Standing Up For Utah’s Needs 2016 Report
This report deals with issues in our Declaration of Human Rights - Transparent and Ethical Government, Education, Health, Social & Community Support, Healthy Environment, Violence Prevention, and Dignity and Respect.
Issues covered in this Report:
Democratic Governance: Pg 5 & 34 (Previously titled “Participatory Governance”)
Education: Pg 4 & 15
Environment: Pg 4 & 9 (Previously titled Environmental Health”)
Equal Rights & Dignity: Pg 7 (Previously titled “Equal Dignity & Respect”)
Health: Pg 4 & 22
Immigration: Pg 4
Social & Community Supports: Pg 5 & 30 (Previously titled “Social & Community Supports”)
Violence Prevention: Pg 4 & 26 (Previously titled “Personal Safety”)
Download our Full Report (PDF) »
December 2016
Dear Fellow Utahns,
UCC's Declaration of Utah Human Rights on the next page reflects our view that Utahns have a sense of community-- that they want to treat their fellow Utahns with respect, educate their children well, reduce crime, increase clean air, keep our water clean, reduce homelessness and poverty, assure quality health care and healthy environments for all, and participate in making their state and local governments effective and fair. To accomplish these goals requires both public and private sectors. Both have critical roles in promoting the general welfare, keeping us safe, and helping us stay united as a people, despite differing backgrounds and life experiences.
States, municipalities, and private citizens are increasingly looked to for innovative and promising approaches to meet the needs of our rapidly changing world. We believe that the issues, commendations, and recommendations in our reports this year have more than usual urgency. We must be about the business of solving problems together.
As Republican, Democrat, and politically nonaffiliated retirees with long experience in public policy matters, we solicit your serious attention to our 2016 report and recommendations. If they make sense to you, then we seek your help. A critical mass of support from all walks of life is needed to move Utah forward at a brisker pace than has been experienced in recent years.
We believe that one matter underlies many of our current problems as a country: income disparities that disproportionately affect lower income families. Everyone deserves an income adequate to meet basic needs, and a fair opportunity to reach beyond that basic level. Those with low incomes experience burdens that belie the promise of equal opportunity. They suffer more crime in their neighborhoods, greater environmental hazards, less adequate medical care, fewer educational opportunities, and reduced access to decent housing, transportation, and nutrition. Too many of our fellow Utahns are being denied basic human rights that the rest of us take for granted. We believe that our recommendations encourage a path toward making these rights a reality for all Utahns. An Executive Summary of our 2016 report follows on page 4.
Sincerely,
Sheryl Allen
Di Allison
Robert (Archie) Archuleta
John Bennion
Kim Burningham
Michael Deily
Irene Fisher
Harry Fuller
Nancy Haanstad
Dixie Huefner
Robert Huefner
Louise Knauer
Cheryll May
Stewart Olsen
Dee Rowland
Andrew Schoenberg
Michael Stapley
M. Donald Thomas
With volunteer staff support from David Carrier, University of Utah