The task force isn't starting from scratch — former Gov. Olene Walker came up with her own plan to restructure Utah taxes shortly before leaving office. That plan included extending sales taxes to services as well as goods, including doctors visits and other health care.

Walker also proposed a flat income-tax rate for individual taxpayers as well as a phase-out of corporate income taxes altogether. Except for eliminating corporate income taxes, Huntsman has not advocated any specific tax changes.

Huntsman was scheduled to address the association's annual conference but had a family matter to deal with and was replaced with Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. Herbert said "a good tax policy" is a major selling point for the state.

The lieutenant governor outlined the administration's basic tax principles. Utah taxes, Herbert said, should be transparent, efficient, equitable and simple. He pointed out that the last time the system was overhauled, Eisenhower was president.

"Clearly we're a little out of whack" in the balance between property, sales and income taxes, Herbert said, a problem that has created peaks when government grows too fast and valleys when needed services must be cut.

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