Governor Spencer Cox has nominated Johnny Deeds, of the Law firm Crapo|Deeds PLLC, to be the next commissioner on the Utah State Tax Commission.
In the governor’s announcement of the nomination, he noted that Deeds has the ability to navigate complex tax issues and “keep things grounded in common sense.” He also stated that Deeds’ expertise in tax law will be a benefit to the taxpayer community and the state tax commission.
The State Tax Commission is the agency in the state that oversees administration and enforcement of tax laws in the state. The four member commissioners hire the executive director to run the day to day operations of the commission. The commissioners also hold “quasi-judicial” hearings on tax matters when an individual or corporation appeals a tax issue from the county to the state. A decision made by the tax commission can be appealed to a district court or the state supreme court.
Only two of the four commissioners can come from the same political party and it is expected that the commissioners have a background in accounting, law, auditing, property assessment, and finance. Commissioners are appointed to four year terms by the governor and confirmed by the senate.
Deeds will be replacing outgoing Tax Commissioner Michael Cragun who has served on the commission since 2009. The Senate is expected to vote on his confirmation in August.
The Utah Taxpayers Association strongly recommends that the Senate approve of Deeds’ appointment. His skillset will ensure the tax commission continues to be a fair and talented group that oversees the tax systems in the state of Utah.