Utah has a reputation for being a compassionate state. We have welcomed refugees and aimed to serve and uplift what Jesus Christ taught were “the least of these.”
Since 2012, Utah has done groundbreaking work on intergenerational poverty to assist families as they build bridges out of poverty. As always however, there is a catch. The new tax law enacted at the behest of Gov. Herbert makes our tax code more regressive. It is an affront to the Utah values of compassion.
In order to address government funding shortfalls, the Utah Legislature has placed the cost at the feet of low and moderate income Utahns. Large families and the wealthy will receive large cash windfalls. Our public education, which is dead last for per-pupil funding in the country, will rely on more regressive property taxes to address funding gaps. These concerns are not partisan; each Utahn should be concerned about the rushed process and the regressive nature of our tax code.
The talking points coming from our state government are not adequate. We need to find solutions that do not place the burden on our low-income Utahns.
Jacob Newman
Millcreek