Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This story is a paid political advertisement by Case for Congress.
When Case and Kerrie Lawrence were trying to decide where to start their small business, their top priority was simple. With six kids under 10, they wanted to find a place that would allow their children to have the best imaginable childhood. That search took them to Utah County.
Case is now running for Congress in that same place — Utah's 3rd Congressional District. While politics can be messy and policy can be complex, Case is motivated by the same simple priority that drove his decision so many years ago: ensuring Utah remains the best place in America to live and raise a family.
Every policy issue that he's prioritized in his campaign can be traced back to that simple goal to support and enhance the quality of life for Utah families.
Many factors play into making Utah a uniquely good place to live and raise a family. Though the state's fertility rate has dropped in recent years, it's still the fourth highest in the nation, according to statistics from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. The Beehive State also boasts a strong spirit of altruism, with AmeriCorps ranking it No. 1 in the nation for its volunteer rate.
WalletHub recently named Utah the No. 1 best state to start a business and U.S. News & World Report listed Utah as the No. 1 Best State Overall and No. 1 for economic growth.
Unfortunately, despite its many positive attributes, there's plenty of room for improvement — and housing affordability is a good example. BestBrokers.com recently released a report that found Utah to be the third least affordable state to buy a home.
Those pillars — housing affordability, strong economic growth and family centricity — are the building blocks of a quality family life and the building blocks of Case's campaign. And they are more at risk now than at any time in history.
Housing affordability
It's not just your imagination. Utah homes are more expensive than they've ever been.
In a report for the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, James Wood writes, "An income of $101,400 would be needed to finance the median-price home in 2021, compared with only $58,100 in 2015. Why such a huge increase? Because Utah housing prices have been increasing twice as fast as household income."
This matters because, for most Americans, their home is a significant portion of their wealth. A recent Wealth of Households report from the U.S. Census Bureau found that home equity and retirement accounts composed 62.6% of aggregate household wealth.
Since owning a home is the foundation of the American dream and homeowners are the foundation of community life, making houses more affordable should be top of mind.
If elected, Case will focus on reigning in federal government spending that drives inflation, which will allow interest rates to come back down. He'll also support permitting reform to allow more high-quality housing to be built quicker.
Strong economy
Case plans to unleash Utah's energy sector, push back on government overreach and lower taxes on families and businesses. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Americans are currently paying a federal tax of 18.3 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. Case is a big proponent of cutting burdensome regulations and he supports eliminating the federal gas and diesel taxes.
Family centricity
Finally, Utah still remains one of the most family-centric places in America with a birth rate that remains among the highest in the country and a way of life that still prioritizes good parenting and strong moral values.
But Case believes there's still a need to defend and strengthen institutions that support the family. This starts with strong churches and religious organizations, strong schools with high-quality teachers and strong community organizations staffed by good people.
In addition to supporting policies that protect religious freedom and improve public schools, Case believes one under-appreciated role of leaders is to make cultural values visible. As a member of Congress, he would elevate the voices of those who value, study and support family life. He'll work to ensure that every policy decision he makes comes back to the same goal: protecting Utah as the best place in America to raise a family.
With two grandkids now growing up near them in Utah County — and more on the way — Case says that fighting to preserve Utah's unique way of life is more than just politics. It's deeply personal.
To learn more about how Case Lawrence plans to serve Utahns and their families in Congress, visit caselawrence.com.
