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Utah's state liquor stores make a lot of money. Should some of that go to help fund affordable housing?

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Utah's state liquor stores make a lot of money. Should some of that go to help fund affordable housing?


A new bill that would divert a quarter of the money the state makes from selling alcohol into a longtime affordable housing fund, is struggling to find support.

HB286, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, has already been heard twice by the House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee. Both times, the committee voted to hold the bill rather than send it to the full House.

Moss said at a Friday news conference in the Capitol that she’s not giving up.

“We hear about the need for housing all the time,” she said, for people at all income levels. Meanwhile, Moss said revenues from state-controlled liquor sales should grow, driven by tourism that’s expected to get a boost from the 2034 Winter Games.

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Carin Crowe, chief executive officer at Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake Area, right, and Shellie Barrus, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties, speak to the media about HB286, a bill that would divert a quarter of the money the state makes from selling alcohol into a longtime affordable housing fund, at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Her bill would send 25% of the money made from state alcohol sales to the the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund, named for Utah’s first woman governor. The fund was established in 1987 to provide low-interest loans and grants for affordable housing.

“The revenue stream we’re asking for is not taking away money from school kids or anyone else,” she said, since state-controlled sales are already bringing in much more than the revenue used for school lunches, underage drinking prevention and public safety.

“Many of the people that end up without homes are people that have suffered from alcohol abuse and so it seems like kind of a good match,” Moss said. She said she believes there is still an opportunity to advance the bill this session.

The fund, which has received a $2.2 million annual allocation from the Utah Legislature in recent years, at times runs out of money to loan, longtime housing advocate Steve Erickson said. The bill would add just over $28 million a year to the fund in the new budget year that begins July 1.

Information provided about the bill showed that money could help bring in as much as $453.75 million in other funding, including from private sources, for an estimated 1,375 affordable housing units.

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Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, speaks to the media about HB286, a bill that would divert a quarter of the money the state makes from selling alcohol into a longtime affordable housing fund, at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Moss said the size of the earmark, intended to provide a reliable funding source for affordable housing, could be scaled back. The bill is backed by the Utah Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity organizations in Utah and a long list of other groups.

During the bill’s second hearing last week, Rep. Troy Shelley, R-Ephraim, pushed back after Moss said the private sector is hindering rather than helping efforts to provide more affordable housing for Utah.

“I probably am opposed to the position that the free market is not fulfilling the need and therefore there is a need for government to come in. My perception is the need for the government to get out of the way is probably the better answer,” Shelley said.

He also appeared to take issue with only 40% of the fund going towards assisting with the purchase of single family homes and the rest used for building multifamily housing that’s typically rented.

“The American dream is to be able to own a home and not always be paying rent,” he said, proposing that the fund look at ways rent assistance could be used towards a down payment on a home, giving participants in the program “a goal to strive for.”

Shelley, who also gave examples of constituents who had been unable to connect with the fund, suggesting that lawmakers look at ways it could be made more efficient during interim meetings before the 2026 Legislature meets.

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Another member of the committee, House Majority Leader Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, endorsed putting off any action this session so lawmakers could take more time to consider how the funding would impact other efforts to make housing more affordable.

“I think we need to be very aggressively looking at this area. But there are just so many different things that are coming. We’re hearing creative sources (of funding) here or there,” the majority leader said.

He said his biggest concern is bringing together all of the groups working on the issue “and having those conversations, and making sure that we are doing this in a more holistic manner rather than just trying to find piecemeal ways to get around things.”

GOP senators didn’t seem too excited about Moss’ bill, either.

On Friday, Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, pointed to his bill raising the state’s markup on liquor and wine from 88.5% to 89% to fund prison education as an alternative, saying there’s not enough money from liquor revenues to fix Utah’s housing issues.

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Contributing: Brigham Tomco



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Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County

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Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County


OREM The first wave of results from the 2025 general municipal election is signaling several political shake-ups, as many cities will have new mayors replacing leaders who decided it was time to step down — and in some cases, incumbents who were defeated by their challengers.

Here are the results of some of the biggest races in Utah’s second-most populous county:

Vineyard

In preliminary results Tuesday night, Zack Stratton, an entrepreneur and businessman, had received 58% of the vote toward becoming the city’s next mayor. City Councilwoman Mardi Sifuentes trails Stratton with 41% of the votes.

Julie Fullmer has been the mayor of Vineyard for the last eight years. But she has faced some pushback from adherents of City Councilman Jacob Holdaway, who claims she is deceptive and corrupt. Fullmer, however, has said Holdaway has been combative and slowed progress in the city.

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Fullmer previously announced she would not be running for reelection this year, opening the door to significant change in the small city.

Sifuentes has served with Fullmer for several years now, and Stratton is backed by Holdaway. A Stratton win could mean a shift in the dynamic among City Council members as well as other changes within the growing city.

Vineyard residents were also tasked with electing an additional council member after 74% of voters favored Proposition 10 in last year’s election, which adjusted the city’s government structure by adding an additional council position.

In the race for the new seat, Parker McCumber was leading with 21% of the vote Tuesday night, followed by Jacob Wood with 20.6% of the vote and David Lauret with 20.2% in the unofficial results. Current Councilman Brett Clawson was trailing with nearly 14% of the vote, and Utah County administrator Ezra Nair, who is also vying for the role, had 12.8% of the vote.

Orem

In Orem, Mayor David Young is running again. Young ran on the idea of making Orem “Family City USA,” with a strong emphasis on opposition to high-density housing. But his time as the city’s mayor may be coming to an end.

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Tuesday night’s preliminary results show Young’s opponent, Karen McCandless, outpacing the incumbent with 52% of the votes to his 47%.

McCandless is CEO of Community Action Services and Food Bank. She previously served on Orem’s City Council from 2001 to 2014.

