– A Very Unpopular Statement, but a Truthful One: Eliminating the Sales Tax on Food is a Bad Idea
– 2021 Year in Review: Many Wins for Taxpayers
– Guest Commentary – Scott Smith: Tax Commission and Association Work to Clarify Auditing Process
– Final Interim Commitee Hearings of 2021 Move Towards Progress for Taxpayers
– New Association Report Finds that On Average, Utahns Pay $1,025 in Taxes and Fees to County Government
– Your Association Accomplishments in November
– Taxpayers Association Makes the Case for a Sustainable Income Tax Cut at Interim Committee Meeting
– Cannon’s Canon: The Height of Hypocrisy – Eliminating the SALT Cap
– Results of November’s Ballot will Affect Taxpayers for Years to Come
– Your Association Accomplishments in October
– Following Years of Increases, Salt Lake County Council Discusses Providing Relief for Property Taxpayers
– Cannon’s Canon: If We Want our Children to Stay in Utah, Then Major Action Needs to Be Taken to Provide Relief to All Utahns
– While Most States’ Funds are Insolvent, Utah’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund is in Decent Shape and Could Emerge Stronger
– By The Numbers: Examining Capital Gains Proposal in $3.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
– Your Association Accomplishments in September
– 53% of $213 Million in Local Property Tax Incentives Came from School Districts in 2020
– Guest Commentary – Jonathan Williams: To Remain Competitive, Utah Needs to Lower its Income Tax Rate
– Utah’s Truth-in Taxation Law in the National Spotlight as Various States Follow our Lead
– Your Association Accomplishments in August
– Will Your Property Taxes Be Increasing This Year?
– Cannon’s Canon: Setting the Record Straight – Government-Owned Broadband Doesn’t Work
– New Association Report Finds on Average, Utahns Pay $668 in Taxes and Fees to City Government
– Unhappy with your Property Assessment? Learn How to Appeal
– National Data on Property Taxes Shows How Valuable Utah’s Truth-in-Taxation Law Has Become
– Your Association Accomplishments in August
– New Association Report Calculates How Much the Typical Utah Family Pays in Taxes and Fees
– Cannon’s Canon: Utah Will Have Another Huge Surplus; It is Time for the Legislature to Return Money to Taxpayers
– Utah’s Drought: The Real Way to Encourage Conservation is Through a Change in Tax Policy
– Interim Committees Examine Possibility of Future Tax Cuts and Changing the Structure of Funding Transportation
– Congressman John Curtis Should be Applauded for Reminding Taxpayer: Government Run Broadband Network Don’t Work
– Your Association Accomplishments in June
– Utah Collected $989 Annually from Each Resident in Sales Taxes, According to New Survey
– Cannon’s Canon: Utah’s Pension System is in Far Better Shape than Most Other States and it Needs to Stay That Way
– Preeminent Tax Conference Held Featuring Experts in their Fields of Taxes, Economics, and other Policy Leaders
– Your Association Accomplishments in May
– Why Income Tax Rates Matter – The Numbers Behind the 2020 Census
– Cannon’s Canon: Call the Claim “The Rich Don’t Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes” What it is – A Big Lie
– Preeminent Conference on Taxes to Be Held May 13, 2021
– Your Association Accomplishments in April
– 2021 Legislative Scorecard Released
– My Corner: Retiring After 44 Years
– Cannon’s Canon: Advancing Clean Energy in a Pro-Growth, Taxpayer-Friendly Way
– Taxpayers Association Asks U.S. Treasury for Guidance on New Federal Law’s Effect on State Tax Cuts
– Association Examined 28 Taxes and Fees in Brand New Booklet, Fast Tax
– State Auditor’s Office Releases New Dashboard Examining Education Funding from a Revolutionary New Approach
– Your Association Accomplishments in March
– How Will Your Taxes Change Now the 2021 General Session is Over?
– My Corner: Tales from the Legislature
– Cannon’s Canon – The Insane Asylum of California Tax Policy Is why Businesses and Residents Are Fleeing to States Like Utah
– Your Association Accomplishments in February
– Basing Transportation Funding on Users Fees Heats up Discussion During 2021 Session
– My Corner: The Evolution of Legislative Process, Public Access and Lobbying
– Cannon’s Canon – 2021 – The Year of the Tax Cut
– Per-Pupil Spending Cracks $10,000 Annually, According to New Association Report
– Utah Legislature Adapts to the Times. Learn How to Get Involved in This Year’s Session
– Your Association Accomplishments in January
– Tax Cuts for Families, Eliminating Burden on Small Business, and Transparency to Property Tax Increases are Ready for the 2021 Legislative Session
– My Corner: The Power of Principles vs. the Power of the Tribe: Why Policymakers Sometimes Yield to Pressure
– 2021 Legislative Outlook Conference to Focus on Maintaining Utah’s Competitiveness and Bringing Tax Relief to All Utahns
– Your Association Accomplishments in December
– Wireless Taxes and Government Fees Keep Increasing, and Utahns Pay Far Higher than the National Average
– My Corner: Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future
– 2020 Ballot Featured State and Local Tax Issues Which Will Affect Taxpayers for Years to Come
– Interim Committees Discuss Tax Relief for Seniors, Limiting Tax Increment Financing Participation for School Districts
– Your Association Accomplishments in November
– Tax Relief Long Overdue for Utahns
– My Corner: Constitutional Amendment G Will Protect Education Funding During Lean Years
– Demystifying Utah’s Property Tax Law and Why We Have the Best Property Tax Laws in the Nation
– Cannon’s Canon: Finding Free Market Solutions to Address Climate Change
– Your Association Accomplishments in October
– Another Utah City Looking to Wade into the Mire that is Municipal Fiber
– My Corner: COVID-19: Utah State Tax Commission Works to Ease Tax Issues for Taxpayers
– While Utah’s Tax Structure Remains One of the Best in the Nation, Utah Remains at a Disadvantage Due to Federal Stubbornness
– Interim Committee Examines Sales Tax Exemptions, Taxpayers Association Urges Against Tax Pyramiding
– Your Association Accomplishments in September
– Second Utah City Withdraws from UAMPS Small Modular Nuclear Reactor
– My Corner: Utah Sets National Example by Avoiding Political Polarization
– Utah’s Tax Policy Continues to See National Accolades
– Your Association Accomplishments in August
– Utah City Councils Must Opt-Out of Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Project Before September 14th Deadline
– My Corner: The Pandemic Which Prompted the Teachers Union Tiger to Change Its Stripes
– Annual Report Finds Utahns Spend $643 Per Person on City Government on Average
– How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment
– Your Association Accomplishments in July
– During a Recession, the Wrong Thing to Do is Raise Taxes: More than 35 Utah Entities Looking to do Just That
– My Corner: Economist Stephen Moore: Utah Should Reduce or Eliminate the Income Tax
– Cannon’s Canon: Utah’s Sales Tax Revenue Surprisingly Resilient During the Pandemic
– Responses to COVID-19 Dominate Taxes Now Conference Presentations
– Your Association Accomplishments in June
– Utah Legislature Set to Examine Sales Tax Exemptions, Expanding Uses of Taxes During Interim
– My Corner: Utah Legislature Sets the Pace for Fiscal Responsibility in Rough Economic Times
– Cannon’s Canon: Individual Income Tax Rates Across the Nation – Utah Needs to be More Competitive
– Utah’s Recent Sales Tax Reform Efforts and Sales Taxes Across the Nation
– Your Association Accomplishments in May
– Utah Legislature Doubles Down on Taxing Business Inputs in Series of Special Sessions
– My Corner: Tax Increment Financing: Stealing from School Children?
– Cannon’s Canon: Updated Unemployment Claims: How Does Utah Fare?
– Utah Taxpayers Association Releases Spending and Revenue from 112 Charter Schools
– Your Association Accomplishments in April
– Mixed Legislative Session Attempts Tax Reform, Adds Taxes to Business Inputs, and Increases Transparency
– My Corner: Karl N. Snow Jr: Good Government Doesn’t Just Happen, It Has a Designer
– Cannon’s Canon: What Will Be the Consequences for Utah from Coronavirus?
– Utah Taxpayers Association Releases 2020 Legislative Scorecard, Announced ‘Friend of the Taxpayer’ Awards
– Sobering Statistics on Unemployment: How Does Utah Look?
