THE UTAH TAXPAYER: MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Each month, the Utah Taxpayers Association releases a newsletter. This newsletter features the latest tax news from across the state. From the Capitol, city halls, county commissions, and the nation, we’ve got you covered.

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December 2021 Newsletter

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

November 2021 Newsletter

–  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

October 2021 Newsletter

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

September 2021 Newsletter

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

August 2021 Newsletter

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

July 2021 Newsletter

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

June 2021 Newsletter

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

May 2021 Newsletter

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

April 2021 Newsletter

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

March 2021 Newsletter

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

February 2021 Newsletter

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

January 2021 Newsletter

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

December 2020 Newsletter

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

November 2020 Newsletter

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

October 2020 Newsletter

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

September 2020 Newsletter

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

August 2020 Newsletter

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

July 2020 Newsletter

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

June 2020 Newsletter

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

May 2020 Newsletter

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

April 2020 Newsletter

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

March 2020 Newsletter

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

February 2020 Newsletter

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

January 2020 Newsletter

 – 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

December 2019 Newsletter

– 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

November 2019 Newsletter

– 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

October 2019 Newsletter

– 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

September 2019 Newsletter

– 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

August 2019 Newsletter

– 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

July 2019 Newsletter

– 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

June 2019 Newsletter

– 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

May 2019 Newsletter

– 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

April 2019 Newsletter
– 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

 

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The Flat Tax Revolution

On February 27th, before the 0.10% state income tax cut had even passed the House, the Salt Lake Tribune said, “The Legislature is on the verge of dropping Utah’s income tax rate from 4.65% to 4.55%, meaning those Utahns with the highest incomes will benefit the...