Hope is the poor man's bread.
I am confident that, as elected officials, we can work together with religious, business and civic leaders, as well as the LGBT community, to develop policies that treat all people with dignity and respect.
As governor, I enjoy the opportunity to talk about Utah's measurable business success.
In 2009, during my inaugural address, I expressed the importance of unprecedented partnerships. Since then, Utah's government, business, and education leaders in communities statewide have worked together more frequently and with better results than ever before.
Education is the largest and most important investment Utah makes.
When I entered into office mid-recession, my No. 1 focus was Utah's economy. We set bold goals, and we've built one of the best-performing economies in the nation.
Too often, campaigns are all flash and no substance.
That's a large part of the job as governor: to create and maintain the optimal balance.
One person's rights do not have to come at the expense of another's. If we can find common ground on religious freedom and LGBT issues in Utah - one of the nation's most religious and conservative states - we can do it anywhere in the country.
Utah is America's best place for business because Utahns make it their business to succeed - and we have the track record to prove it.
As we continue to step up our investment in education, we must not sidestep our commitment to the principle of local control.
Strong families are vital to strong societies.
The value of a loving family cannot be understated.
In 2014, Utah cities Salt Lake City and Provo both surpassed Silicon Valley in per-deal venture capital averages. From large, multi-campus companies to promising start-ups, Silicon Slopes offers a promising climate for businesses. The entire tech industry has its eyes on Utah.
Utah's economy stays strong by adhering to conservative fundamental principles: low and consistent tax rates, smaller and more efficient government, sensible regulation, and empowering the private sector to create jobs.
Utah has benefited from setting smart tax policy. That said, public finding is dynamic enough that we cannot just set the tax policy and presume that it does not require continual review and adjustment.
My priority will continue to be that we maintain the optimal balance to be able to invest in education and infrastructure while encouraging business growth.
I don't believe we have defined health care reform very well in this country.
The Bush tax cuts, they ought to be made permanent in my mind so there is certainty out there.
Don't spend more than you take in. Control your debt. Empower the private sector. We have 50 states out there that are laboratories of democracy. Why are we not empowering the states to find solutions to our problems, particularly health care, as opposed to looking to a one-size-fits-all solution from Washington, D.C.? That puzzles even me.