– Your Association Accomplishments in March
– 2020 General Session Looking to Make Major Tax Impacts for Families and Businesses
– My Corner: Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Any Worse
– Cannon’s Canon: The Truth on Income Taxes
– Utah Ranks Fourth Lowest in Federal Aid, Still Receives 24% of Statewide Budget from Federal Government
– Utah’s Corporate Tax Rate Stay Competitive in 2019
– Your Association Accomplishments in February
– 2020 Legislative Session Begins, Tax Issues Still Percolating
– My Corner: If a Republic is Better than a Democracy, Why Did 152,000 Utah Voters say the Legislature got Tax Reform Wrong?
– States Continue to Look to Utah as they Reform their Tax Structure
– Utah Spends Nearly $10,000 per Student on Average, According to Latest School Spending Report
– Utah’s Corporate Tax Rate Stay Competitive in 2019
– Your Association Accomplishments in January
– Utah Legislature Acts on Tax Reform at Special Session, Includes $160 to $200 Million Net Tax Cut
– My Corner: The Legislature Has Accomplished Major Tax Reform, Now it’s Time to Do Right by Utah’s Forgotten Economic Region
– Online Remote Sales Tax Collections (Wayfair) Getting Stronger – Now $111 Million and Growing
– 2020 Legislative Outlook Conference to Focus on Maintaining Utah’s Competitiveness and Implementation of Tax Modernization Legislation
– Utah’s State and Local Government Tax Burden Falls Below National Median
– Utah’s Property Taxes Continue to Be Recognized as One of the Best in the Nation
– Your Association Accomplishments in December
– Tax Task Force Moves Closer to a Final Proposal, as Your Taxpayers Association Calls for a More Significant Tax Cut
– My Corner: Time for a Dose of Reality on Education Reform and Funding
– Cannon’s Canon: The Hits Keep on Comin’ – A $200 Million Tax Cut is the Right Thing for Utah
– Interim Committee Moves on Improving Utah Business Climate; Cell Phone Fees Examined as Utah Ranks 5th Highest in the Nation
– The Average Utah Taxpayer Coughs Up $926 Annually to County Government
– Utah Taxpayers Association Elects New Board of Directors, Officers for 2020
– Your Association Accomplishments in November
– Utah Efforts at Tax Reform Begin to Move Forward
– My Corner: Inside Utah’s Legislative Process: Strength to Create Prosperity, Weakness Which Could Spell Disaster
– Cannon’s Canon: The Missing Part of the Conversation on Sales Tax on Food
– Are Utahns Tired of School Districts Building “Taj Mahals”?
– Utah Drops in Business Climate Index Ranking
– Utah Taxpayers Association Presents Tax Issues in Front of Nationwide Panel in Washington, D.C.
– Your Association Accomplishments in October
– Utah’s Property Tax Truth in Taxation Law is Threatened at Home While it Becomes a Model for Other States
– My Corner: Utah’s Ugly Little Secret about Public Education Funding
– Tax Task Force Examined Increasing the Gas Tax, Road Usage Charge, and Earmarks for Transportation as it Closes In on Recommendations
– Utah Taxpayers Association Takes Positions on November Bond Proposals
– Your Association Accomplishments in September
– Tax Restructuring and Equalization Task Force Begins to Weigh Options, Examines Food Sales Tax and Reducing the Income Tax
– My Corner: Utah’s 51st Rank in Spending Per Student – A Flawed Metric
– Second Quarter Remote Sales Tax Revenue Estimates Are In – How are the Numbers Shaking Out?
– How Utah Can Get an “A” on the COST State Sales Tax Scorecard: COST Warns Against Tax Pyramiding
– Your Association Accomplishments in August
– Are Your Taxes Increasing? 57 Local Governments are Looking to Increase your Property Taxes
– My Corner: ‘Don’t Tax Me; Don’t Tax Thee; Tax the Fellow Behind the Tree’
– Not all Property Valuation Notices are Created Equal – Notices Can Vary Wildly Between Counties
– Cannon’s Canon: Fiscal Year 2019 Numbers are In – Sales Tax Grows Faster than Inflation and Population Growth for th 9th Straight Year
– Your Association Accomplishments in July
– City Government Takes $635 from Every Man, Woman, and Child on Average
– My Corner: What Every Taxpayer Needs to Know about Utah’s Current Tax Reform Process
– Jonathan Williams Says Utah Won’t Be Number One for Economic Outlook much Longer Unless Bold Changes are Made
– School Districts Take $469 Million from Students Under Pressure from Cities and Counties that Look to Spur Economic Development
– More than Half of All Businesses in Utah are Exempt from the Personal Property Tax Following Action Taken during the 2019 Session
– Your Association Accomplishments in June
– Cannon’s Canon: Shout it From the Rooftops – There is Plenty of Room for an Income Tax Cut
– My Corner: Teacher Salary Hikes without Conditions Reveal School Boards’ Lack of Vision
– Online Remote Sales Tax Data (Wayfair) Starts to Roll In
– “Why Must This Be Done?” Panelists Discuss Basis and Answers to State Tax Reform
– Taxes Now Conference Attendees Told to “Act Boldly and Implement Slowly” When Considering State Tax Reform
– Your Association Accomplishments in May
– Cannon’s Canon: Cutting the Income Tax Rate is the Right Move for Utah – Op-Ed
– My Corner: Bright Spots in Educational Outcomes Must be Scaled Systemwide
– Utah Taxpayers Association Celebrates Utah’s #1 Ranking for 12th Year in a Row for Economic Outlook
– Canyons School District Proposed $50,000 Starting Teacher Salary with Property Tax Hike
– Americans Pay 29% of their Income to Taxes, According to New Report
– Your Association Accomplishments in April
– 2019 Session: There’s Still Plenty of Work to Do in the Coming Months
– My Corner: The Importance of the People’s House
– Association Released 2019 Legislative Scorecard, Announces “Friends of the Taxpayer”
– Cannon’s Canon: Other States Are Nipping at Our Heels in Income Tax Cuts
– 2019 School Spending Report Shows Significant Administrative Hiring Spree
– Your Association Accomplishments in March
March 2019 Newsletter
– Sales Taxes on Services: Killing the Goose that Lays the Golden Egg
– My Corner: Tax Reform: First, Do No Harm
– 2019 Legislative Watchlist: What, How, and Where to Watch Tax Bills
– Utah’s 15% Cell Phone Taxes to Increase?
– Your Association Accomplishments in February
February 2019 Newsletter
– Cutting the Income Tax Rate: The Right Thing to Do
– My Corner: Should the Legislature End the Double Taxation on Personal Property for all Taxpayers?
– 2019 Legislative Watchlist: What, How, and Where to Watch Tax Bills
– Tax Commission Agrees to Work with Your Taxpayers Association to Re-Examine Penalties for Failure to Collect Sales Taxes
– Over 120 Attendees Help Make 2019 Legislative Outlook Conference a Success
– Your Association Accomplishments in January
January 2019 Newsletter
– Following 2018 Successes, Utah 2.0 Moves into Next Phase
– My Corner: Will the Legislature Allow Automatic Property Tax Increases?
– Expanding the Sales Tax Base: Whose Ox Gets Gored?
