Today is the Second Day of the Legislative Session

Vineyard’s Youth Council visited the Utah State Capitol today to learn more about the legislative process. 

The Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) hosted its annual Local Officials Day for city youth councils. They held a legislative preview lunch at the Salt Palace Convention Center, and Vineyard’s Youth Council participated in mock congressional committees. In prior years, these mock committees have deliberated mainstream topics like cell phone use in schools.

This year, youth participants explored a national hot topic issue: housing. Specifically, the youth councils debated whether the federal government should step into local planning matters in response to the nationwide housing issue. Participants researched both sides of the issue to better understand it and then debated with fellow youth councils.

Vineyard's youth spent met their legislators at a luncheon and heard Governor Cox speak, as the Keynote. 

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The Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) has provided some great resources for local officials to stay on top of the legislative session. Here are some of the resources available on https://www.ulct.org/ to keep you and local officials informed: Use your official logins!

• Daily briefing calls 

• Nightly emails: Legislative recap

• Monday quick wrap-up 

• Thursday mid-week update 

• General leg. Session Bill Tracking

Elected Officials should sign up for the emails. Nightly emails may also include Alerts:

1. Action Alert: stop everything

2. Action needed: reach out soon

**Check your Annual Report for contacts for our state reps.

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Residents can follow the Bill Tracker, contact your local officials: Mayor@vineyardutah.org

Here are a few recommended points to be aware of and share with legislators this session:  

The state does not have a surplus this year. The important thing to remind our legislators is that cities do not have a surplus this year either. Therefore, bills that come forward should not include unfunded mandates. We want to be partners.

The Utah League of Cities and Towns' principles support affordable homes, sustainable infrastructure, and quality of life. Additionally, the UCLT opposes land use preemption. 

Things everyone should know

Zoning is a major concern to the state. The Governor discussed building 35,000 starter homes priced in a range for just below the median income earners. The legislature is considering the high housing prices, interest rates, broken supply chains, and labor shortages. 

The Utah League of Cities and Towns reported that the legislature is looking to the many cities that could contribute to solve the housing crisis, but are pushing back.

These cities are described as not zone smaller lots, won't consider deed-restricted programs,  are not building denser housing near transportation, and are holding up infrastructure money. The state wants everyone to do more and stretch. 

Cities are political subdivisions of the state. Zoning authority in cities was introduced to local governments in Utah in the 1940s. Although the U.S. Constitution establishes a complex federal system with powers divided between and shared by national and state governments, it does not mention local government. Therefore, the power to establish or abolish cities is delegated to the states by virtue of the 10th Amendment.

Why oppose state preemption?

“Preemption is using state law to nullify a municipal ordinance or authority. State preemption can span many policy areas including environmental regulation, firearm use, and labor laws. States can preempt cities from legislating on particular issues either by statutory or constitutional law.”

Firstly, Vineyard is doing its part.

Vineyard’s housing and proactive approach, if anything, should be rewarded with infrastructure, homeownership support, and fewer broad-brush bills.

Vineyard is focusing on homeownership and affordable housing. Vineyard has been proactive in planning with eight pillars of effective city-wise management that have efficiently met the growing needs of the state.

It has increased the quality of life for its residents and created placemaking characteristics unique to the heritage and location of the community. The barriers the community has faced involve the infrastructure constraints found at the state level. With the partnership Vineyard has established with the stated priorities, support in this way is important.

Vineyard has great relationships with our state officials that understand Vineyard is doing its part and are willing to support us. Helping them understand what that support looks like is important, and helping them understand how broad-brush policy affects Vineyard is a of critical importance.

1. When meeting with state officials, there are important factors that need to be expressed. Share what Vineyard has done for housing and affordability. 

2. Share ways the state can help facilitate home ownership. 

3. Let representatives know that Vineyard has done its part and bills should include credit for what has been accomplished, and help them narrow policy to keep control local and avoid sticks for cities that are creating solutions.

***Right now there are tax increment financing programs for affordable housing infrastructure. There is no provision that incentivizes or requires affordable home ownership.  The state is asking, do we add that or create another tool?**