Blog

Taking on the sales tax offers opportunities, brings challenges

Written by: Peter Reichard

George Washington once observed that “No taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant.” Like most states, Utah depends primarily on a three-legged stool of more or less unpleasant taxes: the property tax, the income tax and the sales tax. Property and income taxes seem to chafe the public most. Paying these taxes serves almost as a rite of passage into full participation in the economy and the burdens of … Continued

Health insurance costs force hard choices

Written by: Peter Reichard

When historians look back on this era, they will undoubtedly note the rapidly growing role of health care in our economy and in our lives. Health care spending now accounts for about one-fifth of America’s gross domestic product. In the background is a massive shift in expectations. Our ancestors lived with untimely deaths from accidents and diseases as a regular part of life. Today, cures of diseases are almost expected, and afflictions that were once … Continued

Utah Thrives — Addressing Ozone Pollution

Written by: Dan Bammes

Changes in federal regulations are bringing new attention to the problem of ozone air pollution in Utah. It’s more of a summertime problem for Utah’s urban areas, but it’s also a significant problem in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, where most of the state’s oil and gas drilling takes place. In this edition of Utah Thrives, we’ll hear from Whitney Oswald with the Utah Division of Air Quality, environmental scientist Seth Lyman from Utah … Continued

Utah Thrives – Income Tax Changes

Written by: Dan Bammes

It was called the Jones-Mascaro bill, after Democratic State Representative Pat Jones and Republican Representative Steve Mascaro. The idea was to limit the income tax break that large families were getting under Utah law. Over a dozen years, the legislature rejected the idea time after time. But now, thanks to the tax reform enacted by Congress and the response of the Utah legislature to those changes, a policy similar to Jones-Mascaro is in place – … Continued

Utah 2018 State Income Tax Calculator

Written by: Christopher Collard

Utah’s 2018 state income taxes will be impacted by the 2017 federal changes and 2018 state changes. Enter your information below to find out the impact of federal and state changes on your household in 2018. Household Information The calculator is preset to the median Utah household. Input your 2017 data to view a personalized projection. What is your filing status? Married filing jointlyHead of householdSingle or married filing seperately Standard or Itemized Deduction? Standard … Continued

Cutting state income taxes not a silver bullet for economic growth

Written by: Peter Reichard

It’s the first half of April. Income taxes are in the air. It’s the time when the procrastinators – about one-fourth of us, per the IRS – finally get around to filing income taxes. We’re also on the heels of a session in which the State Legislature trimmed Utah’s income tax rate from 5% to 4.95%, dropping our ranking nationally when it comes to state income taxes. Meanwhile, Utah Foundation’s new report, The Education Tax: … Continued

Utah Thrives – Making Landfills Last

Written by: Dan Bammes

Once a week, we haul that big trash bin out to the street, waiting for a trucks to come along and empty it. Where the stuff we don’t want or can’t use anymore goes doesn’t really concern us – out of sight, out of mind. But managing that never-ending stream of waste coming from our homes is a big concern for the jurisdictions we live in. And they’re getting more sophisticated as time goes by … Continued

After 30 years of Truth in Taxation, how are property taxes looking?

Written by: Peter Reichard

When the subject of property taxes comes up, local officials are apt to bring up Utah’s Truth in Taxation law. As the name of the law implies, Utah’s Legislature created the law as a means of ensuring transparency to decision-making about taxes. But one practical effect of the law was to limit local governments’ ability to reap windfalls from increasing property values. And from the perspective of some local officials, the law has stunted revenue … Continued

Sorting out Utah’s public school spending puzzle

Written by: Peter Reichard

Among the qualities that define Utahns is a devotion to family – the latter of which is manifest in our average household size and the share of our population under 18, both the largest in the U.S. Another quality is Utahns’ strong sense of civic pride. So it’s not surprising that when people are reminded that our K-12 education spending per pupil is the lowest in the nation, a lot of folks get up in … Continued

Utah Thrives – Generic Drugs

Written by: Dan Bammes

Voters across the state of Utah identified healthcare – and healthcare costs – as their top concern in Utah Foundation’s 2016 Utah Priorities Project. Increasingly expensive drugs have helped to push the overall cost higher. Unscrupulous companies that have cornered the market for some important generic drugs and dramatically raised their prices has only made the situation more complicated. In January, the CEO of Intermountain Healthcare announced a joint effort by several non-profit hospital systems … Continued