April 17, 2012 - (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah's pay discrimination between men and women is exceeded only by two other states -- Wyoming (1st) and Louisianna (2nd). Utah's is third place with women being paid only 69-cents to every dollar a man makes.

April 17, 2012 - (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah has the worst disparity in the nation between men and women earning bachelor's degrees or higher. The Utah education gap more than doubles that of the next closest state, Idaho.

January 13, 2012 - (Salt Lake Tribune) 1 in 43 homes are in foreclosure in Utah. The national average is 1 in 69. This places Utah fifth in the nation for rate of foreclosures. The only other states higher in foreclosure rates are Nevada (1 in 16), Arizona (1 in 24), California (1 in 31) and Georgia (1 in 37).

October 18, 2011 - (Salt Lake Tribune) "More Utahns Going Broke" - While bankruptcies nationwide have dropped 10%; in contrast, Utah's bankruptcy rate has INCREASED by 7%. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Utah reported that 14,552 Utahns declared themselves insolvent during the first nine months of this year --- up from 13,571 who filed for bankruptcy during the same period in 2010.

September 29, 2011 - (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah ranks #48 when it comes to federal spending per person. The federal governmnet spent $8,519 per person -- or 19% lower than the national average ($10,460 per person).

September 29, 2011 - (Salt Lake Tribune) In voting, Utah is at bottom. Utah ranks #48 in voter turnout.

May 25, 2011 - The Main Street Newsletter - Utah is rated as the "most stressed state" by a recent Gallup study. 45.1% of the residents rated themselves low on the well-being scale, edging out Kenturcky residents, 44.9%. Hawaii is listed as the least stressed state.

April 18, 2010 - Deseret News - Volcanic eruption soon? Recent seismic activity in and surrounding the enormous plume underlying not just Yellowstone but a vast area beyond may portend a volcanic eruption of the Yellowstone volcano. Such a happening could seriously affect Utah.

April 17, 2010 - Deseret News - Again, and again, Utah bankruptcies build at a record pace. Bankruptcies in Utah are up 31% over last year. "...expect filings at a pace of about 1,700 to 1,800 a month."

March 26, 2010 - Deseret News - Utah slipped a few notches. Instead of being in 47th place, Utah is now in 49th place nationally for per capital income. Only Mississippi is lower. Lowest five are 46-Kentucky $31,883; 47-South Caroline $31.799; 48 -Idaho $31,632; 49-Utah $30,875; and 50-Mississippi $30,103. The highest per capita income is Connecticut with $54,397.

March 1, 2010 - Deseret News - Report gives "D" grade in dental care for at risk kids. Dr. Jason Horgesheimer sees a daily parade of children whose black or missing teeth remind him of mouths he saw in a Third World country. The Pew Center made this report.. The Federal Government has now stepped in and demanded Utah to restore funding. The Utah legislature cut funding even further in 2009, paring it back to "one of the lowest" rates in the nation.

February 21, 2010 - Utah one of a few states which will NOT provide critical free dental care for those not able to afford dental care.

January 5, 2010 - Utah again is near the top of the list for bankruptcy filings. Consumers and businesses in Utah and nationally are filing for bankruptcy at a pace that made 2009 the seventh-worst year on record, with 1.4 million petitions submitted. Utah is #5 with a 57% increase in bankruptcy filings. #1 is Arizona with 77% increase, #2 is Wyoming with 60% increase, #3 Nevada with 59% increase, and California with 58% increase.

April 25, 2009 - Utahns' per-capita income is 48th in the nation. The national average per-capita income is $38,615. Utah's is $29,831.

April 14, 2009 - Bankruptcies SURGE. Utah ranks 6th in the nation with a 74% increase in filings. "There's no end in sight," said bankruptcy lawyer Byran Elliott of Hickory, N.C.

April 10, 2009 - Utah bankruptcies up 54% in the first quarter.

April 5, 2009 Utah, again, leads the nation (#1) for non-prescription drug abuse... and has been #1 for the past three years.

April 4, 2009 - Come to Utah and you'll be taxed to death! Utah now ranks 13th in the nation for the highest tax load. Additionally, the Utah's new "flat tax" for state taxes now shifts the tax load from the rich onto the middle class.

April 3, 2009 - Eathquake danger in Utah? VERY high! Utah's population is quite complacent because no one has ever experienced a major earthquake. The next big one is now overdue. And local city maps have actually been altered to erase earthquake fault lines which run directly under downtown Salt Lake City.... all in the interest of build, build, and build. Geologist's warnings have consistently been ignored.
 

  If you're planning to move to Utah or already live here, this is most valuable information: "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country" -- an important safety guide for anyone living in Utah.

January 31, 2009 - How much administration and at what salary does it take to run Utah government? Be shocked! Take a glance at this site: utahright.com . Here you can find the obscene salaries and number of employees getting these enormous salaries.

January 21, 2009 - Utah bankruptcies up 48%.

January 21, 2009 - Utah now has nation's unhealthiest air! We're No. 1 again! (Salt Lake Tribune) ... " no other U.S. communities had the red "unhealthy" dots that characterized the northern Utah areas." Along the most populated Utah Wasatch front, small particulate matter takes months off a person's life. Frequent high pressure buildups cause this unhealthy air to pool into the large Bonneville basin like dirty water trapped in a sink. A laser beam pointed down our hallway revealed this polluted air is all through the home --- not just outside -- it's inescapable.

