For the most part, Utahns believe there is too much regulation of businesses, but they are split on whether the government is too much involved in industry, a new UtahPolicy poll shows.
And interestingly enough, younger Utahns do not believe there is too much government regulation of business or industry, most saying the current oversight is about right, finds Dan Jones & Associates in a new survey.
Utah is a Republican, mostly conservative state. And so it’s understandable that citizens here have a fundamental distrust of government – especially the federal government.
(Since Republicans run state government, and many city and county governments, Utahns are more accepting of local and state government regulations, previous polling has shown.)
Jones finds that among all Utahns: 45 percent say there is “too much” government regulation on businesses; 37 percent say regulation is “about right;” 9 percent say there is “too little” regulation; while 9 percent don’t know.
Asked about regulation of industry, which would include things like mining and heavy manufacturing, 37 percent said too much, 34 percent said about right, 17 percent said too little, and 11 percent didn’t know.
Utah has suffered several deadly coal mining accidents in recent years, which could account for more acceptance of government regulations on industry.
Young adults, ages 18-24, don’t see government regulation on business and industry as necessarily a bad thing, finds Jones.
Fifty-one percent say business regulation is about right, 26 percent say there is too much business regulation, 6 percent say too little, and 17 percent don’t know.
The numbers in that age group are similar for regulation of industry: 51 percent say about right, only 20 percent say too much, 14 percent say too little, and 14 percent don’t know.
That age group of Utahns may not actively be involved with meeting government regulations in the places they work, however.
Older Utahns see things differently.
Those aged 45-54 responds: 53 percent say too much business regulation, a third say about right, 11 percent say too little, and 4 percent don’t know.
On government industry regulation, that age group says: 43 percent too much, 32 percent about right, 18 percent too little, and 8 percent don’t know.
As would be expected, Utah Republicans don’t like government regulation on business or industry, 52 percent say too much on business, 44 percent say too much on industry.
Democrats are the opposite: Only 18 percent say too much business regulation, 10 percent say too much on industry.
Most Democrats say there is too little government regulation in both categories, or regulation is about right.
Political independents are split – about a third saying there is too much regulation in both areas, about a third saying government regulation is about right, and a third split between too little regulation and don’t know.
The proper role of government is always a debate in legislative and gubernatorial campaigns – so plan on hearing more about this in the 2016 election year.
