by Howard Stephenson
The Utah Legislature once again pulled a rabbit out of the budget-balancing hat through borrowing and spending one-time money. Rather than serious spending cuts, borrowing and use of reserves have been the favorite tools to address revenue shortfalls since the Legislature began grappling with red ink last January.
In dealing with the most recent [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Salt Lake County’s proposal to get into the ambulance business by all measures would be a very poor business proposition. Mayor Nancy Workman has done a lot of good things during her two-years in office, but this is not one of them. When boiled down to its essence, the proposal is nothing more [...]

by Howard Stephenson
“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion.”
Thomas Jefferson
A Utah jury in federal court last [...]

by Howard Stephenson
For Utah taxpayers, these are crazy times.
We’ve seen the biggest local tax protest during my 25 years at the Taxpayers Association as Davis County Commissioners proposed a 138% tax hike which was absolutely unnecessary. Now, some legislators are also talking seriously about increasing taxes to solve a $117 million budget deficit.
When facing budget [...]

by Howard Stephenson
As a result of a recent Utah Supreme Court decision which threw out some of the limits the Utah legislature had placed on citizens’ rights to initiate statutes by direct election, several legislators are poised to change the initiative law. The court ruled that the people have a fundamental right to initiative and [...]

by Howard Stephenson
The elections are over but the counting continues, state revenues are down, counties are increasing taxes, and the controversy over the Main Street Plaza continues. During Thanksgiving week isn’t it time to switch gears and enjoy a little humor? Here are some of my favorites.
Hu’s on First
To fully appreciate this one, you need [...]

by Howard Stephenson
For several years many organizations and elected leaders in Utah have been calling for the end of property tax subsidies for water delivery in the state. They have argued that the full costs of water should be contained in the water bill to ensure that consumers are motivated to conserve water in a [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Before the November elections it looked like there might be some backlash against Utah Republican legislative candidates. Republicans hold a majority in both houses of the Utah Legislature and it was projected that they could lose seats. The news media seemed bent on it when they reminded voters in the waning days of [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Lt. Governor Olene Walker has launched an all-out effort to get people to the polls this week. She is joined, at least officially, by both major political parties in the campaign. They’re using the old fashioned appeal to our patriotism to convince more people to vote.
It’s really too bad. Get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns can [...]

by Howard Stephenson
Last week this column focused on reasons to vote “against” Initiative 1, the measure that would impose new, punitive taxes on one Utah business.
This week’s column will explain why you should vote “for” six important amendments to the Utah Constitution.
Amendment Number 1 would amend the Education Article of the Utah Constitution to provide [...]