The Secrets to Job Growth in Salt Lake City

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This mayor is idiotic and self-promotional. I am an SLC resident. The only credit for good job performance goes to state government's ability to attract big business to Utah due to relatively cheap and educated labor force, low corporate tax rates, and tax breaks on state level. Salt lake is one of the poorer parts of the metro area, and only benefits from spill-over. The mayor has been utterly worthless in anything other than adding bike lanes- so pathetic to hear him talk about "LED streetlights". Sounds like a michael moore character. Pathetic.

aak of UT 2:34AM March 01, 2013

Reminds me about how often I seem some "Christians" involved in politics when "Christians" by definitions are supposed to follow the examples set by Jesus but Jesus himself did not get involved in politics in his time.
Even though people at his time were expecting a "Messiah" to liberate them from the Roman "yoke", when people tried to make Jesus a king (John 6:15), he left. He told Pilate that his kingdom was not part of this world (John 18:36), and if it had been part of this world, his followers would have fought to preserve his possibilities to become a king. He knew he would eventually get the kingship from his Father and was willing to wait until that time.
(Which by the way brings to mind why he called God his "Father" if they now supposedly are one-and-the-same in some illogical trinity arrangement...not to even mention that he prayed to God saying "Yet not what I will, but what you will" in e.g. Mark 14:36)

jjoensuu of MA 9:36AM February 18, 2011

I've never heard of the church conference center being used for non-church related activities. Big conventions like the Outdoor Retailers' Show take place at the Salt Lake. The Energy Solutions Arena (where the Utah Jazz plays) has concerts, ice shows, etc.
If you have a link to a non-church related event taking place at the church's conference center; I would be interested to see a link.
Walmart, the air force base, Discover Card,Intermountain Hospitals, Delta Airlines, the copper mine and the railroad all employ more people than the LDS church. Most church officials are volunteers.

John of UT 11:09PM February 17, 2011

I thought this was an interesting article but seemed to overlook the largest employer in the state - The LDS Church.
The church has a massive building project going in downtown that other cities
would love to have, especially if someone else was paying for it.
There are thousands of tourists who visit Utah every year, including Salt Lake City, and many want to see the famous Mormon Temple and Tabernacle on Temple Square. A real thrill for many is to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during their Sunday morning program.
The LDS Conference Center, located across the street from Temple Square is a great help to the city for getting conventions. The Church makes the Conference
Center available for non-church related activities and some of the larger conventions have the experience to hear the Tabernacle Choir in concert.

rob-mo of MO 10:26PM February 17, 2011

If SLC had a mayor like Mayor Kilpatrick (recently of Detroit) I am sure there would be very little to brag about. You seem to have an honest Mayor who sings the praise any time he gets. These are very bad times in the World, so to have all that you have is a compliment to your city. Remember, the Mayor speaks for his city.

Jim Lundy of MI 10:10PM February 17, 2011

Salt Lake City is home to the Mormon church and the members of that church are hard working and industrious, which has not a thing to do with Salt Lake City's Democratic Mayor Ralph Becker. The Mayor is just a politician taking credit for what the good people of the city have already been doing themselves. If he is so good then maybe he should go to one of these crime ridden cities and share of his expertise. Laughable that the Mayor would take credit. I love the Mormon people. Thank you!

Barry Sotoro (Muahhhahhhaahaaaa!) of DC 9:29PM February 17, 2011

There are 0 jobs down here! Everything is up in SLC. Good companies have moved our of Utah county and people with experience & degrees can't even get a job at Walmart ( and yes, I have tied). I have even tried being a "cart boy" and "bag boy" and I'm a 60 year old woman with over 40 years of business experience.
Yes, I'm willing to take a minimum wage job but there is nothing here.

Patricia of UT 9:10PM February 17, 2011

The only reason unemployment is lower is because the LDS Church is spending $2 billion on downtown renovations. Becker hasn't done jack.

Rocky Anderson of UT 2:47PM February 17, 2011

Low density , room to grow, good business climate, low crime, decent weather and recreation. All adds up in attracting companies and workers from other states.

Karl of NY 1:35PM February 17, 2011