our future life quality depends on our choices today.

A statewide conversation called Guiding our Growth was launched this year to engage Utahns in exploring how to keep Utah a great place for our families and communities as we grow. Results of this conversation will be shared.

The second key element to addressing our growth challenges is planning to effectively accommodate growth. Along the Wasatch Front, the newly refreshed Wasatch Choice Vision outlines a plan for coordinating transportation investments, development patterns, and economic opportunities. It serves as a blueprint for growth over the next 30 years.

We were joined for our October 2023 Newsmaker Breakfast by the decision-maker dream team to discuss growth in Utah and shared efforts to maintain life quality in Utah for generations to come.

The conversation was moderated by Gardner Institute Director Natalie Gochnour.

Panelists:

Laura Hanson, State Planning Coordinator, Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget

Ari Bruening, Chief Executive Officer, Envision Utah

Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, Wasatch Front Regional Council

One of the major headlines from the 2020 Census is the significant aging of the population in the United States. This data reveals that the U.S. population 65 and older grew faster between 2010 and 2020 than in any decade since 1890. This same data shows a spike in the growth of the older population in Utah, too. While the 65 and older population nationwide grew an impressive 39% last decade, Utah’s 65 and older population grew 53% between 2010 and 2020. During the same period, Utah’s overall population grew 18% (making Utah the fastest-growing state in the nation).
 
Gardner Institute Public Policy Analyst Heidi Prior and Director of Demographic Research Mallory Bateman join the podcast to discuss the release. Heidi recently authored a fact sheet that breaks down the latest data, both in a state and national context.

The COVID-19 pandemic years created unmatched volatility in Utah's housing market. Building permits for residential units increased by 26% in 2021, only to fall by 26% in 2022. The pandemic joins the Great Recession as one of those unique moments in Utah's housing market. The recession produced 16 consecutive quarters of declining housing prices, while the pandemic produced the shortest and steepest homebuilding expansion and contraction on record.

The Gardner Institute's latest report, "State of the State's Housing Market", provides a detailed analysis of current housing market conditions in Utah. The report provides information on five key areas: residential construction activity, existing homes sales, the housing shortage, prices and affordability, and a 2023 and 2024 forecast.

On September 13, researchers joined leading industry experts at the Institute’s monthly Newsmaker Breakfast for an in-depth discussion on the report and what the data mean for the future of Utah's housing market. The conversation was moderated by Gardner Institute Senior Research Fellow and Scholar Dejan Eskic. 

Darlene Carter
Chief Executive Officer
C.W. Group

Kristen Matthews
Vice President
John Burns Real Estate Consulting

Jim Wood
Ivory-Boyer Senior Fellow
Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

Dejan Eskic
Senior Research Fellow and Scholar
Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

On August 31, the Gardner Institute hosted a special Newsmaker Breakfast on the role and importance of a diverse democracy and civil society in American life. We were joined by newly named University of Utah Impact Scholar Dr. Eboo Patel, who joins the U for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years Eboo is the Founder and President of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in the United States. Beginning this fall, Eboo and his Interfaith America team will work closely with University of Utah Vice President Mary Ann Villarreal and the Division of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) to engage in a range of interfaith consulting activities across the U campus and state. Over the course of this partnership, Eboo and the EDI Division will identify and explore opportunities for advancing interfaith cooperation in ways that enrich the U and our entire community.

Eboo was joined for the conversation by Lt. Gov Deidre Henderson and Dr. Villarreal, which took a wide lens look and then focused on what it takes to create more unity in our country and state. The panelists discussed our nation’s standing as the most religiously diverse nation in human history and why that’s important. They also talked about our own state, how we can do even better in creating opportunities for all, and how to build bridges, tear down walls, and unify as a people. The discussion was moderated by Gardner Institute director Natalie Gochnour.