– Cannon’s Canon: Recession Coming? Listen to Jonathan Ball and Bond Insiders
– Your Association Accomplishments in December
December 2018 Newsletter
-November Ballot Packed with Tax Issues, Yields Mixed Results
– My Corner: Governor and Legislature Prove Once Again Why Utah is the Best Manager State
– Utah Legislature To Be Filled with New Members, New Makeups of Revenue and Taxation Committees in 2019
– Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee Sends Message that Taxes Ought to be Cut in 2019
– Utah Taxpayers Association Elects New Board of Directors, Officers for 2019
– Your Association Accomplishments in November
November 2018 Newsletter
– Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee Discusses Family Impact of Federal Tax Reform
– My Corner: The Power to Tax Involves the Power to Destroy: Utah State Tax Commission
– Recent Report Proposes Improvements to Tax Commission in Collection of Delinquent Income Taxes
– Utah Taxpayers Association Announces Selection of New Vice President
– The Utah Senate Confirms New Tax Commissioner Lawrence Walters, Started His Term November 1, 2018
– Your Association Accomplishments in October
October 2018 Newsletter
– New Annual Report Discloses Per Student Charter School Funding
– My Corner: First Annual Report on Utah’s Charter Schools
– Commissioner Pero Set to Retire from the Utah State Tax Commission
– November Ballot Will Ask Multiple Tax Questions – Your Taxpayers Association’s Position on Ballot Issues
– Utah Scores in Top-10 Ranking in the Latest Business Climate Report from Tax Foundation
– Your Association Accomplishments in September
September 2018 Newsletter
– Redevelopment Agencies Take $171 Million from Local Governments, 53% of that from School Districts
– My Corner: Citizens have a Right to Transparent Government
– Revenue and Taxation Committee Discusses Future Tax Cuts
– Guest Commentary: A Vote for Proposition 3 – Medicaid Expansion – Will Bring Unexpected Costs to Utahns
– Per Pupil Spending Disparity Continues to Grow, According to Utah Taxpayers Association’s School Spending Report
– Your Association Accomplishments in August
August 2018 Newsletter
– July Special Session Ensures Manufacturing Sales Tax Exemption, Collection of Remote Sales Taxes
– My Corner: The Legislature Must Keep its Promise to Cut Taxes in Proportion to Remote Sales Tax Revenues
– How to Appeal the County’s Valuation of Your Property
– Utah’s Sales Taxes on Soda, Candy, and Groceries are Complicated
– Your Association Accomplishments in July
July 2018 Newsletter
– Legislative Committee Supports NOL Changes, Discusses Corporate Income Tax
– My Corner: Why So Many Elected Officials Oppose Transparency and Equity
– Court Dismisses Counties’ Case Against Centrally-Assessed Taxpayers
– Supreme Court Gives Local Retailers Victory, Benefitting Utah Businesses and Families
– Average Utah Residents Pays $611 to City Government
– Property Tax Valuation Protected
– Your Association Accomplishments in June
June 2018 Newsletter
– Potential Summer Special Session to Focus on Adjusting toFederal Tax Reform
– My Corner: 26 Years of Six Taxpayer Hereos
– New Report Shows that 29 of Utah’s Top 50 Cities Have an Employee that Makes a Higher Salary than the Governor
– Federal Tax Reform and Options for State Adjustments the Focus for 40th Annual Utah Taxes Now Conference
– Association Releases Annual Guide to State and Local Taxes.
– Your Association Accomplishments in May
May 2018 Newsletter
– Salt Lake County Tax Hike Proposal Ignores Taxpayers’ Voice
– My Corner: The High Cost of Education Mediocrity
– May Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee Agenda
– Americans Pay $5.2 Trillion in Taxes, Utah Fares Better than 35 Other States
– 40th Annual Utah Taxes Now Conference to Focus on Impacts and Needed Changes to State and Federal Tax Reform
– Utah Ranks Best for Economic Outlook, According to Rich States Poor States
– Your Association Accomplishments in April
April 2018 Newsletter
– Tax Hikes, Tax Cuts, and Everything in Between at the 2018 Legislative Session
– My Corner: My Decision to not Run for Re-election to the Utah Senate
– Online Sales Tax Debate to be Heard at the Supreme Court
– 2018 Legislative Scorecard Released, Shows a More Taxpayer Friendly Session than 2017
– Save the Date: Utah Taxes Now Conference Held on May 22, 2018!
– Your Association Accomplishments in March
March 2018 Newsletter
– Utah Ranks 3rd Highest in the Nation for Its Education System, and Best for Fiscal Stability
– My Corner: Truth-in-Bonding Legislation is a Win for All Taxpayers, Preventing Unapproved Debt
– Will the Utah Legislature Raise Your Taxes in 2018?
– Report: Utah Sales Taxes Rank 29th Nationally, and 4th Among Neighboring States
– Your Association Accomplishments in February
February 2018 Newsletter
– Utah’s Teacher Pay Ranks Middle of the Pack Nationwide, is Second Highest in Region
– My Corner: Federal Tax Reform Paves the Way for Meaningful, Beneficial State Tax Reform
– Controversial Tax Hikes are the Talk of the First Weeks of the 2018 Legislative Session
– Google Fiber Fallout Should be a Warning to Cities Looking at Municipal-owned Fiber Systems
– Association Accomplishments in January
January 2018 Newsletter
– Herbert’s Proposed FY 2019 Budget Echoes Sound Tenets of Tax Policy
– My Corner: Legislative Outlook Conference to Preview State Legislature’s Efforts of Tax Reform, and What Federal Reform Means for Utah
– Utah’s State and Local Government Tax and Fee Burden Falls Below the National Median
– Association Accomplishments in December
December 2017 Newsletter
– Momentum Gains on Tax Reform at the Federal and State Levels
– My Corner: Pro Soccer Stadium Deal Undermines Counties “Taxpayer Watchdog” Claims
– Guest Commentary: The Case for Utah’s Tax Reform
– Protecting Utah’s Economic and Business Competitive Edge for the Next Decade
– Utah Taxpayers Association Elects New Board of Directors Chairman, Other Changes to the Executive Committee
– Taxpayers Cough Up $926 Annually to County Government
– Your Taxpayers Association Accomplishments in November
November 2017 Newsletter
– House GOP Unveils Federal Tax Reform Plan
– My Corner: The Risk of Thinking Utah is “Doing Well Enough” Undermines the Need for Tax Reform
– Taxpayer-Funded UTOPIA Approves Additional Funding
– Guest Commentary: Redesigning Utah’s Higher Education to Meet Workforce Needs
– Utah Remains in Top Ten for Tax-Friendly Business Climate
– Association Accomplishments in October
October 2017 Newsletter
– Legislative Committee Works Towards Tax Reform Package
– My Corner: Utah’s School Districts Should Focus on Best Value Construction, Costing Taxpayers Less
– Guest Commentary: Moving Forward on U.S. Tax Reform
– Tax Review Commission Examining Utah’s Three-Legged Tax Stool
– Lawmakers Considering Elimination of Sales Tax on Food
– Association Accomplishments in September
September 2017 Newsletter
– User Fees, Not General Sales Taxes, Should Fund State Highways
– My Corner: Working Across Factional Lines to Get the People’s Work Done
– Op-Ed: Stop Investing Taxpayer Dollars on a Failed Project
– Five School Districts Seeking Voter-Approved Bonds This Fall
– Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee Discusses Eliminating Manufacturing Sales Tax Penalty, Reducing Corporate Income Taxes
– Difference Between Highest and Lowest per Pupil Spending is Greater than $13,000, New Report Shows
– Association Accomplishments in August
August 2017 Newsletter
– Property Value too High? Appeal the County’s Valuation
– My Corner: On the Brink of Tax Increases for Education, School Boards Need to Look at Alternatives
– 2017 Truth in Taxation Hearings
– Guest Op-Ed: All Taxpayers Should Be Treated Equal
– $578 of Average Utahn’s Income Goes to City Government
– Sen. Orrin Hatch Should Support Trump Tax Cuts
– Association Accomplishments in July
July 2017 Newsletter
– New Audit Finds Special Districts Repeatedly Violate State Laws, Urges Legislative Action
– My Corner: Counties Declare War Against Business Property Taxpayers
– Enterprise Fund Transfers: A Taxpayers Association Policy Brief
– Truth-in-Taxation Hearings
– Corporate Income Tax Reform Tops June Legislative Meetings
– Your Association Accomplishments in June
June 2017 Newsletter
– Academic Study Says Municipal-Owned Fiber Networks, like UTOPIA, are Risky Business for Taxpayers
– My Corner: The High Cost of Educational Mediocrity
– May Interim Meetings Restart Tax Reform Discussion
– Attendees Get the Insider’s Look at State and Federal Tax Reform Efforts
– Association Nets Major Victory for Taxpayers Information Protection
– Taxpayers Association Releases Annual Fast Tax Booklet
– Your Association Accomplishments in May
May 2017 Newsletter
– Utah’s Capital City Looks at Creating Fee for Transportation
– My Corner: State and Federal Tax Reforms Will Boost Prosperity – Don’t Miss Utah Taxes Now Conference
– Complying with Taxes Cost $263 Billion, Says Report
– Guest Commentary: Tax Reform is Key to Utah’s Future Success
– Trump Team Releases Sneak Peak of Tax Reform Package
– Op-Ed: Transparency Efforts During the 2017 Legislative Session Bring More Light to Government
– Utah Top State for in Economic Climate National Ranking for 10 Straight Years
– Your Taxpayers Association Accomplishments in April
April 2017 Newsletter
– If Congress Acts, What Will Federal Tax Reform Look Like?
