Monday, April 28, 2025

⏰ Tick Tock

9 days remaining to verify signatures for the HB267 referendum. (5/7/2025)
106 days to Utah's 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025)
190 days until Election Day (11/4/2025)
554 days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026)

👀 Here's what you need to know for Monday morning:

Thank you for being one of more than 1,200 people supporting Utah Political Watch with your free subscription. I'm so thankful to have you as a reader!

"Morning News Fix" is a subscriber-exclusive newsletter curating the morning's top news headlines to help you get informed before starting your day.

As an independent watchdog journalist, I work tirelessly to hold elected officials accountable and keep you informed about Utah politics. This vital work takes time, resources, and dedication.

Support impactful local journalism by becoming a paid subscriber to Utah Political Watch today. For just $5 per month—less than the cost of a coffee—you'll get exclusive access to in-depth political coverage that matters to you and your community.

Upgrade to paid

Utah Headlines

Minor political parties join forces, face uphill battle in GOP-dominated Utah. [Utah Political Watch]

Utah State President spent $660K on new cars, SLC apartment, office bidet and more, records show. [Tribune]

281 Utahns to lose rental assistance when federal funds run dry in 2026. [Utah News Dispatch]

"A nightmare situation": Ranchers plan for tough choices as Utah's drought worsens. [KUER]

Utah ended up with a near-normal snowpack. Here's how the rest of the rest fared. [Deseret News]

S.L. County eyes selling a chunk of the Salt Palace to Smith Entertainment Group as part of new downtown district. [Tribune]

Suspect jailed after 71 explosives, bomb making materials seized from Orem home. [KUTV]

National/International

A trio of new polls show that a majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the presidency. The polls put Trump's approval rating somewhere between 39% and 45%. [CNBC]

DOGE hasn't delivered on the spending cuts promised by Elon Musk. Since the start of the Trump administration, the federal government has spent $171 billion more than during the same period over the last two years. [NOTUS]

  • Just 35% of Americans approve of the way Elon Musk is operating as part of the Trump administration. [Washington Post]

Congress returns from its spring recess today. Democrats plan to attack Republicans on their tax and spending program. [New York Times]

CEOs are slashing costs because of the chaos surrounding President Trump's tariff policies. [Wall Street Journal]

Ports and air freight operators are reporting sharp declines in the amount of goods shipped from China as a result of President Trump's trade war. [Financial Times]

The Swiss franc is soaring against the dollar as investors look for a safe financial harbor. [Financial Times]

The Justice Department is looking for ways to clear homeless encampments and increase the involuntary hospitalization of people with mental illness. [Washington Post]

Briefly...

The price of airplane tickets is getting cheaper as fewer Americans are traveling than what airlines anticipated. [CNBC]

S&P lowers the bond ratings for the city of Los Angeles which is facing a $1 billion budget deficit. [Los Angeles Times]