Public
Policy Project List
Current Policy Projects
SALT
LAKE COUNTY HB40
PROJECT
CPPA is creating
educational materials,
coordinating public
meetings and conducting
a survey to assist the
county in determining
how the townships residents
feel about annexation,
incorporation, or remaining
in the unincorporated
area of the County.
UTAH
SSDI 1 FOR 2
The Utah SSDI 1
for 2 project
tests changes to Social
Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI) policies.
Current SSDI rules
discourage individuals
from working. Social
Security Administration
wants to discover
how to change their
policies so SSDI recipients
can increase their
employment and earnings
without losing all
of their cash benefits.
FEDERAL
ELECTION ASSISTANCE
COMMISSION STUDY
CPPA is currently
performing a study
on the laws and regulations
in all 50 states related
to vote counts and
recounts for the Federal
Election Assistance Commission
to promote best practices
in the area of vote counting
and recounting.
Ongoing Policy Projects
WESTERN
STATE BUDGET
REPORTS
Western
States Budget Reports
CPPA coordinates with
the 13 Western States
to produce a summary
publication of state
budgets that describes
the circumstances and
activities in each of
the western states.
The reports are presented
each year at a roundtable
discussion during the
Western Political Science
Association Meeting.
These reports were initiated
in 1997 to be of use
to individuals interested
in contemporary public
budgeting beyond pure
theory. The states that
participate in this
effort include: Alaska,
Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming. See
the Western State Budge
Reports.
Recent Policy Projects
THE
SURVEY OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT FINANCES
(LGFD)
Conducted annually
by collecting financial
information from all
taxing entities. The
Survey was compiled
and published annually
by CPPA as a public
service.
CRITERION
REFERENCED TESTS
- REPORTING SYSTEM
CPPA,
in partnership with Utah
Foundation,
developed a system that
reports CRT results
for each school and
for each test. This
system allows a user
to drill down to any
school in the state
and view results for
any of the tested subjects.
The results show how
many students scored
at each proficiency
level, with analysis
of how students scored
on each of the concepts
that factor into that
test. The test results
are compared to statewide
averages to provide
an indication of how
well each school performs. Find
out more and go to the
reporting system.
CPPA
TAX MODEL
CPPA created a Tax Model that
can determine approximate
income tax, property tax,
and sales tax using current
and proposed tax policies.
We included the ability to
determine these taxes for
different personal variables,
including: income, federal
adjusted gross income, filing
status, number of dependents,
charitable contributions,
retirement, home ownership,
etc.
SUPPORTED
EMPLOYMENT IN
UTAH
In 2005, CPPA collaborated
with the Center for Persons
with Disabilities (CPD) at
Utah State University in reviewing
Utah’s SE program. The
project took a broad look
at Supported Employment and
studied current laws, philosophies,
policies, and goals guiding
the program, support for the
program as well as program
implementation. CPPA’s
main role on this project
was an overview of the mandates,
policies, philosophies and
goals of the agencies. See
the report.
HEBER
CITY MUNICIPAL
SERVICES STUDY:
PUBLIC WORKS
The
purpose of this
study was to provide
an analysis of
organizational
and staffing capacity
regarding the
Heber City Public
Works department.
The study profiles
the Public Words
department in
terms of responsibilities,
staffing levels,
and budgets. See
the report here.
UTAH
NONPROFIT
SURVEY
UTAH AGING INITIATIVE
Evaluate the impact
of the aging population
on state services
and develop policies
to meet the needs
of the state,
particularly as
the “Baby
Boomer” generation
begins to
retire in
2011. See the reports.
DIABETES PREVENTION SYSTEM EVALUATION
Develop criteria and an instrument for use in evaluating the effectiveness
of the public and nonprofit organizations involved in diabetes prevention
programs. Sponsored by the Utah Department of Health.
WORK
ABILITY (UWIN)
Evaluate
public programs designed
to assist individuals
with disabilities
to enter or return
to the workforce. http://www.uwin.org/
ENVISION UTAH EVALUATION SURVEY
Work with Envision
Utah to evaluate the
effectiveness of their
efforts to encourage “Smart
Growth” principles
in the 10-county area
along the Wasatch
Front. In cooperation
with Envision Utah.
See the report.
QUALITY GROWTH COMMISSION EVALUATION SURVEY
Prepare a survey comparable to the one used for Envision Utah to evaluate
the use of “Smart Growth” principles in rural areas of Utah.
In cooperation with the Quality Growth Commission.
WELFARE
REFORM INITIATIVE: The
Impact of Welfare
Reform on the
Charitable Sector
in Utah
A multi-year effort
involving both research
and community partnership
building to help
Utah's charitable
sector organizations
- both faith-based
and nonfaith-based
- respond effectively
to state and federal
welfare reform legislation.
See
the Welfare Reform
Initiative Publications.