by Howard Stephenson
Employers in Utah have wondered why their unemployment insurance rates have recently skyrocketed. They’re asking why we had a rate reduction in 2000 if rates were only to be increased three years later. They want to know why they’re experiencing such an abrupt increase in rates if reserves were declining since 2000.
I had [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Governor Olene Walker just unveiled her first (and probably last) proposed budget which, for me, is my twelfth as a State Senator. During my tenure in the legislature I’ve seen tight budgets, loose budgets, difficult budgets and easy budgets, but I’ve never seen a bad budget — until now. Walker’s budget is viewed [...]

by Howard Stephenson
When federal taxes paid by Utahns are compared to federal receipts of all kinds, Utah is one of thirty-four states that are subsidized by the remaining sixteen states. In other words, for every dollar that Utah taxpayers sent to the federal government during FY 2002, we received a dollar and fifteen cents back, [...]

by Howard Stephenson
A ten cent per gallon gas tax increase in FY2006 may be inevitable if Governor Walker and the legislature decide to raid the Centennial Highway Fund (CHF) of its remaining sales tax revenue in order to increase public education spending.
Shifting Revenues from Transportation to Higher Education to Public Education
In November, Governor Olene Walker [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Congress is currently considering two issues affecting tax policy for states and one issue that could raise federal taxes for generations to come.
The Internet has given birth to two contentious taxation issues that have become confused. The first is a proposed ban on Internet access taxes and the second is a proposal to [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Utah statewide property tax revenues are expected to reach $1.69 billion in calendar year 2003, an increase of $81 million, or 5%, from the previous year, according to a recent report by the Utah Taxpayers Association. This estimate is based on recently adopted rates by all Utah school districts, counties, cities, towns, and [...]

by Howard Stephenson
November election exit poll results for Salt Lake City revealed that the city is strongly divided along religious lines. According to a Dan Jones analysis, four out of five Mormons supported challenger Frank Pignanelli, while almost the same share of non-Mormons supported Mayor Rocky Anderson’s re-election. Exit polling by Brigham Young University’s Center [...]

by Howard Stephenson
These are truly historic times as Utah’s Governor resigns to accept the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency in President George W. Bush’s administration and the State of Utah installs its first female governor, Olene Walker.
Utahns are deservedly proud of Governor Leavitt for beieng selected to make a difference at the EPA. We [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Utah has only 19 charter schools, which are small independent public schools each with a unique educational focus. By contrast, Arizona has over 400 charter schools. State and local boards of education in Utah are more and more opposed to the charter school concept and are showing hostility toward these competitive new schools. [...]

by Howard Stephenson
King Arthur lived in an imaginery ancient place called Camelot. Life was perfect there. Today many Utah citizens live in Utopia and don’t even know it.
Eighteen Utah cities are pursuing a plan to invest millions of dollars in a fiber optic network that will include “last mile” connections to businesses and residences. The [...]