– My Corner: Employed by Utah’s Tax Watchdog for 40 Years
– 2017 General Session: A Mixed Bag with Tax Increases, Progress on Utah 2.0, and Taxpayer Transparency
– 2017 Legislative Scorecard Released, 34 of 104 Earned “Friend of the Taxpayer” Award
– Utah’s Income Tax Rate Ranks Second Highest Among Neighboring States
– Your Taxpayers Association Accomplishments in March
March 2017 Newsletter
– Efforts Towards Major Tax Reforms in Utah Stalls, Work to Continue Throughout the Year
– My Corner: Appropriate Bonding Respects Taxpayers
– Guest Commentary: More Bonding Transparency
– Late Tax-Related Legislation Drafted, Other Bills Progress During 2017 Session
– Transparency-in-Taxation Bills Move Forward During the 2017 Legislative Session
– Utah Taxpayers Association Policy Brief: 911 Fees
– Your Taxpayers Association Accomplishments in February
February 2017 Newsletter
– Cities Escaping Truth-in-Taxation Process through Excess Utility Fees
– My Corner: Increasing the Income Tax is Risky Business, Other Options Should be Considered
– Transparency for Taxpayers Among Key Issues Association Working Towards During 2017 Session
– Utah’s Tax and Fee Burden Decreases, Taxes Remain Below the National Average
– 2017 Legislative Outlook Conference Previews Top Issues from Key Policymakers
– Your Association Accomplishments for January
January 2017 Newsletter
– Economic Viability, Transparency Key Issues as 2017 Session Set to Begin
– My Corner: The Dangers of Increasing Utah’s Income Taxes
– Guest Commentary: The Cost of Yesterday’s Pension Promises to Public Education
– Herbert’s Latest Budget Proposal Includes Review of Tax System
– 2017 Legislative Outlook Conference Previews Proposed Tax Increase
– Your Association Accomplishments in December
December 2016 Newsletter
– Utahns Voluntarily Contribute just $8,803 in 2014 to Public Education
– My Corner: Ballot Question for $750 Million income Tax Increase for Public Education Will Fail, Create Lasting Ill-Will
– Taxpayers Win on the November Ballot on Schools, Parks, Elected Officials
– Forbes Magazine Ranks Utah as the Top State for Business
– Changes to Solar Tax Credits, Continued Push on Utah 2.0 Make Progress Heading into 2017 General Session
– Board of Directors Elected an Annual Member Meeting
– Officials in Weber County Approve Property Tax Increase
– Your Association Accomplishments in November
November 2016 Newsletter
– Improving Utah’s Business Climate Through Utah 2.0: More Progress to be Made in 2017
– My Corner: It’s Time to End Government Agency Entitlements
– Taxpayers Association Endorses Pleasant Grove Public Safety Bond
– Truth-in-Taxation Hearings for 9 of Utah’s 29 Counties
– Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee Looking at Amending Utah’s Greenbelt Law
– Utah’s Tax Watchdog Meets with Other Watchdogs at Vegas Conferences
– Utah Taxpayers Deserve Confidentiality Throughout the Entire Property Valuation Appeals Process
– Your Taxpayers Association Accomplishments During October
October 2016 Newsletter
– Understanding Bonding Principles: Impacts and Uses
– My Corner: Are Increased County Appeals in Centrally Assessed Cases a Concern?
– Op-Ed: The ‘Cost of Cool’
– Tax Increment Financing, Education Equalization Tops Tax Issues During September Interim Meetings
– Guest Op-Ed: If Water Price Reflected Its True Cost, Utahns Would Conserve More
– An Explanation of Constitutional Amendment C and Leased Property Tax Exemptions
– Association Accomplishments in September
September 2016 Newsletter
– Redevelopment Agencies Colelct more than $166 Million Annually, 53% from School Districts
– My Corner: Don’t Let a Famous Company Dazzle Us into a Bad Deal
– Tax Review Commission Hits Pause on Single Sales Factor Apportionment
– Average Annual Teacher Compensation Exceeds $100,000 in One School District
– Utah Cities Named Best Places to Start A Business
– Association Accomplishments in August
August 2016 Newsletter
– Taxpayers Association Wins Free Speech Lawsuit Regarding HB 43
– My Corner: Something Smells in Utah’s Special Service Districts
– Expanding the Elimination of Sales Tax for Inputs in July’s Special Session, and Other Items
– Appealing the County’s Valuation of your Property
– Association Releases Annual Cost of City Government Report
– Association Hired New Executive Assistant
– Association Accomplishments in July
July 2016 Newsletter
– 19 Cities, 9 School Districts, 3 Special Service Districts Increasing Taxes
– My Corner: Cities Grasp at Straws Through Utility Fees for Transportation
– Local Building Authorities Circumvent the Will of the Voters
– Taxpayers Association Testifies in Support of Single Sales Factor for All
– Association Releases How Utah Compares Report
– Association Accomplishments in June
June 2016 Newsletter
– Are My Property Taxes Going Up?
– My Corner: State School Board Elections Crucial to Education Reform
– Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Weigh In at 38th Annual Taxes Now Conference
– Utah’s Rainy Day Fund – An Example to the Nation
– Tax Review Commission Examines Expansion of Single Sales Factor
– Association Accomplishments in May
May 2016 Newsletter
– Utah Tax Freedom Day: April 21st
– My Corner: Restoring Funding through a Special Session a Better Option
– ALEC Ranks Utah #1 Nationally for Economic Outlook
– Candidates for Governor to Speak at Utah Taxes Now Conference
— Tax Review Commission to Study Utah 2.0 Key Components
– Elected Officials Tax Bootcamp Held Successfully
– Association Accomplishments in April
April 2016 Newsletter
– Victories, Progress Made During the 2016 Legislative Session
– My Corner: New Item on Property Tax Notice Does Not Impose New Taxes
– Legislative Scorecard Released and “Friend of the Taxpayer” Recipients Named
– Tax Day and Your Income Taxes: A Brief Description and Comparison
– Save the Date! “Teed Off on Taxes” Golf Tournament and Taxes Now Conference Date Announced
– Veiled Threat to Taxpayers Continues After Senate Rejects Removing Local Option Sales Tax
– Association Accomplishments in March
March 2016 Newsletter
– HB 61 – Creating and Building a Stronger Business Climate for all Utahns
– My Corner: Utah 2.0 Advances During the 2016 Legislative Session
– Utah Taxpayers Association 2016 Watchlist
– Guest Commentary: Reevaluating Salt Lake County’s Equestrian Center, by Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton
– Save the Date! “Teed Off on Taxes” Golf Tournament Date Announced
– The Debate Around Income Taxes Continues on Capitol Hill
– Association Accomplishments in February
February 2016 Newsletter
– Utah 2.0 – Clearing the Hurdle of Sales Tax Inequity for Utah’s Manufacturers
– My Corner: Will Utah Find a Solution to Remote Sales?
– Utah Taxpayers Association 2016 Watchlist
– Pre-Legislative Conference A Success, Featuring State and Local Leaders
– 2016 Legislative Committee Meetings, Join Us Thursdays at 7am
– Association Accomplishments in January
January 2016 Newsletter
– Utah 2.0 – Ensuring Utah’s Economic Viability
– My Corner: The Keys to Prosperity
– Board of Directors Elected at Annual Member Meeting
– Salt Lake County Approves $9.4 Million Tax Increase
– Utah Taxpayers Association Conference and Legislative Events
– Association Accomplishments in December
December 2015 Newsletter
– Utahns to Pay More Taxes at the Pump Beginning in 2016
– My Corner: Utah’s Cell Phone Taxes Going Up as Cell Phone Bills Drop
– Your Taxpayers Association is Suing the State to Protect Free Speech of Associations Speech
– Salt Lake, Cache, Sevier counties on the Verge of Approving Property Tax Increases
– Taxpayers Association Continues Headway on Single Sales Factor, Priorities into 2016 Legislative Session
– Association Accomplishments in November
November 2015 Newsletter
– State General Fund Revenues Down Due to Sales, Severance Tax
– My Corner: Governor Herbert Leaves State School Board Nominating Process in Question
– A Brief Recap of Multiple Tax-Related Issues on this Year’s Ballot
– Counties and Special Service Districts Statewide Hold Truth in Taxation Hearings Starting in November
– Utah Tax Review Commission Nears Decisions on Sales Tax Earmarks
– Charitable Giving by Individuals Affected as Officials Raise, Lower Taxes
– Association Accomplishments in October
October 2015 Newsletter
– Multiple Tax-Related Ballot Questions on This Year’s Ballot
– My Corner: Salt Lake County Mayor and Council to Break 20 Year Promise?
