taxes

Gas tax revenues have risen in the last few years, but Utah isn’t waiting for electric vehicles to cut into that. EV drivers here pay additional registration fees and a charging tax to help fund road maintenance.

“For all these reasons — public trust; accounting and legal challenges; protection of education funding; and the message to our educators — I’m vetoing the bill,” Gov. Spencer Cox wrote to lawmakers.

Some advocates are pushing Gov. Spencer Cox to veto the bill, but AARP Utah says it will help more people stay in their homes.

Dollars from the State Basic School Levy on Utahns’ property tax bills used to go directly to local districts. Lawmakers say the change is in the interest of state budget flexibility and giving schools more equitable funding in the future.

If you ask some in the Legislature, the 60% voter threshold is about accountability when your neighbor is proposing a tax increase. Similar resolutions failed to pass in the last two years.

“We have done the hard things, never shying away from the heavy lifts,” Gov. Spencer Cox told the crowd. “Time and again, Utah has punched above its weight over these last four years.”

Each year since Gov. Spencer Cox took office there has been an uptick in the total money pitched for the state budget. This year’s ask is $30.6 billion.

The bond would be used to rebuild Highland and West high schools, as well as go toward district sustainability projects.

The amendment sought to get rid of the constitutional earmark that says Utah’s income tax revenue can only be used for education and certain social services.

The Salt Lake City Council gave its final approval to move forward with Ryan Smith’s proposed downtown revitalization around Delta Center, which the public will foot part of the bill for.

Utah County officials say they’re looking at a deficit of $12 million for this year, and the shortfall will only continue to climb.

Utah lawmakers have tried and failed to do away with the state sales tax on food. Now the tax is a bargaining chip in a vote over a state constitutional amendment.