Gov. Gary Herbert's nominee to the state Tax Commission won a favorable recommendation from a Senate committee Tuesday despite concerns raised about his experience.
Michael Cragun, a former Davis County commissioner who had served as then-Lt. Gov. Herbert's deputy chief of staff, now goes before the full Senate for confirmation on Wednesday.
Only Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, voted against Cragun after a 1 1/2-hour hearing before the Senate Revenue and Taxation Confirmation Committee. Stephenson is president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, which had labeled Cragun "unqualified to be an effective tax commissioner."
The association had cited Cragun's support for a proposed 138 percent tax increase as a county commissioner in 2002, as well as the "complete failure" of the lieutenant governor's office to improve the state's online financial disclosure system for lawmakers and lobbyists.
Tuesday, Cragun addressed both of those concerns, acknowledging the disclosure system as an embarrassment to Herbert as well as the state's Department of Technology Services. He said the system, which has had trouble for more than a year, is now expected to be fixed by February.
Cragun also said when a tax increase like the Davis County proposal to pay for a jail expansion is rejected "out of emotion," it's because officials didn't do a good job of helping the public understand why it was needed.
He said he would bring to the post his experience dealing with property tax cases brought before the Davis County Board of Equalization, as well as handling election law issues in the lieutenant governor's office. An attorney, he said he specializes in estate planning.
Among his supporters at the hearing was Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, a tax accountant.
"The value of our system is having four commissioners who have broad and diverse experience when they deliberate cases," Bramble said.
Before casting the lone vote against Cragun, Stephenson said there seemed to be a movement away from having what he called tax-trained commissioners, and he said the state "would be better served to have someone with broader experience" in that field.
If approved by the full Senate, Cragun will replace retiring Commission Chairwoman Pam Hendrickson.
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