As mayor, Young has pushed for an Orem-only school, which was ultimately shot down by voters. He also faced some public scrutiny when his son was involved in a million-dollar fraud lawsuit in 2022. That lawsuit was resolved in December 2024 in an out-of-court settlement that the mayor was happy with, according to the mayor’s spokesman.

Three City Council seats are also up for grabs in Orem. Newcomer Quinn Mecham was leading the way in Tuesday’s unofficial results with 17.9% of the votes, followed by Doyle Mortimer (16.9%) and Angela Moulton (16.38%).

Current council members LaNae Millett and David Spencer were both trailing their opponents Tuesday night. Millett had 16.37% of the vote, and Spencer had 15.9%.

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Crystal Muhlestein, who serves as the chairwoman for House District 56 for the Utah County Republican Party, is also vying for a seat on the City Council. She had 16.2% of the vote on Tuesday night.

Provo

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has been leading the city of Provo since 2018. Attempting a third term, she faced off against former Utah Rep. Marsha Judkins.

In a tight race, Kaufusi had 50.6% of the votes Tuesday night, but Judkins wasn’t far behind with 49.3%.

Provo residents are also voting on several seats on the City Council:

  • In the race for the citywide seat, current Councilwoman Katrice MacKay was up with 61.2% of the vote to Adam Shin’s 38.7%.
  • Two newcomers are vying for the District 2 seat in an extremely tight race. Early results show Jeff Whitlock ahead, with 50.13% of the vote, and Hannah Petersen right behind with 49.87%. The winner will replace current Councilman George Handley,
  • In the District 5 race, incumbent Councilwoman Rachel Whipple was outpacing newcomer Sam Blackburn with 67% of the vote to his 32%.

Eagle Mountain

Eagle Mountain is sure to see some change, as current Mayor Tom Westmoreland did not make it past the primary election, despite being endorsed by both Gov. Spencer Cox and former state Rep. Phil Lyman. This outcome may have stemmed from the city considering changing code to allow for a nuclear power plant to be built in Eagle Mountain, which residents vehemently disagreed with.

Council members Melissa Clark and Jared R. Gray faced off for the open position. In another tight race, Gray had 52.55% of the votes to Clark’s 47.45% Tuesday night.

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Other elections of note

Wade Menlove is running unopposed to be the first mayor of Spring Lake, a newly incorporated town situated between Payson and Santaquin.

In the race for Spring Lake’s town council, two candidates will be selected to serve four-year terms. David Charles was in the lead with 32% of the vote Tuesday, followed by Joy Benson with 29%.

Two candidates are also being selected to serve two-year terms on the Town Council. Robert Marsh was leading the way with 31% of the votes, with Sharon Bascom with 29% Tuesday night.

In the north end of the county, Lehi will also have a new mayor, as current Mayor Mark Johnson did not run for a third term. Councilwoman Paige Albrecht is vying for the spot to fill his shoes, facing off against newcomer Paul Binns. The race was tight Tuesday night, with Binns in the lead at 52.07% and Albrecht at 47.93%.

In a similar situation, Pleasant Grove Mayor Guy Fugal did not throw his hat in the ring this year. Two council members, Eric Jensen and Cyd Lemone, faced off for the seat. Jensen was in the lead with 57.87% of the votes, with Lemons trailing at 42.13%.

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A full list of Utah County results can be found on the state’s election website.



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Arizona State begins season at home against Southern Utah

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Arizona State begins season at home against Southern Utah


Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Arizona State Sun Devils

Tempe, Arizona; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sun Devils -16.5; over/under is 150.5

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BOTTOM LINE: Arizona State opens the season at home against Southern Utah.

Arizona State went 13-20 overall with a 5-9 record at home during the 2024-25 season. The Sun Devils averaged 74.1 points per game while allowing opponents to score 76.8 last season.

Southern Utah finished 3-11 on the road and 12-19 overall a season ago. The Thunderbirds shot 42.5% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range last season.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Jazz G Isaiah Collier Nearing Season Debut After Injury

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Jazz G Isaiah Collier Nearing Season Debut After Injury


It looks like Isaiah Collier is nearing his opportunity to make his official season debut for the Utah Jazz.

According to a team announcement, Isaiah Collier has been recalled from the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G League affiliate.

Collier was with the Stars for a few days as part of his conditioning work of returning to play, following up from his hamstring injury that held him out of the Jazz’s training camp, preseason, and start of the regular season.

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However, now that Collier is off the Stars’ roster and back on for the Jazz, the second-year guard should be preparing to make his season debut in the very near future, perhaps during Utah’s current five-game road trip.

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA;  Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Dav

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones-Garcia (25) during the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Collier was a welcomed bright spot of the Jazz’s roster upon arriving last year as the 29th-overall pick, making his presence felt in a major way pretty quickly within Utah’s backcourt.

In the 71 games he appeared in, Collier averaged 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on just under 26 minutes a night, emerging as a nightly starter following the All-Star break, and being one of the best playmakers and facilitators on the roster.

Now for his second season in Utah, he’ll be entering a vastly different Jazz backcourt; one with no more Collin Sexton or Jordan Clarkson in the mix, and instead, currently being led by third-year guard Keyonte George and rookie Walt Clayton Jr.

As the Jazz continue their road of player development and expanding the roles of their young players this season, Collier should wind up having a solid role in Utah’s backcourt as the year goes on. As he returns initially, the year-two guard could find his place as a quality backup point guard within their already-young second unit. 

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His first chance to return to the Jazz’s lineup will come quickly against the Boston Celtics in TD Garden as part of Utah’s second leg of a back-to-back. But if not that soon, look for the following matchup vs. the Detroit Pistons as a potential date for Collier’s long-awaited addition back into the fold.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!





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