SALT LAKE CITY — In hopes of understanding the needs, goals, and priorities of Utah’s Latino community, Gov. Spencer Cox hosted a Latino Town Hall Monday night to discuss the big issues that need to be addressed.
The topics ranged from healthcare to education, housing, immigration, and more.
It was the first time a Utah governor hosted an event such as this. Monday night’s event was part of Cox’s "360 Tour" to travel across the state and listen to various communities.
“I feel far too often there are people in our state that feel a little left out, a little left out of government, a little left out of community, and we’re trying to bridge those gaps,” he said.
The Latino Town Hall was his eighth town hall of the day and it took place at the Salt Lake Community College South City campus.
Cox sat down with Nubia Peña, who works with the Governor’s Office and the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs. He also spoke some Spanish, which he learned while serving his Latter-day Saint mission in Mexico.
The two talked about education and the student achievement gap. Cox is calling for a tuition freeze to stop college costs from rising and says the state is increasing access to scholarships.
“So students of whatever background, if they are behind or at-risk, we’re putting more money towards those students,” the governor said.
Cox also said he wants to make sure Latino-owned businesses are aware of the resources available to them. Over the last 10 years, Latinos have started businesses at a higher rate than any other group. $69 million of federal money will go to help minority-owned businesses in Utah.
“Everything we do as a state, we need to start thinking of our minority-owned businesses,” he said.
Another big topic of the night: healthcare. Cox said the state learned a lot of lessons during the pandemic, especially on how to handle sharing critical information.
“Your zip code, where you live, should not determine your access to healthcare. It should not determine how long you live,” said Cox. “We can do better.”
He also said that for the time first time, there’s a collaboration with health experts, private sectors, insurance companies, and hospitals focused on lowering healthcare costs and expanding access.
“Everybody wants their kids and grandkids to have an opportunity to grow up here, to have a life better than we had,” he said. “That’s the American dream, and that’s the Utah dream.”
The questions were given to the governor in advance. They were collected through a community survey and focus groups hosted by the Division of Multicultural Affairs.
Cox said he plans to host more Latino Town Halls in the future.