Panelists

Dr. Eboo Patel, Founder and President, Interfaith America

Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson

Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal, Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, University of Utah

Utah’s tourism economy has experienced a strong recovery since the pandemic more than three years ago. Visitor spending, jobs, and tax revenue have all surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Utah’s ski industry reported another record year, while the state’s “Mighty 5” national parks and state parks continue to attract visitors from across the nation and around the world.

The success of the tourism economy, like the overall success of the state, creates an imperative for tourism leaders to think more strategically than ever. Success is measured not only by annual return on investment, but by industry initiatives supporting a perpetual visitor economy, such as expanding outdoor recreation and transportation infrastructure; also maintaining the quality of the experience for visitors and residents alike.

This month, we were joined at our monthly Newsmaker Breakfast by Vicki Varela, Managing Director, Utah Office of Tourism; Kaitlin Eskelson, President & CEO, Visit Salt Lake; Natalie Randall, Executive Director, Utah Tourism Industry Association; and Jennifer Leaver, Senior Tourism Analyst, at the Gardner Institute to discuss the opportunities and challenges of Utah’s travel and tourism industry and present an outlook for this critical sector of Utah’s economic success.  

The conversation was moderated by Gardner Institute Director Natalie Gochnour. 

As Utah moves forward after the COVID-19 pandemic, students across the state have returned to the classroom after an extended period of school closures and remote learning. These disruptions have led to significant learning gaps across various age groups, testing subjects, and racial and ethnic backgrounds. According to recent analysis by the Gardner Institute, 35 Utah school districts declined in learning proficiency rates from 2019 to 2022. Five districts improved. One was unchanged.

Hear from state officials and local experts for a discussion and deep dive into the data on Utah’s post-pandemic learning gap, and what that data reveal about potential policy solutions. The conversation was moderated by Salt Lake Tribune Editor Lauren Gustus.

Panelists

John Arthur, 2021 Utah School Teacher of the Year
Rep. Susan Pulsipher, Utah State House of Representatives
Sara Reale Utah State Board of Education, District 5

Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values: Responsibility to the community; Research integrity and relevance; accountability; collaboration; and positivity and passion.
 
 Today we hear from 2023 honoree Erin Litvack. Erin has served the people of Salt Lake County for more than 15 years, first as the Director of Community Services before being promoted to Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer in 2017. In addition, she serves her community through numerous organizations and initiatives, including the boards of the Unified Police Department, Visit Salt Lake, Downtown Alliance, Shelter the Homeless, and the Housing Authority of Salt Lake County. Erin has a sterling reputation as a hard-working, empathetic, and a dedicated public servant.

Utah's bonded indebtedness. which incurs debt solely for capital expenses, stands in sharp contrast to that of the United States. Federal government debt as a percent of the U.S. economy, currently at over 120% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has raised serious concerns about future economic stability. The debate over federal debt policy and borrowing has recently been exacerbated by a looming deadline to raise the national debt ceiling to avoid default.

Gardner Institute Chief Economist Phil Dean and Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Mike Christensen were joined at the May 2023 Newsmaker Breakfast by former Utah State Treasurer David Damschen and Utah Governor's Office of Planning and Budget Chief Economist Dr. Robbi Foxxe to discuss the history of Utah and U.S. debt policy, how and why Utah's borrowing practices contrast with the federal government, and how the future of debt may impact economic well-being. 

Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values.

On today's episode, we honor our fourth recipient: Switchpoint Community Resource Center. Founded in 2014, Switchpoint provides temporary shelter and support for people experiencing homelessness in Washington County. Their guiding vision states that every individual embodies their worth and value with self-esteem, hope, and abilities restored. As a result of their efforts, more than 9,200 people have been sheltered or received services. In addition to their housing services, Switchpoint provides access to job-training programs, food pantries, daycare for pets, 24/7 childcare facilities, and community soup kitchens that provide free hot meals to those in need.

Switchpoint Executive Director Carol Hollowell recently sat down with Chris Redgrave, Chair of the Informed Decision Maker Award Committee, to discuss the organization and their work on behalf of the community.