November 18, 2008 - Utah's food insecurity is at 12.5%. Nationally, food isecurity is at 11%. AND these figures come well BEFORE the nation's economic crisis really got going.
  Utah ranks 14th in the nation with food insecurity. The number of children experiencing food insecurity rose by 50% from 2006 to 2007.

November 17, 2008 - Boom years a bust for Utah families. Utah's rate of child poverty grew by more than 30 percent between 2000 and 2007.

September 17, 2008 - The cost of groceries increased by 4.9% from July to August along Utah's Wasatch Front. This is SEVEN times the national average for grocery price increases. Nationally grocery prices rose only .7%.
   Further, Utah's gas prices were 3rd highest in the nation in mid-August.

September 17, 2008 - Utahns live in an area that is not compliant with current EPA air-quality standards. See Deseret News article. The strickter air quality standards are nit being enforced especially for Utah's children.

August 15, 2008 - Utah enjoys DOUBLE the inflation rate compared to the national average for the last month -- the highest inflation rate increase in 26 years.

August 14, 2008 - Foreclosures in Utah continue to skyrocket. Foreclosures are up 27.32% from June or 294.02% from the same month last year in Utah.

July 26, 2008 - The foreclosure rate in Utah jumped more than 113% from a year ago. St. George, UT filings were up 446% over last year! St. George is the fastest growing area in Utah. In St. George, one in every 87 households is in forclosure.

July 19, 2008 - Salt Lake City registered the largest apartment rent increase in the nation over the past 12 months. Nationally, rents increased by 2.5% . In Salt Lake City, rents skyrocketed by 10.4% with the average rental increase for Utah at 9.6%. Average rent in Salt Lake City is $816. Provo-Orem area rent averages $819 while the Ogden-Clearfied rents average $696. (Property taxes for homeowners and rental unit owners skyrocketed nearing the 15% to 41% mark each and every year over the past twelve years here in Utah!)

July 5, 2008 - (Deseret Morning News) Utah places fifth nationally in the rate of food insecurity. Record numbers of calls (double from last year) are being received from people asking for food help --- including even those families with one full-time worker.

June 17, 2008 - (Deseret Morning News) Bankruptcy among seniors has been increasing sharply. A 433 percent rise has occurred among those aged 75-84 (1991 to 2007). And to think what lies ahead!

June 14, 2008 (Deseret News) Utah's foreclosure rate jumped 77.6% for the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Nationally, the foreclosure rate is 50%. Utah now ranks 16th in the nation for rate of foreclosures.  

June 10, 2008 (Deseret News) Utahns' tax burden now 8th-highest in the United States. Read all about it . . . .

June 10, 2008 (Deseret News) Utah State Government is confiscating nearly $1,000,000 in Federal Tax Rebates! And they're not even notifying those people whose checks have been confiscated.

May 8, 2008 (Deseret News) Drivers across the U.S. are realizing that throttling back helps conserve fuel. However, Utah is among the states raising speed limits! Utah's legislature voted to raise some interstate roads to 80 miles per hour. Gas mileage drops sharply at speeds above 65 miles per hour as engines work harder to overcome wind resistance.

May 2, 2008 (Deseret News) TWO Utah cities named in the "top ten" for worst pollution..... Salt Lake City (7th) and Logan (6th). In fact, all of the heavily populated "Wasatch Front" get an "F," -- a failing grade for healthy air to breath (American Lung Association). The five cities marked as worse than the two Utah cities are: Pittsburgh, LosAngeles, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Birmingham, Alabama.

April 29, 2008 (Deseret News) Child abuse policies in Utah received an "F" by First Star. Given an "A" grade were Nevada and New Hampshire. Ten states were giving a failing grade, "F." Of the ten lowest ranked states, Utah was the very lowest with a score of 10. "Many states often fail to release adequate information about fatal and near-fatal child abuse cases, placing confidentiality above disclosure."

April 21, 2008 (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah's "rosy" economy got another hit. Utah's food pantries (in March) reported a 23% increase in demand over a year ago. From March 2007 to March 2008, the number of Utah households on food stamps grew by about 4% after dropping nearly 8% the year before.

April 17, 2008 (Deseret News) Utah was previously told its economy is in "great shape." However, things may not be all that rosy. One in 25 homes are projected to go into foreclosure. "This will probably be well above the national average."

April 15, 2008 (Deseret News) Foreclosures are up dramatically over last year in Utah. There was a 93.4% increase in foreclosures! This earned Utah 22nd place in the nation for the rate of foreclosure increase.

April 10, 2008 (Deseret Morning News) Utah now ranks 8th in nation in the rate for increase in bankruptcy. States worse off (in order): California 72%, Rhode Island 68%, Florida 67%, Nevada 66%, Arizona 62.3%, Vermont 51%, Maryland 49%, and Utah at 41%. Below Utah in bankruptcy rate are Virginia 41% and Connecticut 38%. The national average was 27%.

April 9, 2008 (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah bankruptcies jumped a shocking 44% for the first quarter of this year over last year. Chapter 11 filings exceed all of 2007's, says court clerk.
   Nationally, bankruptcy is up 27% for the first quarter.

