Even if the golf course plans went off without a hitch, financially speaking, the question remains: is this the proper role of government and an appropriate use of taxpayer money? The answer is no.
The problem with this practice is that it undermines the important difference between a fee and a tax. Fees are payments in exchange for a quantitative public service while taxes cover the remaining immeasurable services that benefit society as a whole.
Utah needs to take privacy much more seriously than it has in the past. State and local agencies will continue to rely on technology to improve how government works, but we should understand the risks today instead of continually repairing mistakes later.
This proposal establishes oversight to ensure government agencies can't just use whatever surveillance technologies they want, without broader input/engagement first.
Governor Herbert announced a partnership between Utah and a local company to develop a track-and-trace app to inform citizens if they have been exposed to COVID-19.
