SUU students quiz Huntsman on issues

CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University students quizzed Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. this past week, posing questions about taxes, education and Utah's place in the world.

"Agriculture has always been the heart of this state," said Huntsman during an hourlong casual discussion held on campus with several dozen interested students and faculty. "I get excited when I talk to farmers. I hope they're growing specialty niche products that are unique to Utah."

The governor said his own children are trying to figure out how they will fit into a world that is only getting smaller with time.

"When I was in school it was a bipolar world, East and West," he said. "Now kids wonder what language they ought to learn to compete in a worldwide marketplace."

One student asked Huntsman why he didn't favor the idea of a flat tax for Utahns.

"Before we go too much into the flat tax, we need to look at what it does," Huntsman replied. "We have deductions that go back to when the tax code was first written, and to a certain extent it's corrupted."

Instead, said Huntsman, he favors looking at each deduction in the tax code to determine its intent and purpose.

"A flat tax will not work. It affects the lowest level of income workers," he said. "A flatter tax holds promise, though. It would probably require us to take a look at all these deductions and to get real about our economy today."

Huntsman said he favors a flat 5 percent tax with no deductions instead of the present rate of 7 percent with deductions.

"I think most Utahns would support that, but we'll have to see," he added. "We have to find something with a broader base and responsible deduction. It's an important discussion and policy decision for all of us."

Huntsman's tour continued when he paid a visit to Diamond Valley Elementary School and a roomful of fourth-graders.

"Our students are pretty pumped!" said Laura Graf, who teaches fourth grade at the rural school located about 13 miles north of St. George. "They just cheered and cheered when he walked through that door today."

Huntsman planned the detour after receiving a letter from the fourth-grade students who invited him over for some square dancing and singing.