– New Special Service District in Davis County Proposed by the South Davis Metro Fire Agency
– Utah’s Tax Review Commission to Look at Other States’ Earmarking Practices
– Association Accomplishments During September
– Transportation and Mass Transit Sales Tax Referendum: Proposition 1 Pros and Cons
September 2015 Newsletter
– Taxpayers Win in Special Session with the Passage of Senate Bill 1001
– My Corner: Phase-in option appropriate for Single Sales Factor Legislation
– Tax Hikes Approved by 30 Entities, Recap from Truth and Taxation Hearings
– Taxing Manufacturing Inputs Hurts Utah’s Record as a Business-friendly State
– Utah Taxpayers Association Welcomes New Research Analyst
– Association Accomplishments During August
– Expanding Single Sales Factor Apportionment is Key to Utah’s Economic Growth
– My Corner: UTOPIA Network Digging Deeper Into Debt
– Truth-in-Taxation: The 5 Worst Proposed Property Tax Hikes of 2015
– Appealing the County’s Valuation of Your Property: How to get Comparable Sales Data
– Salt Lake County Backs Off Harmful Tax Appeal Rules, Utah Taxpayers Association leads fight against unfair rule changes
– 2015 Cost of City Governments Report Released
– Increased Highway Funding Essential: Let’s Choose the Right Tool
– Complete 2015 School Spending Report Released
– Association Accomplishments During July
– Rethinking General Tax Subsidies for Funding Highways and Water
– My Corner: Salt Lake, Granite, Murray and Grand School Districts Proposing Misleading and Unjustifiable Property Tax Increases
– Which Local Taxing Entities Are Raising Property Taxes This Year?
– Congressman Chaffetz’s Sales Tax Equity Legislation Deserves Consideration
– Rebecca L. Rockwell Confirmed to the Utah State Tax Commission
– Utah State Tax Commission Announces New Reconciliation Requirements
– Bad Data Inhibits Utah Schools’ Accountability
– Association Accomplishments During June
– Counties Should Reject the Local Option Sales Tax for Roads
– My Corner: Why Utah’s Rank on Per Student Spending Is Just One Data Point – Not a Vice
– Are My Property Taxes Going Up This Fall? An Early Look at Truth in Taxation Hearings this August
– 37th Annual Utah Taxes Now Conference Review
– R. Bruce Johnson Receives Lifetime Service Award
– Taxpayer Watchdog Award Presented to the Special Fraud Group of the Utah State Tax Commission
– Taxpayers Association Welcomes New Executive Assistant
– Association Accomplishments During May
– Utah County’s BRT Project: a Tax Increase or Financial Wizardry?
– My Corner: What Is Needed to Keep Utah’s Economic Engine Humming?
– Utah’s Economic Outlook Ranks #1 Nationally for Eighth Year in a Row
– 2015 “School Spending Report” Released
– A Day in the Life of a Regulated American Family
– Utah Taxes Now Conference May 28th: Keynote Speaker Announced
– Teed Off On Taxes Golf Tournament June 11th
– Association Accomplishments During April
– 2015 Utah Taxes Now Conference Tentative Agenda
– Taxpayers To Pay More Following 2015 Legislative Session
– My Corner: Education Funding – Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
– Legislative Scorecard Released and “Friend of the Taxpayer” Award Recipients Named
– Legislative Wrap-Up and Taxpayer Wins
– Letter to the Governor: Veto SB 97
– Estimating the Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation
– Association Accomplishments During March
– What Will Happen to Utah’s Gas Tax? A comparison of transportation funding bills
– My Corner: Tax Increases in a Surplus Year the Wrong Way to Go
– Healthy Utah 2.0 and the Taxpayer Perspective on Medicaid Expansion
– The 2015 Legislature’s Best and Worst Bills for Utah Taxpayers
– Legislative Watchlist: Priority Bills and Legislative Highlights
– Upcoming Association Events
– Association Accomplishments During February
– Healthy Utah Inappropriately Deepens Utah’s Relationship with Obamacare
– My Corner: Truth-in-Taxation for the Motor Fuel Tax
– Utah Must Continue Tax Reform or Risk Losing Its Tax Advantage to Other States
– Association Hosts Successful Conferences
– Cost of County Governments Report Released
– Macquarie Releases UTOPIA Milestone Two Report
– Utah Taxpayers Association Legislative Watchlist: Priority Bills and Legislative Highlights
– Association Accomplishments During January
– Utah Should Wait on Medicaid Expansion Until the Supreme Court Makes Upcoming Obamacare Ruling
– My Corner: Is Prison Relocation Good for Taxpayers?
– Upcoming 2015 Legislative Priorities
– Federal Communications Commission Moving Forward With a $1.5 Billion Tax Hike
– Report Card on American Education
– FY 2012 How Utah Compares Report Released
– Upcoming Association Events
– Association Accomplishments During December
2014 Newsletters
– Tax Commission Must Put a Stop to Nuisance Personal Property Audits
– My Corner: Ballot Language to Blame for Amendment A Failure
– December Truth in Taxation Hearings Line-Up
– Mike Edmonds Named Chair of the Utah Taxpayers Association
– Utah’s Tax Climate Ranked 9th Best Nationally
– $585 Million Income Tax Hike on the Horizon?
– Alpine School Board Members Choose Corporate Welfare over Funding Kids Education
– Upcoming 2015 Association Events
– Association Accomplishments During November
– User Fees the Solution to Utah’s Transportation Needs
– My Corner: Taxpayer Subsidized Mega Hotel Nets Only One Bid
– Utah’s Wireless Taxes Top Neighboring States and Rank 12th Highest in the Nation
– December Truth in Taxation Hearings
– Will Businesses Be Paying Taxes on Income They Haven’t Yet Received?
– Association Activities During October
– Taxpayers Association Welcomes New Vice President
– My Corner: Orem’s CDA Would Take $44 Million from Alpine School District
– Guest Commentary (Paul Clayson): Municipal Tax Distribution System Creates the Wrong Incentives
– Taxpayers Association Endorses Pleasant Grove General Obligation Bond for Public Safety Building
– Guest Commentary (Gordon Jones): ZAP Robs the Poor to Feed the Rich
– Guest Commentary (Senator Mike Lee): Tax Reform for the American Dream
– Tax-Related November Ballot Questions
– My Corner: Royce Van Tassell Leaving Taxpayers Association
– Truth in Taxation Wins and Losses
– Letter Protests West Point City’s Annual Tax Hikes
– Uncertain Future for $1.8 Billion uNOpia Tax
– Taxpayers Association Working to Resolve “New Growth” and Centrally Assessed Appeals
– New State Auditor Report: Utah Legislature needs to better define “new growth”
– My Corner: It’s Time for Utah to End K-12 Teacher Tenure
– Truth in Taxation: The 5 Worst Proposed Property Tax Hikes of 2014
– Vote YES on Amendment A
– Guest Commentary: Corporate Inversions: A Symptom of Our Broken Tax Code
– New Report from The Center for American Progress: “Return on Educational Investment: 2014”
-“uNOpia” Campaign Update
-My Corner: American Exceptionalism
-25 Property Tax Hikes Proposed Across the State
-Association Hires New Research Analyst
-3rd Party Economic Report: UTOPIA Deal BAD for Taxpayers
-My Corner: It’s Time to Say uNOpia to UTOPIA
-36th Annual Utah Taxes Now Conference a Success
-Guest Commentary:Preventing Assessment Areas From Being an End Run Around TnT
-Guest Commentary: Utah’s Broadband Non-Adopters
-Macquarie deal could push cost of UTOPIA network past $2 billion
-My Corner: Raising state income tax fails to bring promised results
-Utah Taxpayers Legal Foundation fights unfair sales tax
-Mia Love and Doug Owens on stage together: 2014 Utah Taxes Now Conference Preview
-SLC Golf System Headed for Financial “Death Spiral”?