April 7, 2008 (Deseret Morning News) Utah is dead last with money spent per student for education. In fact, it is more than $1,000 less per student than the next lowest state, Idaho! The highest ranked state, New York, spends 2.7 TIMES more per student -- $14,884. Utah spends $5,437 per student. Utah has undergone backwards funding. That is, spending less and less of its budget on education.

April 7, 2008 (Deseret Morning News) Utah's homeless and disabled could lose welfare. An increase in paper work and tightening of requirements will make many ineligible for help.

March 27, 2008 (Salt Lake Tribune) An estimated 25% of Utah workers work only part time. Utah ranks first for the percentage of part time workers. Minnesota comes next with 23 percent of their workers working part time. The national average is 17% of the workers working part time.

March 14, 2008 (Deseret News) Utah now leads the nation ... again. Utah is now FIFTH in the nation for mortgage fraud. The only other states with higher fraud are Florida, Nevada, Michigan, and California.

March 13, 2008 (Deseret Morning News) Utah Foreclosures rose nearly 52% in February from a year earlier.

March, 2008 (Television News, Channel 2) Utah ranks #7 in nation for meth use.

January 25, 2008 The Utah State Tax Commission ruled against a home owner and rubber stamped corrupt data furnished by the Salt Lake County. Despite his overwhelming factual evidence, this home owner was condemned to pay unfair and abominable property taxes. Property tax in Utah doubles every 4 to 5 years while Utah's already low wages have declined over the past several years. Read more about this stunning case

November 29, 2007 (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah ranks at dead bottom on this one. Utah is the "most depressed state in the country." The report is based on national surveys conducted by the Substance Abuse and Meanl Health Services Administration. More than 10% of adults and adolescents in Utah reported they had a major depressive episode.

October 26, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) "Statistics show that over the years, Utah has become known as a hot spot for lending fraud. Utah has consistently ranked in the top seven states for mortgage fraud over at least the past five years, according to the Mortgage Asset Research Institute.
  "The consequences have left individuals with ruined credit and neighborhoods with empty, foreclosed homes. Neighbors also suffer when inflated home values lead to unnaturally high tax rates, and overall, Utahns pay a higher interest rate on loans because the state is seen as a high-risk state for fraud."

October 17, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) Utah now has a $400 MILLION tax surplus! "Lawmakers to discuss 'possible' 2008 tax cut."

July 19, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) "Congratulations, Utahns. Together you paid just over $260 million more in state taxes and fees than you needed to. Your generosity is appreciated." Utah has acquired an enormous tax surplus.
   In this same edition of the News the front headline was that "Utah may hike gas tax to fund work on roads." Utah gas tax is 24.5 cents per gallon while similar surrounding states, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming gas tax is 22-cents, 19-cents, 18-cents, and 14-cents respectively.

July 19, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) Forcible rape, nationally, dropped by 1.9%. Salt Lake City, Utah's forcible rape INCREASED by 25% from 2005 to 2006 !!

July 13, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) Atomic radiation monitors went "off scale" in Utah during the past few days. While they hope to link the sudden spikes in radiation to the fires in southern Utah; no one is able to say for sure what caused the spikes or in what way, they can be "linked"to the southern Utah fires. The Deseret News is downplaying this radiation release, saying it is "harmless." However, "harmless" was also the label given to the radiation given off by early atomic tests in Nevada which caused devastational cancer deaths to the families exposed to it. Most scientists feel there is no "safe" level for radiation exposure.

July 12, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) Utah is stingiest in aid for poor. "We're very close to covering as few people as we can." Child Care is $101 in Utah compared to $230 for the national average; Food Stamps = $213 for Utah compared to $412 for the national average; Medicare = $850 for Utah while the national average is $1,660; SCHIP = $69 for Utah and $141 is the national average. Bill Tibbetts, executive director of the Crossroad Urban Center chalks it up to "a general attitude in the West that people are on their own," despite the fact that "you can't actually homestead a few acres if you don't have anything to eat." (And, .... even IF you could own land, you'd be taxed to the point you could no longer afford to own it.) (See "Utah's Abominable Taxation")

July 12, 2007 (Deseret Morning News) Utah lowered the tax on food but failed to eliminate it --- this despite record tax surpluses. Doug Macdonald was the state's top Tax Commission economist. Macdonald says that while the two year reduction in the state food tax is laudable, it still doesn't make up for the continuing unfair state tax system that sees low to middle-income Utahns paying a greater share of their income in taxes than upper income and wealthy Utahns. This makes for a 3 percent higher effective tax for the lowest 40 percent of Utah's taxpayers relative to the top 20 percent. Shockingly, if you make $16,000 or less, your state and local tax is 10 percent. If you make $280,000 or more, your tax is just 6.7 percent! Too, middle income workers ($16,000 to $27,000) pay a whopping 11.2% in state and local taxes.
    For decades, these tax burden reports routinely show Utah's tax burdden highest among the Western states.

