There are a lot of issues people consider when they decide who to vote for. Some vote strictly with the political party of their choice. Some look at the personality of a candidate and determine they’ll vote for the person with the personality they like the most. Others look at what they deem as job qualifications and vote for the individual who they think has the best resume for the job. Sometimes voters are single issue, I fall in this category often, they have a key issue they care about and pick the candidate that resonates with them the best on their single issue. So as we head into the 2024 election season, lets talk about my single issue, taxes, and which candidates we support in the November election.
Gubernatorial Race
When it comes to tax policy the choice is pretty clear. Gov. Spencer Cox has signed one of the state’s largest income tax cuts, he’s signed a bill increasing relief from personal property taxes, he’s signed legislation that cuts the state’s tax on social security and increased the state’s dependent exemption to aid Utah families. The Cox administration has proven to have all taxpayers in mind in the decisions they make and have approved policies that are fair and taxpayer friendly.
When it comes to Cox’s challenger the story is different. Rep. Brian King is a good man but his tax record is not aligned with the Association’s principles. King has run legislation multiple times that seeks to undo Utah’s relatively flat income tax rate and implement a progressive tax bracket system. His own website argues that there are Utahns not paying their fair share of taxes and if elected he will seek to raise taxes.
Taking a glance at our Legislative scorecard we can see that King’s five year average of voting with the Association is not ideal. He ranks 71st out of 75 house members in our house member rankings of the most tax friendly legislators. He also only votes with the Association 30.1% of the time.
After analyzing the two major party candidates records the Association’s Board of Directors voted to endorse Governor Cox for a second term. His record as a legislator and as governor shows he supports good tax policy and will push for a lean and efficient state government. Under his leadership he has brought Utah out of the economic struggles from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured Utah’s economy is as strong as any other state in the country. He is the correct man for the job at this time and we hope you will join us in supporting him in his bid for reelection in this year’s general election.
Legislative Races
Each election cycle all of Utah’s House of Representatives and half of the Utah Senate are up for reelection. While the Association does not get involved in every single race we do call for support for our legislators who have been designated as “Friends of the Taxpayer.”
Each legislative session the Association grades all 104 state lawmakers on their voting record on key tax bills that are considered. The legislators with the top scores are named Friend of the Taxpayer by the Association and receive an award for their efforts. We encourage you to vote for the following legislators this election year:
Rep. Tyler Clancy (Republican, House District 60)
Rep. Joseph Elison (Republican, House District 72)
Rep. Norm Thurston (Republican, House District 62)
Rep. Jon Hawkins (Republican, House District 55)
Rep. Candice Pierucci (Republican, House District 49)
Rep. Nelson Abbott (Republican, House District 57)
Rep. Ken Ivory (Republican, House District 39)
Rep. Matt Gwynn (Republican, House District 6)
Rep. Kera Birkeland (Republican, House District 4)
Rep. Keven Stratton (Republican, House District 58 but running for State Senate District 24)
Sen. Heidi Balderree (Republican, Senate District 22)
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (Republican, Senate District 17)
Sen. John Johnson (Republican, Senate District 3)
Sen. Derrin Owens (Republican, Senate District 27)
Sen. David Hinkins (Republican, Senate District 26)
We also have endorsed Mike Bird, Republican in House District 35, and Scott Cuthbertson, Republican in Senate District 15, in their races.
Electing strong candidates who align with the Association is key to our success in the legislative session. If we have elected officials who understand the principles of sound tax policy and are thinking about how to protect you the taxpayer when they consider legislation, then we are on track for another successful year at the state capitol. As you fill out your ballot please consider our legislative scorecard when picking who you will vote for this election year: https://utahtaxpayers.org/9112-2/.