It’s not hard to understand that Utahns may be experiencing a bit of confusion, and for some a sense of whiplash, about the current focus on and potentially significant pending changes in the state’s tax structure.   

After all, didn’t we have a $1 billion-plus revenue surplus at the beginning of the year? And aren’t accolades for the Beehive State becoming almost routine – leading the nation in employment, infrastructure, diversified economy, fiscal stability, best-managed …   

So, why the pressing need to review and consider serious changes when things seem to be going so well?  

The recently convened Tax Restructuring and Equalization Task Force is making a concerted effort to address these questions, and it is inviting input and perspective from Utah’s citizens through a series of public meetings.  

As explained on the Task Force website (strongerfutures.utah.gov),  

Total state revenue is sufficient. The challenge is that today’s population growth coupled with a modern economy and an outdated tax structure is leading to a revenue allocation imbalance and funding instability. … The ways Utah has funded the state budget in the past no longer meet today’s needs. Currently, the state budget receives revenue from four sources in the form of taxes – income tax, sales tax, property tax and gas tax. Each revenue source allocates funds to a very specific area of government services. In the past, this siloed structure worked fine. Today, there’s an imbalance of designated money coming in and allocated money going out, causing a revenue imbalance and future funding instability.

To invite and receive input from fellow citizens, the task force has been conducting a series of listening-tour town hall meetings across the state. Of the eight scheduled sessions, the concluding two will be hosted in Moab on Saturday, July 20, and in Utah County (Orem) on Tuesday, July 30.

Venue for the meeting on the 20th will be the Grand Center, 182 North 500 West, in Moab. That session will begin with an open house with members of the task force at 1 p.m., followed by a town hall meeting beginning at 2 p.m.

The event in Utah County, on Tuesday, July 30, will be held at Utah Valley University, in the Sorensen Center Grand Ballroom, located at 800 West University Parkway in Orem. The open house will begin at 6 p.m. and the town hall meeting will commence at 7 p.m. 

Citizens unable to attend but interested to listen may do so as the sessions will be broadcast live. Click here to view the schedule and click the link to access the livestream (the link will appear when the meeting has started). And those wishing to make comment and submit ideas may do so. 

Utahns are encouraged to engage this important process by visiting the task force website that includes information, explanatory charts (like the one above), resources, video overview, a glossary of terms, FAQs and recordings of previous town hall meetings. Perhaps most importantly, Utahns can participate by submitting comment by means of an online form (available at the bottom of the homepage of the website), communicating via email, and attending future task force meetings.