Leavitt outlines 'thousand day plan' to turn Olympic spotlight into long-term jobs, schools and land protections

Governor Mike Leavitt delivered the State of the State to a joint convention of the 2002 Utah Legislature in the House chamber, urging lawmakers to use the Winter Olympics as a springboard for sustained economic growth through technology, education and conservation. "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail," Leavitt said as he laid out what he called a "thousand day plan."

Leavitt framed the plan as a way to turn 17 days of Olympic attention into a long-term economic legacy. He described efforts to brand Utah as a technology and innovation hub, to organize more than a dozen "economic ecosystems" such as biotech and computer graphics, and to take regular trade missions after the Games to attract venture capital. He highlighted a proposal to develop a state database that links medical research, vital statistics and genealogic records as an engine for biotech industry growth.

Education is central to the governor's pitch. Leavitt proposed four-year retention agreements with nearly 400 skilled math and science teachers, scholarships for 250 teachers to earn advanced degrees, and enrollment of more than 225 principals and administrators in a certification program tied to technology-focused schools. He called for six specialized "high-tech" high schools, with the first four—planned for Salt Lake City (biotech), Weber County (engineering and medical devices), Utah County (digital media) and Logan (plant and animal genetics)—to be operational within the thousand days. "By day 1,000, over 1,250 Utah students will be fast-tracking their way into careers that will lift our entire economy," he said.

Leavitt used a local example to illustrate the potential: John Wright and Dr. Chris Johnson at the University of Utah created a three-dimensional simulation that helped surgeons remove a tumor from a child, a development Leavitt described as the seed of a new industry and hundreds of local jobs. He said expanding such innovations will require better links among ideas, research, workforce, capital and government support.

On infrastructure, Leavitt noted completion of major projects such as the I-15 renovation and cited approval of an $85 million deal to secure 75 miles of railroad right-of-way for future light or commuter rail from Brigham City to Payson. He argued the state needs a balanced mix of highways, transit and trails to preserve quality of life while supporting growth.

In conservation, Leavitt announced that local and state officials will formally request that the President use executive authority to designate the 620,000-acre San Rafael Swell as a national monument. He emphasized the proposal is the product of seven years of stakeholder negotiation and said officials will seek notice and additional discussion before federal action.

On health policy, Leavitt proposed making basic health insurance available to 25,000 full-time workers who cannot afford coverage, saying the change could be implemented with no additional state cost by restructuring benefits and seeking federal waivers. He framed the approach as providing basic care to many rather than unlimited care to a few.

Leavitt also touched on safety and public policy issues: he pledged that no spent nuclear fuel rod would be moved to Utah—"Not now, not later, not ever"—and proposed a permanent Capitol monument and an Olympic cauldron as civic memorials. He highlighted unemployment-compensation funds for workers affected by the economic downturn and expansion of online government services through utah.gov.

The joint convention had approved procedural motions to convene and to spread the text of the address in the Senate journal. A motion to dissolve the joint convention and adjourn until 9:30 a.m. Tuesday passed after the address.

The speech combined near-term proposals (teacher retention agreements, health coverage via federal waivers, a request for federal monument designation) with longer-term initiatives (trade missions, economic ecosystems, specialized schools) and calls for further administrative actions and legislative follow-up. The governor asked stakeholders and federal officials to provide notice and discussion on land-protection steps and to partner on the proposed education and workforce programs.

Next steps referenced in the address: formal submission of the San Rafael National Monument request, pursuit of federal waivers for the health coverage proposal, implementation planning for specialized high schools and trade missions, and follow-up in the Legislature on any statutory or budget changes needed to enact parts of the thousand day plan.