-My Corner: Utah’s Election Nominating Processes Best in Nation: We should keep them
-Taxpayers Association Releases 2014 Legislative Scorecard
-Utah Tax Freedom Day is April 17th; Utah Ranks 28th on Annual State
-Local Tax Burden Report -2014 Legislative Session was a Success for Utah Taxpayers
-Legislature Eyes $100 Million Property Tax Hike: House Likely to Say No
-With One Week Left in Legislative Session: Tax Bills Move Through Legislature
-My Corner: Update on Potential Macquarie Capital & Utopia Deal
-Prospects to Defeat Tax-Subsidized Convention Center Hotel Look Grim
-2014 Legislative Watch List Priorities
-The USTAR Audit: A Follow Up
– My Corner: What will the 2014 Legislature do with transportation funding
-UTOPIA and Macquarie: The latest attempt at protecting UTOPIA taxpayers?
– Obamacare’s Insurer Tax’s Impact on Utah
– 2014 Legislative Watchlist
– New Study Gives More Reasons to Oppose Tax Subsidies for a Convention Center Hotel
– My Corner: Victory for Taxpayers
– Macquarie Capital Offers to Turn UTOPIA Around
– Emergency Department Visits Increase as Medicaid Expands
– Utah Ranks in the Top Ten in the 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index
– 2014 Legislative Watchlist
– Half of All Taxpayers Pay Nearly All Federal Income Taxes
2013 Newsletters
– USTAR Audit: What Happens When Politics Get in the Way
– My Corner: An Innovative Alternative to School Bonds
– Will School Boards Take Instruction from Voters?
– Previewing the 2014 Legislative Session
– Recap of 2013 Bond Proposals
– Taxpayers Association Annual Membership Meeting: Board of Directors, Officers Named
– Change Needed to Empower Taxpayers Voice in County Property Taxes
– My Corner: What’s Right with Utah Public Education
– Tens of Thousands of Utah Students are Becoming Truly Bilingual
– Ending Hidden Property Tax Hikes: Strengthening Utah’s Truth in Taxation Protections
– Notice of Utah Taxpayers Association’s Annual Meeting
– The Tale of Two Districts: Association Endorses WSD bond and Opposes JSD bond
– Utah Counties and Cities Ask for an Additional 3% Local Option Gas Fee
– Association Urges No Votes on Jordan and Cache bonds, Remains Neutral on Logan Bond
– My Corner: Utah’s Growing Dependency Ratio Predicts Difficult Education Budgets Ahead
– 2013 How Utah Compares Report Preview
– Notice of Utah Taxpayers Association’s Annual Meeting
– Despite Urging from Taxpayers Association, Jordan School District Maintains Status Quo
– Utah Has the Highest Average Child Tax Credit Refund in US
– Orem’s Arts and Recreation Tax on the Ballot Again
– Fulfilling the Promise of Public Education: Utah Begins School Grading
-My Corner: Jordan School Board Must Reconsider its Status-quo Approach to Taxing for School Buildings
-Detroit: An Example of What Not to Do- by Former State Senator Dan Liljenquist
-IRS Ruling on Same Sex marriage Tax Filing Answers Some Questions, Creates Others
– Tax Questions on the November Ballot -Quick Summary of Truth in Taxation Hearings
– It’s Time to Expand the Manufacturing Sales Tax Exemption
– My Corner: Salt Lake county Mayor and Council Become Educators as County Tax Hike Kicks In
– Appealing the County’s Valuation of Your Property: How to get Comparable Sales Data
– Oregon’s VMT Program Now Open to the Public – 2013 Truth in Taxation Hearings
-Utah Can’t Rely on Federal Medicaid Promises
-My Corner: Charter School Competition Improves District Schools, but School Boards Build Lavish Buildings while Charters Economize
-Funding Source is Key for Utah’s Growing Transportation System
-Update on Bonds Considered in June
-Roughly One Third of Utah’s Expenditures Come from the Federal Government
– Utah takes Top Spot for Economic Competitiveness in the new Rich States, Poor States Report
– My Corner: Federal Government Abuses – When is Enough Enough?
– Guest Commentary: Michael Clara Wants to Explore All of the Options Before Raising Taxes
– Which Local Governments are Raising Taxes?
– 2013 Budgets, Taxes, Hearing Dates – Cities and School Districts
– 35th Annual Utah Taxes Now Conference a Success
– Audit: Utah Retirements Systems Exaggerates Rate of Return
– My Corner: Tax Myths Debunked
– Should Utah Expand Medicaid Coverage?
– Tackling Transportation Funding by Cutting Utah’s Income Tax
– Market Place Fairness by Senator Wayne Harper – iProvo: A Requiem
– Tentative Utah Taxes Now Agenda
– Legislature Rejects Taxpayer Subsidies for a Convention Center Hotel
– Taxpayers Association Releases 2013 Legislative Scorecard
– My Corner: Utah Receives the Only “A” Grade on Digital Learning Now Report Card
– Taxpayers Association Successful in 2013 Legislative Session
– The STEM Action Center: Getting the Private Sector Involved in Their Future Workforce
– Utah Tax Freedom Day 2013: April 13
– Will Taxpayers Get Their Overpaid Property Taxes Back?
– My Corner: Another Education Group, Same Result?
– A Fiscal Discipline Reminder by Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union
– Non-Teaching Staff Growth Dwarfs Student Growth in Utah
– Taxpayers Association Priority Bills
February 2013 Newsletter
– Be Honest About Charter School Funding
– My Corner: The Limits on UTOPIA’s Next Steps
– Taxpayers Association Part of Solution to Streamline Sales Tax Refund Procedure
– Utah Not Alone in Transportation Funding Struggles
– Taxpayers Association Priority Bills
January 2013 Newsletter
– Association’s 2013 Legislative Agenda
– My Corner: Blended Learning 2.0 Paying Teachers as Other Professionals
– Empowering Students as Self-Directed Learners
– UPDATE: Court Rules Against Taxpayers in Restaurant Tax Case
– Profiling Legislative Chairs: Senators Reid and Henderson
– Guest Commentary by Paul Avelar: In Choosing Your Occupation, Let Freedom Ring
– Upcoming Taxpayers Association Events
2012 Newsletters
December – Taxpayers Association Opposes Salt Lake County’s Proposed Property Tax Hike – My Corner: The Real Snake Oil Salesmen – Time to Take the Next Step in the Public Lands Battle by Senator-elect Deidre Henderson – What Does the Fiscal Cliff Mean for Utah Taxpayers? – Is Your County Government Raising Taxes? – Jim Hewlett Named Chair of Utah Taxpayers Association Board of Directors
November – Vote Against $47 Million Tax Hike – My Corner: Clipping the Power of State Teachers Unions – Guest Commentary: Vote for Amendment A by Rep. Jim Nielson and Jake Anderegg – Update on Taxpayer Association’s Restaurant Tax Lawsuit – Taxpayers Association Releases “How Utah Compares” Report – Public Education Employment Has Skyrocketed While Test Scores Remain Stagnant – Taxpayers Association Part of Working Group to Implement SB 27 – Dramatic Changes in San Juan County Leave Many Questions