November 30, 2006 - Utah wage ranks 40th in nation. The National Average wage is $838/month. Utah's Average is $660/month. (Deseret News, November 30, 2006)

September 9, 2006 - Unbelievably, the banning of guns on the University of Utah campus was "shot down" by the Utah Supreme Court. "It's now O.K. to bring guns to school." The University of Utah vowed that "... the school's no gun policy will stay in place and they will now take the case to the federal courts." A photo on the front page shows Utah Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, "praising" the Utah Supreme Court's decision to allow guns on campus. (Deseret News, September 9, 2006)

September 9, 2006 - Which state is tops in terror? UTAH! The most logged terrorism-related prosecutions are in Utah! (Deseret News, September 9, 2006)

September 5, 2006 - Better know this before moving to Utah! .... In one case, the real estate property tax rose 486% from 1994 to 2006! That, my friend, is an average of a 41% increase every single year for the past twelve years. Further, this family is on a fixed income! Generally, property taxes in Utah have sharply jumped. These sharp increases in property taxes have residents up in arms.

June 16, 2006 - Take another look! Utah's state tax burden is one of the worst in the nation. 15.32% of personal income ends up in Utah's tax coffers. Utah ranks 4th in the nation for tax burden. Further, with over a ONE BILLION dollar surplus, lawmakers failed to take the tax completely off food and some fees have sharply increased. Sadly, Utah ranks dead bottom in the nation for per student spending. (Deseret News, June 16, 2006)

May 3, 2006 - Utah's Wasatch Front ranks 5th worst in the nation when it comes to short-term exposure to polluted air. Only Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno and Pittsburg rank higher. (Deseret News, May 3, 2006)

April 28, 2006 - Utah has a high suicide rate. Professional link this rate to the LDS Mormon religious practices. Utah's suicide rate hovers among the 10 highest in the nation and has exceeded the U.S. rate for two decades. (Deseret News, April 28, 2006)

January 10, 2006 - Utah received a "D" for emergency room care. These lowest, rock bottom, grades were given to three states --- Utah, Idaho, and Arkansas. In contrast, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and the District of Columbia were rated best in emergency care. (Salt Lake Tribune)

December 14, 2005 - Rental housing is "out of reach" in Utah. "The low income people don't have a damn chance. They just don't have a chance." To afford Utah's already lower than average rental rate, you would have to hold 2 1/2 jobs at minimum wage. (Deseret Morning News)

October 29, 2005 - Utah ranks FIFTH in the U.S. for the rate of food insecurity. 14.8% of Utah's households have difficulty finding money for food. Nearly 5% qualify as "hungry," meaning people simply could not afford food.
   One analyst stated that because of increased gas prices, the Katrina, Rita, and Wilma hurricanes, --- "the overall picture right now is probably even worse." Nationally, $40 per person is spent on food per week. Insecure households spend considerably less. Deseret Morning News, October 29, 2005.
 

October 19, 2005 - Not being a Mormon in Utah will make you lose your job. In a state where less than half the population is active Mormon, apparently at least one school board in Utah (South Severe High) likes only 100% of their teachers to be Mormon.
 

  “My end of the hall was known as "hell's corner," because that's where the only two non-Mormon teachers in the school had their rooms. We were the two who were fired, and we were replaced by Mormon males” The teacher was referred to as a "witch" according to school board minutes. This same teacher was picked by her faculty as "Teacher of the Year." KUTV News, October 18, 2005.

October 13, 2005 - A known fact is that marrying young decreases your chances for success in marriage. No state scores worse than Utah. If you live in Utah, girls get married 3.2 years younger compared to the national average. The marriage age for girls is Utah is 21.9 years of age. The national average for girls marrying is 25.1. (KUTV-TV News, October 11, 2005)

July 26, 2005 - Utah ranks SEVENTH in Mortgage Fraud Losses. (We were FIRST place!)
   But an informed person made the comment, "Yes, we've made progress, but have I seen a slow down in cases coming across my desk? No, not really." (Deseret Morning News, July 26, 2005)

July 20, 2005 - If you're a sex offender, come to UTAH! - Utah prohibits others from publishing public information about sex offenders. Further, as many as two-thirds of the address entries listed on the Utah State web site are incorrect. One organization, "Parents for Megan's Law," stated that they have had absolutely no response or cooperation from the Utah Department of Corrections. They added that every other agency in the nation, except Utah, has given positive response. Parents for Megan's Law is a group that measures a state's compliance with the Federal statute. (Deseret News, July 20, 2005)
   If you go to the Utah State site (http://www.cr.ex.state.ut.us/community/sexoffenders/) you'll find this message, "site currently under repair -- not all records are available." And it was true --- they weren't available.

April 13, 2005 - Nineteen Utah counties, including Salt Lake County, that should be eligilble for nuclear fallout compensation are not. One of the most horrific human atrocities ever committed happened when open air nuclear bomb and nerve gas testing went rampant in Nevada and Utah.
   Further, Federal funding for an important study connecting thyroid cancer to nuclear testing has now been terminated. (Deseret News, April 12, 13, 2005)

March 20, 2005 - Utah State officials say 121 unsafe dams are perched above populated areas in 26 of Utah's 29 counties and would likely kill people if they fail. -- Salt Lake county, alone, has 18 unsafe dams. In the three highest populated counties in the state of Utah, there are a total of 45 unsafe dams. (Deseret News, March 20, 2005)

October 18, 2004 -- Utah gets a failing grade for it's welfare programs. The Cato Institute report card gave Utah an "F," along with seven other states and the District of Colombia. (Deseret News)

September 7, 2004 -- One of the worst places to be in a traffic jam is Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City ranks 6th worst. You will experience an average wait of 25 hours per year in most other U.S. cities. In Salt Lake City, you will wait 35 hours per year in stalled traffic.

