by Howard Stephenson
A recent Salt Lake Tribune news story blasted one former(Glenn Way) and two current legislators(Jim Ferrin, Mike Morley) for their business partnership which builds and leases school buildings to some of Utah’s new charter schools.  Reporter Rebecca Walsh wrote an inflammatory article containing half-truths and innuendo which made the trio look like self-serving [...]

by Howard Stephenson

Recently a proposal has surfaced to require the governor to include a “tax expenditure” report in his annual budget. At first blush it seems like a good idea, but under closer scrutiny it is clearly an attempt by the spending lobby to pit individual taxpayers against businesses and create sympathy for higher taxes.
State [...]

by Howard Stephenson

With Utah enjoying a billion dollars in state revenue growth, it’s time to do something about our unenviable position as 3rd highest among the 50 states in state and local taxes and fees.  As a result of surplus projections, Governor Huntsman recommended just $60 million in tax cuts for the coming [...]

by Howard Stephenson

Last week in this column I discussed some of the points of Thomas Friedman’s book The World Is Flat. America’s crisis in science and engineering was described.  This week I am writing about how this affects public education in Utah.
This is especially significant because, despite former Governor Michael Leavitt’s success in [...]

by Howard Stephenson

As one of the last persons on earth to read Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat, I have finally been jolted into the realization that the future of United States as the world’s leading economic power is more at risk today than any other time in our history. The concerns spawned by [...]

by Howard Stephenson

By November 30 Utah property owners are required to have paid their property taxes. Many taxpayers have seen their property values increase significantly on the tax rolls as county assessors work feverishly to keep values current with Utah’s booming real estate markets.
Utah statewide property tax revenues are expected to surpass $1.9 [...]

by Howard Stephenson

The Utah Legislature’s Tourism Task Force recently endorsed a proposal for creation of a two-year Task Force on Government Privatization and Government Competition with the Private Sector. The Tourism group has been grappling with the private use of public facilities which compete with private tax-paying entities providing similar facilities. I have proposed [...]

by Howard Stephenson

Those who oppose tax cuts as a means of attracting businesses to relocate to Utah often say “taxes don’t matter to businesses.” By looking at the economic growth of Austria, and the decline of Germany’s economy, one might think otherwise. Austria has outperformed Germany in nearly every economic measure in recent [...]

by Howard Stephenson

Utah ’s Tax Reform Task Force just concluded a series of town meetings around the state to hear public comment about proposed changes to Utah’s tax system. Prompted initially by Governor Olene Walker’s Recommendations on Tax Structure for Utah’s Future and now by Governor Huntsman’s Tax Reform Recommendations, the Legislature’s Tax [...]

by Howard Stephenson

Utah’s Legacy Parkway highway project recently took a giant leap forward after years of delay.  There is currently an agreement on the table to end the whole debacle and allow the state to move forward constructing a much-needed road.
While the “Agreement in Principle” has been signed in a press conference, [...]