October – Vote FOR Amendment A: An Amendment to Require Severance Taxes to be Deposited in the Permanent State Trust Fund – My Corner: Public Education Inflates Student Performance, Fails to Report 29 Areas of Transparency – Vote Against Salt Lake County’s $47 Million Prop 1 – Voters Push Tax Referenda in Highland, Orem and Summit County – Notice of Utah Taxpayers Association’s Annual Meeting – Reducing the Cost of Business by Removing Tangible Personal Property Taxes
September- Federal Court Upholds South Carolina’s Utah-inspired Constitutional Amendment – Utah Works to Minimize Effects of the Affordable Care Act by Rep. Jim Dunnigan – My Corner: Dragging Public Education Into the 21st Century, Kicking and Screaming – UTOPIA’s “new” Management Team Has Not Changed Poor Performance – States Hold Over $4 Trillion in Debt – Taxpayers Largely Ignored at 2012 Truth In Taxation Hearings – Five Tax Questions on the November Ballot – Utah Per Pupil Spending Increases in 2013, While Most States Cut
August – UTOPIA Audit Reveals Many Problems – My Corner: How to Stop the Medicaid Expansion Tax – Utah’s Authority to Collect Sales Tax on E-commerce by Rep. Wayne Harper – What is Utah’s Transportation Funding Prescription? – New Report Claims Pension Reform is Not Enough – 2012 Truth In Taxation Hearings
July – Is Congress’ Taxing Power Now Unlimited? What You Need to Know About the Courts’ Decision on Obamacare – My Corner: Salt Lake County Takes Next Step Towards Publicly Funded Convention Center Hotel – Weber School District Illegally Spends Taxpayer Money to Promote Bond – Voters Reject 1 Bond, Approve 2 Others – Utah Has Mixed Results in New School Funding Report – The Trend Continues: Cigarette Tax Increase Drives Users to Neighboring States
June – Finding Solutions to Transportation Woes – My Corner: Dynamic v. Static Fiscal Notes: Is There More to be Gained? – 34th Utah Taxes Now Conference a Success – Which Local Governments are Raising Taxes? -2012 Budget Hearings
May – Closing a Loophole in Utah Sales Tax Law: Why the CO and IL Decisions Don’t Apply to HB 384 – My Corner: Finding Consensus to Fix the Restaurant Tax – 34th Utah Taxes Now Conference Agenda – A Penalty or a Tax? An Explanation of Obamacare by Deputy Attorney General John Swallow – Growth in Municipal Broadband Struggles to Reach Users – Taxpayers Foundation Event with John Stossel a Success – Register for the Teed Off on Taxes Golf Tournament
April – Utah Tax Freedom Day 2012: April 17 – My Corner: The Complexities of Financing Public Education, or Why Parental Choice is SO Important – New Report Highlights Problems with Muni-telecom – Alternative Energy Development Tax Incentive – Taxpayers Association Releases School Spending Report – Taxpayers Association Releases Legislative Report Card – Successful 2012 Session
March – Setting the Record Straight: Super PAC’s ads inaccurately describe record of 2-time “Taxpayer Advocate of the Year” Dan Liljenquist – My Corner: Obama Administration’s Push for More Taxes and Regulation Adding to Energy Woes – SB 27: Standing Up for Taxpayers Rights – Tax Foundation Report Show’s Utah Above Average – Taxpayers Association Priority Bills
February – Legislative Auditor is Critical of UTA – My Corner: The Politics of Sound Tax Policy – Tax Foundation Report Shows Where Utah Needs to Improve Its Tax Policy – Federal and State Courts Reject County Auditors Lawsuit: Will the Legislature Fix the Problem? – Taxpayers Association Priority Bills
January– How Addicted is Utah to “Federal Crack”? – Putting Children First in Education Reform – The Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy – Should Utah Run its Own Health Insurance Company? – Despite Expanded Network, UTOPIA Loses Customers
2011 Newsletters
December – Eliminate the Property Tax Subsidy for Water – My Corner: The Mayor Should be Salt Lake County’s Budget Officer – The Economic Impact of a Wilderness Designation – New Natural Gas Leases Net Utah $25 Million – Put Severance Taxes Where They Belong — In Permanent State Trust Fund – Upcoming Taxpayers Association Events
November – Taxpayers Association Opposes $21 Million Springville Rec Center Bond – My Corner: Creating an Environment for Creating – Just Tricks, No Treats, in Government Budgeting by US Senator Mike Lee – Utah State Senator Dan Liljenquist named 2011 Public Official of the Year – Not Sweet, Just Sour: Candy and Soda Excise Taxes Don’t Work – Utah Shows Mixed Results in New State Deficit Report
October – Keeping the Change: Utah Supreme Court Says NO to Tax Refund on Erroneously Paid Taxes – My Corner: Oliver Porter’s Sandy Springs Model, City of 90,000 Operates With 5 Employees – November Bond Elections: Oppose Springville, Neutral on Alpine School District – Provo Increases Utility Rates to Pay for iProvo Bonds – Legislative Auditor General Recommends Privatization of State Golf Courses – Provo City Should End Its Trash Hauling Monopoly – Taxpayers Association Opposes Holladay Hotel and Restaurant Subsidy
September – 2011 Truth In Taxation Hearings- Cities and School Districts Witness Overwhelming Opposition to Tax Increases -My Corner – Government Employee Union Power Challenged in Utah and Nation – Federalism As The Way Forward by Congressman Rob Bishop – North Ogden Picks “Taj Mahal” Proposal and Higher Interest Rates – Salt Lake County Can’t Fill Taxpayer Funded Hotel, But Pushes Forward With Project Anyway – South Salt Lake Modifies Bond Proposal to Heed Taxpayer Association Recommendations – Taxpayers Association Releases Latest School Spending Report – VIEW THE FULL REPORT HERE
August – The Least Bad Way Forward: iProvo and UTOPIA – My Corner: A Choice For Failing Public Schools – The Employee Rights Act- Protecting Democracy – Is Your Local Government Raising Taxes? Truth In Taxation Hearing Dates and Times – South Salt Lake Civic Center Bond: 30 Years Is Too Long For Taxpayers – US Debt Ceiling Debate: What the Experts Are Saying
July – Canyons, Ogden School Boards Making Fundamental Changes to Union Contracts – My Corner: More Money Does Not Equal Greater Achievement in Education – Guest Commentary by Congressman Jason Chaffetz: Reining in the National Labor Relations Board – Is Your Local Government Raising Taxes? 2011 Truth In Taxation Hearing Dates and Times – Sandy Saves Taxpayer Dollars With 5% Cut In Starting Salary of New Employees – Salt Lake County Council Tables $110 Million Parks and Recreation Bond – Enacting the “10 Golden Rules of Effective Taxation” – Millard School District $38 Million Bond Fails- Voter Turnout Half of November Elections
June – Successful 33rd Annual “Utah Taxes Now Conference” – My Corner: The Fight of Our Generation – 2011 Budgets, Taxes, Hearing Dates – Cities and School Districts – West Valley City Taxpayer Funded Hotel – Taxpayers Association Releases Cost of Local Government Report – Taxpayers Association Opposes Millard School District Bond – Teed Off On Taxes Golf Tournament – REGISTER TODAY!
