Speak up for tax reform in Utah now!

The Utah Legislature session begins next week. There is an even bigger record surplus this year than last year. However, prudence calls to mind the Biblical story of seven fat years, followed by seven lean years. Budget surpluses can be used to restore balance to the state budget and repair damage done in the lean years. The large surplus also creates a climate in which tax reform can occur. Keep a close eye on those boring committees dealing with Revenue and Taxation, folks!
Here's some good talking points from Linda Hilton of CORC:

As you all know by now the Governor's budget does not include removing the rest of the sales tax on food. The Senate has also publicly opposed this legislation. The House majority caucus supports the issue,but not necessarily this year. We have no sponsor for our bill to remove the sales tax on food.

Right now the House Minority [Democratic!] leaders are crafting a budget which may or may not include removing the remaining portion of sales tax on food. We need to insure that this issue is included!

How you can help:

Send an email to or call members of leadership (contact information below) asking them to BE LEADERS and stand for something. Include one or more talking points listed below. If your Representative is a Democrat, send him/her an email asking them to encourage leadership to include removal of sales tax on food in their minority budget. You might also ask them to sponsor legislation asking for removal of the remaining sales tax on food. If you are so inclined email or call every member of the minority caucus and encourage their support...

Talking points:

- We will start this session with a budget surplus of $1.7 BILLION ... If we had enough money last year to do a partial removal of sales tax on food then we certainly have enough money to finish the job this year.

- In these good economic times and given the huge current budget surplus there is no better time to remove the remaining portion of sales tax on food.

- Removing the rest of sales tax on food helps everyone in the state. This includes not only the poor but struggling middle class families.

- Remind them that those who are financially secure today may not be financially secure tomorrow and may need this savings later. Some need to be reminded of the days when they had young families and were struggling to finish school and make ends meet.

- Sales tax on food, a basic necessity of life, is the most regressive and unjust tax there is.

- Removing the sales tax on food takes money from the surplus and in later years the general fund. The Majority proposal of a cut in the flat tax rate takes critical money away from education.

- Cutting the flat tax rate on income taxes is a tax cut, NOT tax reform. Removing the rest of sales tax on food is TRUE tax reform. Cutting income tax rates helps the wealthy, cutting sales tax on food helps the poor and average working guy.

- The House majority caucus supports full removal of sales tax behind closed doors. We need the Democrats to help push it out onto the floor for discussion and a vote.

- If the Democrats don't stand up for something in their budget, they stand for nothing.

House Minority Leadership:

Ralph Becker (Salt Lake/ avenues) - rbecker@bearwest.com - 355-8816 (w) or 364-1656 (h)
Brad King (Price/ Moab) - brad.king@ceu.edu - (435) 637-7955 (h) or (435)613-5246
Carol Moss (Holladay/Murray) - cmoss@utah.gov - (801) 272-6507

Other minority House members:

Jackie Biskupski (Salt Lake/) - jbiskupski@utah.gov - (801)484-8369
Tim Cosgrove (Murray/ west) - tcosgrove@utah.gov - (801) 685-0673
Carl Duckworth (Magna) - cduckworth@utah.gov - (801) 250-0728
Janice Fisher (West Valley) - 801-250-2698
Jim Gowans (Tooele County)- jgowans@utah.gov - (435) 882-2120
Neil Hansen (Ogden) - neilhansen@utah.gov - (801) 393-1514
Lynn Hemmingway - lynnhemmingway999@msn.com - 801-277-9278
Neal Hendrickson - nhendrickson@utah.gov - (801) 969-8920
Chris Johnson - (Salt Lake/Parleys Canyon) chris@electjohnson.com - 801-661-3489
David Litvack (Salt Lake/downtown) - davidlitvack@hotmail.com - (801) 596-0187
Roz McGee (Salt Lake/foothill area) - rozmcgee@xmission.com - (801) 583-6039
Karen Morgan (Sandy/ willowcreek) - karenmorgan@utah.gov - (801) 943-0067
Phil Riesen (Salt Lake/Millcreek area) - philriesen@comcast.net - (801)-250-2698
Jen Seelig (Salt Lake/ Rose Park area) - jen@contacts.com - 801-519-2544
Lu Shurtliff (Ogden/riverdale area) - lshurtliff@utah.gov - (801) 479-0289
Mark Wheatly (Murray) - markwheatley@utah.gov - (801) 264-8844
Larry Wiley (Salt Lake/ west valley) - lwiley@utah.gov - (801) 487-8095