August 24, 2004 -- We just can't get our taxes high enough! Salt Lake City, from 2000 to 2004, has increased fees and taxes by $170.48 per year. This includes a 26% increase in water rates and a 59% increase in sewer bills. Another sharp tax increase of $40.28 per year (on a $175,000 to $190,000 home) is poised to hit next.

June 22, 2004 -- Utah maintains it's No. 1 position as the state with the highest number of bankruptcies. Next in line are Tennessee, Georgia, Nevada, and Alabama for high bankruptcy rates.

June 16, 2004 -- We learned today that Utah is ranked in the TOP TEN for states which have the most illegal and deadly methamphetamine (meth) labs.

June 9, 2004 -- Dead last .... Utah ranks last in the nation for money spent per student during the year 2002. Utah spending per student was $4,890. The state closest to last is Mississippi which spends $5,382 per student. The highest paid per student goes to the District of Columbia which spends $13,187 per student.

May 28, 2004 -- Utah's prison population grew 65% faster than the national average last year. This was at a time when the nation's prison population overall skyrocketed to the largest increase in four years.

May 28, 2004 -- Utah incomes are on the low side. Three Utah towns are in the bottom ten for income --- these were St. George, Logan, and Provo-Orem areas. Ogden-Clearfield area ranked 252nd with $25,168 annual income. Salt Lake ranked 130th in the nation with $28,684 annual income.
Utah finished 49th of 50 for improvement of per capital personal income between 2002 and 2003. Utah ranked at the bottom --- 43rd of 50 for growth in personal income.

April 19, 2004 -- Utah, a predominantly Mormon state, ranks 31st in the number of college graduates. This can be attributed to the high priority that the LDS Church places on members serving a mission. Because a good Mormon member pays 10% of his gross income into tithing and, in addition, has to pay for his children's missions, little money is left to fund education.

March 12, 2004 -- Utah is the only state in the Western United State to have a significant increase in the poverty rate. Utah was ranked No. 1 in the nation for the highest "food insecurity," and No. 3 for the highest incidence of hunger. Utahns are more susceptible because, on average, they earn 20% less than the rest of the nation.
Also, the 10% tithing on one's gross income, mandated by the predominant religion, Mormonism, (for one's "salvation,") is not mentioned as a contributing factor. Eh? Deseret News story

March 2, 2004 -- 500 fees are going to be boosted in 2005. Additionally, sharp increases in traffic ticketing "surcharges" are being considered by our legislators. I guess Utah's "highest taxed state of the western states," status will persist and only get worsened.

February 21, 2004 -- Utah gets FOUR new germ labs. Yep, you thought the U.S. was destroying weapons of mass destruction? Military officials have quietly authorized construction of four temporary germ laboratories at Dugway Proving Ground which is located near Salt Lake City.

UPDATE !!! (March 5, 2004) The Deseret News reported today that the germ labs may now be "PERMANENT!" Full story.

February 11, 2004 -- Higher-paying jobs do a vanishing act in Utah. New report indicates that lower-paying service positions somewhat filling the void. A grand total of 29,823 jobs were lost from 2001 to 2003. A reported 21,222 lower paying jobs were replacing those lost.

January 16, 2004 -- Utah Wasatch Front communities, including Salt Lake City, have very unhealthy air. Inversions are trapping pollutants.

January 13, 2004 -- Not again! Three Utahns filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking to overturn a century-old ban on polygamy, claiming the prohibition against taking plural spouses violates their constitutional rights. An interesting note -- plural marriages are illegal in Utah --- still, hundreds of men practice polygamy but very, very few are prosecuted.

January 8, 2004 -- Utah's birth rate leads the nation during 2002. The doomsday prediction is that it will deluge public agencies designed to help children.

December 19, 2003 -- Utah get's "So, so," rating for its health care HMOs.... decidedly behind the national average.

December 17, 2003 -- FIFTH from the top of the list --- Utah government is listed among the top of state governments which show the sharpest increase in spending over the past ten years.

November 24, 2003 -- Utah has the highest rate of "food insecurity" (where will our next meal come from?), according to the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. There was a nineteen percent increase in food stamp use over last year. More on this story.

July 12, 2003 -- Utah ranks among the worst for forcible rape. One in five (20.6%) of Utah's adult women have been raped at least once.... well above the national average. Only one other state ranks higher -- Alaska, with 20.9% of women subjected to forcible rape. Complete story

July 1, 2003 -- Army FINALLY admits they lied. 74 radiological "dirty bomb" tests, Half-milliion pounds of nerve agent spread to the winds. Utah was particularly at risk. The whole story in the Deseret News

June 18, 2003 -- $41-MILLION earmarked by the Federal Government for Utah's Medicaid aid use is being diverted. Utah wants to use this money for something else.

June 13, 2003 -- Let's not tell all. Utah doesn't reveal ALL of it's tax increases to the Associated Press in a national survey. Click here for story

April 9, 2003 -- Utah now ranks 32nd of the 50 states, way down the list, for wages paid to workers. The national mediam wage is $13.01/hour, while Utah's is $12.03/hour.