May – UTOPIA’s Annual Budget Mocks the Uniform Fiscal Procedures Act – My Corner: Education Is A Taxpayer Issue – 2011 “Utah Taxes Now” Tentative Conference Agenda – Millard School District Falls Into June Bond Election Trap- Bond Elections Should Be in November – Budget Hearings Scheduled for May-June – Obama Administration Threatening Right to Vote by Secret Ballot – Legislative Interim Session: Privatization Priorities – US Senator Mike Lee to Headline “Utah Taxes Now” Conference
April – Utah Tax Freedom Day 2011: April 11th – My Corner: Bringing Utah Education Into the 21st Century – Reverse the Geneva RDA – Larry Newton: Giving Awa $1 Billion in Property Taxes – Taxpayers Association Releases 2011 Legislative Scorecard – Taxpayers Association Successful in 2011 Legislative Session – Can You Hear Me Now? Utah 12th Highest Taxes On Cell Phones – Taxpayers Association Hires New Executive Assistant
March – Final Days of Utah’s Legislative Session – My Corner: Restoring The Sales Tax On Food – The Fighter Engine Made of Pork: Wasteful Government Spending – Energizing Federal Energy Policy
February – Utah’s 59th Legislative Session Begins – My Corner: Finding Consensus To Fix The Restaurant Tax – Stop Paying Union Reps With School Tax Dollars – Privatize Prisons: Same Service, Lower Cost
January – The Tyranny Of The Status Quo – Balancing Utah’s Budget: Vocabulary 101 – Stopping The Tax Hikes To Stop The Spending – Senator Dan Liljenquist: Medicaid Reform – Taxpayers Association Proposal: $100 Million In Budget Cuts – Police Fee and Restaurant Tax: Still Top Priorities – Senator Steve Urquhart: Mission Based Funding
2010 Newsletters
December 2010 Newsletter – Medicaid Reform: Now or Never – My Corner: Lame Duck Session- Extend Bush Tax Cuts – Property Taxes Are Utah’s Most Taxpayer Friendly Tax – Eliminate Salt Lake County’s Unified Police Fee – The Restaurant Tax: The Story The Standard Examiner Failed – Grading Public Schools: Developing Actual Accountability – John Ward Named Chair of Board of Directors
November 2010 Newsletter – UTOPIA Cities Approve More Bonding; Taxpayer Questions Go Unanswered – My Corner: The Accountability of the Profit Motive – 2010 Election Results: Voters Approve Constitution Amendment A – Kearns Finds Recreation Solution Without Tax Hike – Taxpayers Association Files Suit Over Restaurant Tax – Forbes Magazine Named Utah “Best Business and Career Climate”
October 2010 Newsletter – Teed Off On Taxpayer Subsidized Golf Courses – My Corner: Who Should Appoint Jordan School District’s New Superintendent – Save Our Secret Ballot: Vote FOR Constitution Amendment A – Association Opposes Eagle Mountain and Provo Bonds, Remains Neutral on Kaysville and West Valley – Taxpayer Association Candidate Endorsements
September 2010 Newsletter – Association Tobacco Tax Predictions Coming True – My Corner: Recreating Florida’s Miracle in Utah – Save Our Secret Ballot: Protect Your Right To A Secret Ballot – Can Privatization Help Utah Balance The Budget? – Corroon Proposes Sales Tax Increase – Truth In Taxation Hearings: Government Pushing Their Pain on Taxpayers
August 2010 Newsletter – Federal Financial Reform Not The Answer – My Corner: Counties Should Not Try To Be Cities – SLC To Add Property Tax Hike On Top Of Already Higher Taxes – Sandy City to Use Bond Expiration to Permanently Raise Taxes – Is Your Local Government Raising Taxes? – Should Taxpayers Support $300 Million Geneva RDA? Yes to $150 Million – UTOPIA Should Follow iProvo: Sell To Highest Bidder
July 2010 Newsletter – No Revenues and No Transparency – My Corner: The Price of Liberty – Mayor Corroon Releases Economic Plan – June 2010 Bond Election Results: Kearns Rec Center Bond Fails – STOP UTOPIA Rally: Orem on July 13th – Union Organizer Training: Thanks, But No Thanks – Wellington City Facing 25% Budget Shortfall
June 2010 Newsletter – 2010 Taxes Now Conference: Economic Strength Through Federalism – My Corner: The Answer To Failing Schools – Questions and Answers: How To Evaluate a Bond Proposal – Governor Herbert Speaks at 2010 Utah Taxes Now Conference – Niederhauser, Liljenquist, Harrington Receive Taxpayer Awards – Congressman Bishop: States and Locals Can Do Better Than Feds – UTOPIA: We Just Need $60 Million More
May 2010 Newsletter – Happy Birthday UTOPIA – My Corner: Avoiding California’s Tax and Spending Mistakes – The 3rd Semester Program: How To Increase Teacher Pay by 50% with No Tax Increase – June vs. November Bond Elections: Double Voter Turnout in November – Utah Ranks First in Economic Outlook Index – Public Education: Paying Teachers for Success
April 2010 Newsletter – April 11th- Tax Freedom Day – My Corner: Restoring the Constitutional Restraints on Federal Power – Association Successful in 2010 Legislative Session – Is Salt Lake County Police Fee Legal? – Balancing the Jordan School District Budget Without Another Tax Increase – Taxpayers Association Releases 2010 Legislative Scorecard
March 2010 Newsletter – Utah’s 58th Legislative Session Enters Final Days – Taxpayers Association Legislative Watchlist – My Corner: The Folly of Elected Officials Wading Into the Market – Tobacco Tax Increase Is Wrong For Utah – Emergency Operations Center: Co-Location is Best Option – Walking the Walk: Congressional Fiscal Responsibility
February 2010 Newsletter – Utah’s 58th Legislative Session Begins – My Corner: Cut Spending to Balance Budget – Arizona Supreme Court Strikes Down RDA Corporate Welfare – Uintah Basic Medical Center: Unfair Private vs. Public Competition – Public Union Membership Outpaces Private Membership – Utah Supreme Court Adopts Rule Preventing Dual Appeals from Tax Commission Decisions – Flatter Tax Equals Tax Breaks for 97% of Utahns
January 2010 Newsletter – Property Tax Report Released – My Corner: UTOPIA Cities Ought to Cut Their Losses – Utah Business Climate: 10th Best in the Nation – Don’t Eliminate Utah’s Vendor Discount – A Tax By Any Other Name: SL County Public Safety Fee – Canyons School Board Should Reject Subsides for VF Factory Outlet Mall – Severance Tax On Coal: Bad Idea
2009 Newsletters
December 2009 Newsletter – Restaurant Tax: Broaden the Base, Lower the Rate – My Corner: No Time for New Taxes – UTOPIA “Lien-ing” On Brigham City Taxpayers – National Education Union: Largest Political Spender in Nation – Low Tax States Fairing Better In Economic Downturn – Jack Towsley Named Chair of Taxpayers Association Board of Directors – Taxpayers Association Reviews County Budgets
November 2009 Newsletter – Democratic Party Proposes Massive Tax on Utah Manufacturers – My Corner: Time for Sales Tax on Food – Problems with Municipal Inter-Fund Transfers – Draper Seeks Funds from Canyons School District for VF Factory Outlet – Governor Appoints New State Tax Commissioner – Healthcare Proposal to Cost Taxpayers $725 Billion – Jack A. Olson, Former Association President Passes
October 2009 Newsletter – Utah State and Local Tax and Fee Burdens Still High in 2007 – My Corner: Education Reform Collaboration – Hogle Zoo Bond: SL County Council Sells Taxpayers Out – SL County Council Chairman Attacks Taxpayers Association – Taxpayers Association Endorses Three Bond Proposals – Forbes Magazine: Utah Ranked 3rd Best State for Business
September 2009 Newsletter – Reduced Congestion Spells Tremendous Savings, Increased Economic Growth – My Corner: Gary Herbert Has What It Takes – Washington Watch: Congressman Jason Chaffetz – Utah Doesn’t Need Publicly Funded Hotels
August 2009 Newsletter – The Huntsman Record: 2005-2009 – My Corner: Money Matters in Public Education – Tax Notices in the Canyons and Jordan School Districts – Utah Doesn’t Need Publicly Funded Hotels
July 2009 Newsletter – Federal, State and Local Taxes on a Median Income Utah Family – My Corner: Iranian Style Elections in Utah? – Highlights from the Taxes Now Conference – The Cost Taxpayers Pay Because of UTOPIA – RDAs: Corporate Welfare Disguised as “Economic Development”
June 2009 Newsletter – Utah Retirement Systems Take a Hit – My Corner: Do Americans Understand Basic Economics? – Transparency Website Online – UTOPIA To Call On Member Cities’ Sales Tax Pledges – Wimmer, Hendrickson Receive Taxpayer Awards
May 2009 Newsletter – Are Charter Schools Overfunded vs. District Schools? – My Corner: It’s Tie for Locals to Control School Budgets – Taxpayers Association Legislative Scorecard Available Online – US 12th Grade NAEP Scores Flat Since Early 1970s Despite Increased Spending
April 2009 Newsletter – New Reports: Utah’s Business Climate Solid, But Still Has Nation’s 13th Highest Tax Burden – My Corner: Socialist Nation, Socialist State – Obama’s Budget Spends Too Much, Borrows Too Much, Taxes Too Much – 2009 Legislature Treats Taxpayers Well
March 2009 Newsletter – Supreme Court Upholds Paycheck Protection – My Corner: Stopping the Tax and Spend Lobby – Where Do Utah Public Schools Get Their Money? – Utah Legislature to Congress: No Card Check
February 2009 Newsletter – Do Businesses Get All The Tax Breaks? – My Corner: Budget, Taxes and the Recession – Utah K-12 Spending Per Student Surpasses $8000 in FY2008
January 2009 Newsletter – After Years of Record Growth, Huntsman Proposes Budget Cuts – My Corner: Federal Stimulus Package- The Other White Meat? – School Districts Must Be Financially Transparent – Proposal Protects Votes of Conscience from Bribery and Intimidation – Taxpayers Association Helps Resolve Tax Commission Lien Filing Problems – 2009 Board of Directors Elected – Taxpayers Association Pre-Legislative Conference- January 13
2008 Newsletters
2007 Newsletters