2015 Utah Taxes Now Conference Agenda
Sponsored By: Utah Taxpayers Association, Workers Compensation Fund, and Chevron
Thursday, May 28th 2015
Grand America Hotel
7:30 Registration/Continental breakfast
8:00 Welcome
Mike Edmonds, Chairman, Utah Taxpayers Association
8:05 View from the Senate and House AUDIO
House Speaker Greg Hughes
Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund
8:20 How Utah Became the Next Silicon Valley AUDIO
Val Hale, GOED, Executive Director PRESENTATION
8:35 Reforming Taxes for Economic Development AUDIO
(SB 267– Expands manufacturing sales tax exemption to consumable goods, SB 216– High cost infrastructure tax credit, SB 182– Sales and use tax exemption for certain drilling equipment manufacturers)
Senator Stuart Adams PRESENTATION
Senator Deidre Henderson
Jonathan Ball, Office of Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Director PRESENTATION
8:50 Changes to Utah’s Transportation Funding Structure AUDIO
(HB 362– Increases fuel tax and allows county local option sales tax, HB 271– Increases alternative fuel taxes, SB 231– Increases registration fees, SB 160– 10 cent gas tax increase)
Linda Hull, UDOT, Policy & Legislative Services Director PRESENTATION
Ken Bullock, ULCT, Executive Director PRESENTATION
Senator Curt Bramble
9:10 Fixing Business Personal Property Nuisance Audits AUDIO
(HB 327– Exempts business personal property items $1,000 or less)
Kevin Jacobs, Salt Lake County Assessor PRESENTATION
9:15 Medicaid Expansion: What’s Next? AUDIO
(SB 164– Healthy Utah, HB 446– Utah Cares, HCR 12– Legislature’s commitment to collaborate on a solution for the health care coverage gap)
Senator Brian Shiozowa
House Speaker Greg Hughes PRESENTATION
9:35 Education Funding Equalization: An Ongoing Reality? AUDIO
(SB 97-$75 million statewide property tax increase for school district equalization)
Senator Aaron Osmond PRESENTATION
Rob Smith, Alpine School District, Business Administrator PRESENTATION
Rob Smith, Alpine School District, Business Administrator PRESENTATION
9:50 Is There a Solution to Charter School Funding? AUDIO
(HB 444– Charter school funding task force, HB 458– New property tax for charter school funding, HB 119– 25% of local district per pupil property taxes to follow students to charter schools)
10:05 New Directions in Utah Public Education AUDIO
Brad Smith, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Brad Smith, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
10:15 Break
10:25 Fiscal Policy in the 114th Congress AUDIO
Congressman Chris Stewart, U.S. House Appropriations Committee
10:35 What is the Best Water Funding Structure for Utah? AUDIO
(SB 281– Creates water infrastructure fund)
Gene Shawcroft, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, General Manager PRESENTATION
Randy Simmons, PhD, President of Strata
10:50 Certified Property Tax Rate: Redefining new growth AUDIO
(HB 328– Removes centrally assessed properties from calculation of new growth)
Representative Dan McCay PRESENTATION
Lincoln Shurtz, Utah Association of Counties, Director of Government Affairs
11:05 Tax Commission Update AUDIO
(SB 165– Centrally assessed appeals process, SB 250– Turbo Tax Fraud, SB 94– Credit/refund process, SB 201– R&D sales tax exemption)
State Tax Commission Chair John Valentine PRESENTATION
11:20 Prison Relocation: How it Affects Taxpayers AUDIO
(HB 454– Modifies Prison Relocation Commission and allows .5% local option sales tax for city with prison)
Representative Brad Wilson
Representative Brad Wilson
11:30 Federal tax and regulatory reform: What Utah should expect from Senator Hatch and the finance committee AUDIO
Michi Iljazi, Communications and Policy Manager for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance PRESENTATION
12:00 Luncheon and Awards: Grand Ballroom
Lifetime Service Award, Taxpayer Watchdog of the Year Award AUDIO
Keynote: Jason Fichtner PhD, Mercatus Center AUDIO, PRESENTATION
“The Hidden Cost of Tax Compliance”
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The Utah Taxpayers Association’s annual “Teed Off on Taxes“ Golf Tournament will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at the Eaglewood Golf Course
8:00 AM shotgun start with lunch to follow
Foursome — $500, Hole sponsorship including foursome — $1000
Register below or contact teresa@alowhuta.wpengine.com or 801-972-8814