April 8, 2003 -- Utah sets bankruptcy record! Utah IS the household insolvency capital of the nation. Utah jumped by 6.4% in the number of first quarter bankruptcies filed over the same period last year.

April 5, 2003 -- Utah now ranks NINTH in the nation for the highest taxes levied on it's residents! Utah ranked TENTH last year. Utah is working very hard to gain the No. 1 for highest taxes paid by individuals. Utah has the seventh highest motor fuel taxes, a whopping 71 percent higher than the national average. The whole story

February 27, 2003 -- Utah's foreclosure rate for homes reposessed is almost DOUBLE that of the national average. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) foreclosed on 1,391 Utah homes with mortgages insured by its Federal Housing Administration in the 2002 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. The total for last year represents an 80 percent jump from the previous year and a nearly 1,832 percent increase from 1997, according to a HUD report. (from the Salt Lake Tribune)

January 17, 2003 (Deseret News) -- $100 million is fleeced from Mormon (LDS Church) members by various forms of racketeering. Three of six people were indicted -- with more to come. Utah has a "disproportionate" share of this type of fraud. Not surprising. The Mormon Church teaches members to stack belief and myth above one's own thinking, judgment and education. The Council for Better Business Bureaus reported that in the 1980s, 10,000 Utah people lost an estimated $215 million. The scams continue.

January 14, 2003 -- The largest employer in Utah is the LDS Church. However, it's not reported on statistical reports within the State of Utah. The interim director of the University of Utah Economic and Business Research said, "The fact that there is one omission, I've lived with that for 30 years. It doesn't tarnish or jeopardize the other numbers in there." The LDS Church has gone underground and has refused to give specific data on this employment subject for the past several years.

January 10, 2003 -- Utah got a low "D" grade by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Sixteen Utah children were killed and unknown numbers injured during the year 2000. Utah has no safety standards for handguns, does not require background checks for all gun sales at gun shows and has a liberal law on issuing concealed weapons permits.

January 4, 2003 -- Utah tied with Montana. Utah shares last place in the nation for the amount of money reimbursed to pharmacists who fill Medicaid prescriptions. Pharmacies claim they will see a drop in profits by 15% to 30% by this latest legislative move.

December 21, 2002 -- Good news or bad news? Utah is one of the fastest growing states in terms of population increase. The national statistical increase for Utah was stated to be 1.6%, while Utah's own statistical figures show a 1.9% increase in population. The average for the entire nation in population increase was 1.1%.

December18, 2002 -- Hunger in Salt Lake City skyrocketed 28% this year. This marks the third-highest increase among 25 cities studied by the U. S. Conference of Mayors.

December 4, 2002 -- Utah No. 3 as state with most hunger. New statistics released in November by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirm the picture of hunger in the West. Oregon has the highest hunger rate, with 5.8 percent of households experiencing hunger each year, followed by Washington, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, New Mexico and Montana.

October 7, 2002 -- Utah's citizen soldiers have shouldered more than their share of the military burden, providing security during the 2002 Olympics and now fighting in the nation's war against terrorism. No other state in the nation has a higher percentage of its National Guard mobilized than does Utah, said Lt. Col. Brad Blackner, spokesman for the Utah National Guard.

October 2, 2002 -- FIFTY percent of the students graduating from many high schools in Utah have to take remedial courses in college to make up for the deficiency of their education during their high school years. Students graduating from high school lack the basic math and other necessary skills to get jobs in the work force.

October 1, 2002 -- Sexually transmitted disease, namely Chlamydia, made a very sharp increase in Utah during this past year.... a 27% jump! Particularly hit was the younger group (ages 15-24) where it is "skyrocketing." Chlamydia can also be transferred during oral sex. 75% of women and 50% of men getting it show no symptoms. Most teens are shocked when diagnosed with it. Women can pass it to their babies during birth. Infection can cause infertility.

September 28, 2002 -- In a recent NRA certification class it was disclosed that 14,000 teachers in Utah carry concealed weapon permits! This represents about 35% of all Utah teachers.

September 26, 2002 -- United State Census Bureau credits Utah with having the highest rate of poverty of all the States.

September 25, 2002 -- Day care workers in Utah are unqualified, untrained, and significantly underpaid (some below minimum wage)

September 9, 2002 -- We win again in Utah! Utah now takes honors in first place for the state with the most bankruptcies in the nation. Over 2000 banruptcies were filed last month (August).... an increase of 6% over last year. A total of 22,000 bankruptcies are expected to be filed this year.

September 8, 2002 (The Salt Lake Tribune) - I guess one thing Utah is good at --- is making excuses. One of these is about safe food. Inspection reports for restaurants are not made readibly available to the public. Reading the excuses as to why are hilarious. But, again, this is Utah! Also, many of the rest rooms in restaurants in an about Salt Lake City are poorly maintained and most inadequate for the number of people using them.

September 8, 2002 - UTAH -- This IS the place for WASTE. Within 100 miles of Salt Lake City lies the largest stockpile of nerve gas and concentration of wastes in the world. A map in this Sunday's Salt Lake Tribune shows TEN sites wherein hazardous wastes and materials are processed and housed. They titled the article, "Utah: Nation's Dumping Ground."

