For the past 8 years, education has been an intense focus. Better funding, higher teacher salaries and higher test scores, combined with smaller classes means continuous improvement. And better schools means better jobs, with Utah household income soaring from 29th to 8th in the nation in 10 years. Crime is at a 20-year low, and we are investing statewide in transportation, with 43 Centennial highway projects, expanded public transportation and Legacy Parkway. Children are safer, with more foster families and adoption for the abused or neglected.
Welfare dependency is down by more than half.
And we are ensuring quality growth through Envision Utah and 21st Century communities initiatives on housing, water and open space. We are well on our way to providing high-speed Internet services to every Utah household. You can register your car or buy your hunting license on line. All of these are made possible by a strong economy. And they require constant renewal and rejuvenation to stay strong.