A recent Deseret News/KSL-TV poll by Dan Jones & Associates found that 70 percent of Utahns oppose a flat-rate income tax that doesn't have the current deductions for charitable giving, home mortgage interest and dependent children.

With those traditional deductions still given, 68 percent of Utahns like the idea of a flat-rate income tax, Jones found in a poll conducted several weeks ago.

The LDS Church recently issued a statement saying it opposes removing the charitable deduction from state income taxes, as the subcommittee's recommendation would do.

The church said charitable deductions on income taxes is a long-held tradition, one that benefits not only churches but other nonprofit entities as well.

The 15-member Tax Reform Task Force has until November to review Utah's complicated tax system and make recommendations on how to make it more simple and fair, all while trying to shore up a crumbling tax base.

Hughes said last week that in recommending a flat-rate income tax without any deductions, the subcommittee was just providing a starting point to debate income tax reform. It may well be some deductions are added back in later, or the whole task force could decide not to recommend a flat-rate tax system at all, said Bramble, co-chair co-chairman of the whole task force.

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Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com