USTAR Under Microscope

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Many groups are asking state lawmakers for money, but a few are just asking to keep getting what they've been promised. The Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative - or USTAR - is one such program under scrutiny by lawmakers like Senator Bill Hickman.

"But I don't want to throw money out there, just cause we've got it," says Hickman. "I realize we're in the infancy here, but we've gotta see results."

Lawmakers last year pledged 19-million dollars a year in ongoing money for USTAR, to be used by the state's research universities in recruiting researchers and turning innovations into marketable business ideas. USTAR executive Director Ted McAleer says taxpayers should start seeing return on that investment soon:

"The key areas that will be measurable will be technology jobs that are created," says McAleer. "And as we create a greater transparency in higher education institutions about the intellectual property being developed, we will start transferring that out to existing industry."

The Legislature has also invested 50-million dollars for new lab buildings at Utah's research universities. Until USTAR creates the jobs it was intended to create, McAleer says he will not ask lawmakers for additional funds.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Legislative Coverage, and 2007 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2009 KCPW