August 20, 2002 - Utah ranks among the U. S. hungriest. A report by the Center on Hunger and Poverty, based at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, found that 4.5 percent of Utah's households suffered from hunger between 1998 and 2000. That finding places Utah fourth nationally -- behind Oregon, Washington and New Mexico -- in the percentage of people living with hunger, the study said.

August 13, 2002 - One of the bloodiest of many Mormon incidents was the Mountain Meadows Massacre. 145 years ago, 120 people were mecilessly killed -- both women and children by Mormom Church members. The latest book places direct blame on the LDS Church President Brigham Young. Will Bagley writes the story.

August 10, 2002 - Utah is near the top of the list for states with the most homes repossessed. Utah ranks twelfth in the U.S. for homes being taken back by lenders

August 1, 2002 - If you think Utah an ethical state, think again! Utah ranks dead last for holding it's legislators accountable.

July 16, 2002 - Utah's rate of insolvency climbs 13 percent in first half of this year. One in 35 Utah families file for bankruptcy. Utah's laws geared to make bankruptcy easy? Mormon Church teachings to pay titthing before squaring off your debt to blame?

July 9, 2002 - Good news or bad news? -- Maybe bad news. Could it just be that Utah has the highest tax base, one of the few states taxing food, pays some of the lowest wages, and houses the LDS, Mormon religion, which demands 10% of a member's gross pay to attain salvation? Health spending per individual in Utah was $2,731. The national average is $3,759. -- Utah spending is $1028 less!

July 9, 2002 - Attention Salt Lake City: Don't Drive! Don't Breathe! Seems this year is particularly bad for ozone pollution. Ozone in the air can do irreparable damage to the respiratory system. Salt Lake's dangerous ozone level prompts a warning to everyone. More dangerous days are to follow.

July 2, 2002 - Utah now No. 1 in nation for bankruptcies. Are the unreal demands by the LDS Church for money from members a cause? Utah has TWICE the national average for bankruptcies. More on this story

May 29, 2002 - Utah comes in THIRD place for having the severest nursing shortage. The shortage locally is most severe in terms of long-term care. The whole story

May 29, 2002 - Child care woes just getting worse. The working poor face a compounded problem in Utah. The complete story

May 24, 2002 - Utah comes in second among all 50 states in terms of the amount of toxic substances released into the air and onto the ground, the same position it held in the 1999 report. Utah also harbors the nations biggest polluter. story

May 24, 2002 - Utah last again ! Utah again ranked last in the nation for per-pupil spending in 1999-2000, with $4,331 going toward education costs for every student in the public-education system, according to a new Census Bureau report.
  That figure is dwarfed by the big spending in states such as New Jersey and New York, each of which spent more than $10,000 per student during the 1999-2000 school fiscal year. The report issued Thursday put the national spending average at $6,835 per student. Deseret News story

May 24, 2002 - WASHINGTON - The Pentagon finally officially acknowledged Thursday - seven years after the Deseret News first revealed it - that U.S. sailors were exposed to germ and chemical warfare agents in 1960s tests at sea that were ordered by Utah-based Army scientists. Deseret News Story

January 23, 2002 - Utah's child welfare is a mess -- Utah's abused and neglected children lambasted the Division of family Services for dragging its feet.
---- And if you wonder why nothing is being done, the case may be on indefinite hold for a solution!

January 19, 2002 -- Utah bankruptcies skyrocketed again this past year! There was a 28% increase over the year 2000! 19,342 bankruptcies were filed here in Utah!

January 17, 2002 -- Child poverty in Utah is on the rise. Utah averages 12.7% of it's children living in poverty (92,000 children). Additionally, abused and neglected children are also on the rise despite Utah's recent "economic boom." An increase of 598 victims was reported in one single year. Deseret News article

December 4, 2001 -- Utah's KUTV television news station reports that one in five of Utah's children live with starvation daily.

November, 2001 - Utah judge DISMISSES all charges of wrongdoing against Utah's 2002 Olympic organizers.... "what they did was unethical, but not illegal." Eh?

November 20, 2001 - It's okay now! As astonishing as this sounds, Utah's Attorney General authorized all state employees to carry concealed weapons on the job if they so desired. Further, the listing for all those who have permits to carry concealed weapons is kept a dark secret -- it's not for public viewing.

September 30, 2001 - Utah's 2001 Murder Rate Soaring -- at the deadliest pace in the last decade.

September 15, 2001 - Utah is No. 11 on the tax burden list. Utahns carry the 11th highest tax burden in the 50 states when compared to personal income according to the Utah Taxpayer Association.

September 8, 2001 - Utah's bankruptcy rate has jumped an astounding 32% over last year's record high rates! This is comparing the first eight months in 2001 against the same eight months in 2000.

August 31, 2001 Utah is among the nation's worst states in covering the full costs of nursing home care through Medicaid according to a national study. Utah is seventh worst among the 36 states surveyed

August 13, 2001 - Middle- and low-income Utahns pay a significantly higher percentage of their earnings in state and local taxes than do wealthier residents, according to a new study. ---- A family of four with income of more than $250,000 pays net state and local taxes averaging 5 percent of income. If your family income is $162,000 you'll pay 6% of your income to the state; 6.8 percent on income of $85,000; 7.8 percent on $65,000; 8.2 percent on $43,000; 9.6 percent on $23,000; and 11 percent on $17,000.

