Sutherland Institute
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Sutherland commends creation of task force to study state education governance
Sutherland Institute’s education policy director, Christine Cooke, released the following statement: “Sutherland Institute commends the recommendation of Representative Melissa Garff Ballard in the House Education Standing Committee today to create a task force to study state education governance,” Cooke said. “The…
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Sutherland supports SB 177 – Scholarships for Special Needs Students
The following email was sent to members of Utah’s Senate Revenue and Taxation committee on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2019, from Christine Cooke, Sutherland Institute’s education policy director, prior to SB 177 being heard in committee: Members of the Senate Revenue…
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Innovation in Education
When Sutherland Institute embarked on creating a publication about educational innovation, we knew we’d have to start by answering the question, “What do you mean by innovation?”
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‘Will of the voters’ goes deeper than one ballot initiative
Medicaid expansion proponents characterize the Utah Legislature’s approval of a modified Medicaid expansion, referred to as SB 96, as defying the will of the voters on Proposition 3. The truth is, Utah legislators did exactly what voters elected them to…
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Sutherland Institute testifies in support of SB96 – Medicaid Expansion Adjustments
The following testimony was given by Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute vice president of government affairs. It was included as part of Senator Allen Christensen’s presentation of SB 96 3rd Substitute – Medicaid Expansion Adjustments on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, before the House…
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We need to do better than ‘tolerance’
In February 2019, we observe Black History Month with troubling images that are in the rearview mirror – but not nearly far enough behind us. Hate crimes in the nation’s 10 largest cities increased by 12 percent last year, reaching the…
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Sutherland supports education bill SB 91 – Acceptance of Competency-Based Amendments
The following email was sent to members of Utah’s legislative body Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, from Christine Cooke, Sutherland Institute’s education policy director, prior to SB 91 being heard in committee: Members of the House Education Standing Committee, Sutherland Institute…
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Abortion of children with Down syndrome hints at eugenics
Originally published in Deseret News. The philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We must remember the past when considering abortions of unborn children with a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.…
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Miscalculations hamstring both sides of hate crimes legislation debate
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune. In the wake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ clarification of its stance on hate crimes legislation, lawmakers, advocates and political news media are speculating about how far hate crimes…
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Legislators can use state tax reform to position Utah for future
Originally published in Daily Herald. Momentum is building toward state tax reform this year. The governor wants to cut sales taxes but expand the tax to more services, while influential voices in the Legislature would like to see income taxes…