Michael Melendez

Michael Melendez

Executive Vice President

michael@libertas.org

Michael is the Executive Vice President, overseeing Libertas’ policy operations, including policy analysis, government affairs, and organizational strategy.

Prior to joining Libertas he was a legislative aide for a Utah state senator and the state government affairs manager for Waterford Institute, a digital education non-profit. Michael has also managed and worked on dozens of campaigns around the country, which included directing the Trafalgar Group’s nationally recognized polling operations in 2016.

Michael Melendez's Articles

The United States and other world governments have been running a financial surveillance state since even before the internet existed. This latest piece of legislation is no different.
Utah can’t seem to build fast enough to accommodate new homebuyers — many of them born and raised here — and everyone else looking for housing.
"Mega-drought! Don’t water your lawn before this date! Slow the flow! Pray for moisture!" If you’ve lived in Utah for any significant amount of time, then you’ve probably heard all these phrases. The fact of the matter is Utah has a semi-arid climate with a fair amount of desert regions. Utah will likely never have abundant sources of water anytime soon. But how does this affect our public policy around water?
At a time when people are making cuts to their own budget, the state government needs to strongly consider giving back excess revenue to the people it took it from.
You may have heard politicians say in the past that “small businesses are the backbone of America.” The funny thing is that they are actually right.
Rather than worrying so much about the “most important election of our lives,” take a look at what is happening around you in your neighborhood and your state.