August 4, 2001 - Utah has the highest personal tax burden of ALL Western States ----- State and Local Taxes: Utah 8.3 %, California 7.87 %, Idaho 7.78 %, Oregon 7.11 %, Arizona 7.07 %, Colorado 6.48 %, Washington 5.68%.

July 5, 2001 - Utah had a 17% increase over bankruptcies over last year. Nationally, one in 92 file for bankruptcy. In Utah, the rate is one in 48!

June, 2001 - Utah ranks No. 1 for being the state with the greatest consumption of the anti-depressant, Prozac. Some seem puzzled. Others say it's due to the LDS Mormon religion which forces unrealistic demands of "perfection" upon the individual. With 70% of Utah's population as Mormon, it's easy to associate many of Utah's ills with LDS, Mormonism.

May 15, 2001 - Out of the entire North American continent, the highest rate of Multiple Sclerosis exists in Utah. Also, many more diseases including nephritis and spinal bifida cluster in Utah. Some geneticists conclude that these clusters are due to the widespread polygamy practiced by the Mormon Church dating back into the 1800's ... as well as the continuing polygamy practices in the state today. Inbreeding of polygamist families has clustered a myriad of bad genes causing these maladies.

May 7, 2001 (KSL-TV)- Across the nation, 11 per cent of all murders are related to domestic violence. In Utah, about half--between 40-and-50 per cent are linked to violence in the home.

February, 2001 - Deseret News - Utah ranks almost dead last in the list for pay a woman can earn. Utah ties with Louisiana. Only Wyoming's women are paid less.

June 9, 2000 - Deseret News - Utah ranks FIRST in suicides among youth from 15-19 years. Suicide is SECOND in cause of death for youths ages 10-24 (Nationally it is 4th leading cause of death).

May 12, 2000 Utah ranks 4th in the nation for the worst pollution. It steps from sixth up to fourth place over last year! Things are getting worse.

May 3, 2000 Housing in Utah's Salt Lake area is least affordable in the nation. Utah ranks almost at the bottom for having affordable housing --- ranks 145th out of 192 cities.

March 8, 2000 Utah ranks ninth in the nation in states with the highest sales tax. It is also one of the few states which tax food. Utah is the highest taxed state in the West.

February 25, 2000 Hepatitis Foundation International gave Utah a "solid 'D'" on its report card. Utah's Hepatitis A is three times higher than the national average. Hepatitis A which affects the liver is spread by personal contact when hands aren't washed after bathroom use or by contaminated food or water. Symptoms are jaundice, fatigue, flu-like illness with high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

February, 2000 Utah has the highest number of deaths in the nation resulting from heroin overdose.

July 14, 1999 Utah ranks 47^th in the 50 states and takes near last place in wages paid to a worker.

July, 1999 Utah does NOT appear in the top of the list of states with high technology industry and jobs.... as Utah was touting last year.

July, 1999 Utah lays claim to having a strong economy. Why then does Utah rank among the top five in the nation for the largest number of bankruptcies filed?

May, 1999 Salt Lake City and Wasatch Front "has worst traffic congestion in nation" (USA Today and American Automobile Association).

1999 Utah ranks almost last in the nation on the amount spent per student for education.

1999 Utah's population is roughly 60% Mormon - You are totally immersed in the LDS, Mormon society. Be sure you know all the facts about this society before joining in.

1999 Utah has one of the largest faults, the Wasatch Fault which, in the northern part of the state (including Salt Lake City), has an 80% chance for a major earthquake (7.0 or greater) within the next 50 years. Head of the Utah Geological Survey, Lee Allison, takes another job out and away from Utah. (Two major inferred fault arms were mysteriously deleted on newly revised Salt Lake City maps so construction at the new Salt Palace and new LDS Mormon Assembly Hall could go on unhindered.

1999 Utah continues its reputation as the "Scam Capitol of the World" .... 2002 Olympic scandal by the Salt Lake Olympic Committee adds to the long list of embarrassments.

1999 Former Salt Lake City Mayor, Deedee Corodini, involved in one of the worst scandals recorded in the nation (Time Magazine) ... the Bonneville Pacific scandal. She still remained in office to finish her term even after openly asking her rich friends to buy her out of the scandal. She's fled out of state after finishing her term as mayor.

1999 Utah Governor Mike Leavitt signs bill to allow Utah citizens to carry concealed weapons. Governor also wants more taxes - especially by drawing up and enforcing new laws to tax Internet sales and mail order sales. With current school shootings, and a shootout at a Salt Lake TV Station and local LDS Church Genealogical Center, Leavitt now wants a special session of the legislature to "discuss" gun control. However the legislators "refuse" to meet on the issue (July 12, 1999).
Evidence indicates Governor Leavitt is also involved with the 2002 Winter Olympics scandal.

1999 Utah comes into national focus for its rampant polygamy. More polygamy is found in Utah than any other state. Utah's Mormon dominated Legislators have even attempted to legalize the practice. Still, polygamy crimes go on without prosecution. Mostly, it's a "hands off" policy.
  Polygamy is still written as doctrine in the current edition of the Mormon, LDS Doctrine and Covenants despite the Mormon Church claim they "don't allow it anymore." It is allowed and practiced, however, in their temple work for the dead.

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Page modified April 17, 2012