Saturday, April 20, 2024

2011 Tax increase or Not - Example of fighting taxes

 In 2011, shortly after winning the special election to replace Rep. Ron Bigelow (who was appointed to be the Governor's Budget Chair) and being appointed and taking the oath of office, I remember being in the House Republican Caucus room, full of members and guests and media. The Governor's budget office was there, Ron Bigelow was there. I am also pretty sure the Governor was there.


The Governor's budget for this year had this statement:

Governor Herbert proposes strengthening Utah’s
tax policy by requiring taxpayers to remit quarterly
estimated income tax payments for taxes on
non-withheld income, beginning in tax year 2012.
Of the 42 states with an individual income tax,
Utah and Idaho are the only states that do not
require quarterly remittance. Quarterly payments
for non-withheld income are already mandated
for the federal income tax and Utah’s corporate
income tax.

Instituting quarterly estimated payments would
bring Utah’s remittance schedule in line with the
federal schedule and add stability to State revenue
forecasts. It would also accelerate revenue
collections two quarters into perpetuity, resulting
in a one-time increase of $130,000,000 to the
Education Fund.

I stood up and spoke against this change in state law.
Utah does not require quarterly estimated tax payments for individuals or many small businesses, but that was being proposed to change.

The Governor was proposing his budget with this extra $130 Million and was promoting it as not a tax increase. I told everyone that from a cash flow point of view, it would feel like one for individuals and small business owners, many of which were still recovering and hurting from the 2008 downturn. I knew I was. I could feel any interest in the idea evaporate after my comments.

It was one of the first times I remember realizing as a legislator I could make a difference. This wasn't even a floor vote or a committee vote. It was the Governor trying to get support for this idea. It didn't work.

Some in the legislature are now working to solve some other structural imbalances. A term that is used to say a tax policy isn't friendly to the state to get taxes from Utahns. It makes budgets harder. That is sometimes actually a good thing. .


Vote for someone that is not afraid to stand up to these ideas, as I have several times before.

Vote for Fred C. Cox for House District 30.

One example was the 2019 Tax Referendum.


We blocked the increase in the food tax, taxes on services and an increase for the fuel tax and other issues. 

Rep. Judy Weeks Rohner was a key leader in this fight.

Rep. Judy Weeks Rohner has filed to run for State Senate District 12, and so House District 30 is an "open" seat race.

 

I am the Convention nominee with the backing of the party. The other Republican candidate gathered signatures besides running through convention. I did not gather signatures. There is a primary this June. Let me know if you need a yard sign.

 

Please come to one of my Town Hall meetings and help me understand the issues that are important to you.

 

I ask for your vote.

 

Fred C. Cox

fred@fredcox4utah.com

 

https://www.fredcox4utah.com/


PS,
Interesting reads. Look at the dates:

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