From Deseret News archives:
2 hopefuls go head-to-head over taxes
Both at debate warn that tough revenue times are looming
So don't suppose that GOP gubernatorial candidates Nolan Karras and Jon Huntsman Jr., who face each other in a June 22 primary, are going to poke the tax-hike snake with a 10-foot pole. They aren't.
But both men, in a debate Thursday, warned that really tough tax revenue times are just over the state's horizon.
Would you ever consider raising taxes? They were asked that by a moderator for the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and KCPW radio debate.
"Very reluctantly," said Karras, a former speaker of the Utah House and now chairman of the Board of Regents, which oversees the state's colleges and universities.
"I will not raise taxes," said Huntsman, a former U.S. and trade ambassador.
Huntsman told the crowd in the Salt Lake City Library auditorium that the next governor should be cutting taxes like reducing part of the sales tax on food rather than thinking about rasing taxes.
"We are the seventh-highest taxed state" in the nation, said Huntsman. "There can never be an excuse to raise taxes. We must live within our means. We must start treating citizens like (private business) customers."
Sounds good, says Karras.
But there are 145,000 new school kids headed for public education. From his work as regent, he's seen Utah college students pick up more and more of the tuition burden, and thousands of college students today are not funded colleges just have to find ways to accommodate them without any more money for the growth in student numbers.
"We're going to have to make government smaller," said Karras. "We just have too many programs." As governor, he would lead "a very vigorous debate" on the looming financial situation hinting that recent governors and legislatures just haven't met the problem head-on.
Higher technology must be utilized, "waste" wrung from current programs, said Karras. But all that may not be enough, Karras admitted. "The state's tax structure" must be examined, not necessarily for tax increases but for fairness and efficiency.
Comments
- Rivalry dishes out talking points 8:32 p.m.
- Hall's pain reflects self betrayal 8:23 p.m.
- Stitt's free throws lift Clemson 8:10 p.m.
- Spurs drop slumping 76ers 8:05 p.m.
- Brooks, Landry power Rockets 7:55 p.m.
- Woods gives his side of the story 7:53 p.m.
- Senators want charges for crashers 7:38 p.m.
- Texas A&M gets unexpected lift 7:36 p.m.
- Wallace leads Pistons past Hawks 7:28 p.m.
- Suns beat Raptors 113-94 7:26 p.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Fantasy is reality for BYU professor
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
821 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
469 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - BYU is champion of the state
134 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
116 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
79 - Y. focused on 10-win season
74
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
Oh,please. The only reason 69% of those surveyed approve of it is because...
You really can't blame Max for being jealous. After all, the Utes...
On the flip side, taxing the rich doesn't hurt either. Taxing the poor does.
So, you propose we go back to living without energy? This is the problem...
Iam glad byu won but I'm not happy with max there are somethings you just...
Big Deal. Game is over. Move on. It's Football! Take the religion thing...
Max, A negative 150!
we will never know who is truly #1 and #2 without a playoff system. The SEC...
You wanna start throwing football in the mix too... Austin Collie!!!!! That's...
I'm so glad Max Hall is done, can we please get a division-1 athlete to play...




You can be the first to comment on this story.