Majority of Utahns favor big tax cuts

Senate Republicans have not yet taken a position on tax cuts. The 21 GOP senators will meet in a daylong caucus to discuss the budget and other items. But it is not yet known if they will come out with a tax cut number, or with specific recommendations on which taxes should be trimmed and how.

Republicans hold two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate. Democrats are so few in number they can't stop whatever tax-cut plan the majority party adopts.

And partisan politics will play a role, for Jones' poll shows that tax cuts clearly break out along party lines.

Most Utah Democrats don't want any tax cuts; by far most Utah Republicans do.

Jones found that 69 percent of Republicans across the state favor tax cuts — 46 percent liking Huntsman's $100 million level, while 23 percent want $300 million in tax cuts. A fourth of Republicans don't want any tax cuts.

Democrats break out just about opposite of that — 60 percent said no tax cuts. They favor spending the money on public and higher education and other state needs.

Political independents are split — 54 percent want some kind of tax cuts, while 43 percent say spend the extra cash on state needs.

Conservatives in the House say that if large tax cuts aren't given, then between the current fiscal year and next fiscal year, Utah state government spending will grow by nearly one-third — a record-setting level in tax expenditures that can't be maintained in the long run.

Democrats point out, however, that Utah is still falling behind in spending on public and higher education and that more than $20 billion is needed for transportation/road repairs and expansion or drivers will experience gridlock along major Wasatch Front arteries.

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