A bar graph accompanying the study shows how dramatically this law has worked. The overall property-tax burden has remained virtually the same here since the mid-1990s, when lawmakers cut the state-assessed levy for schools.

So why are so many people worked up? Because the only historical perspective we care about is how much we pay this year versus last.

Property taxes are seen by many as the schoolyard bullies of the tax world. Homeowners write checks to their counties every year feeling as if they are being forced to fork over their lunch money to avoid a beating. The way democracy's internal-combustion engine works, the paddle is supposed to get the politician to go beat up the bully.

In reality, sales and income taxes are bigger bullies in Utah. We don't think about that much because many of us pay them gradually through the year, and we might even get a refund for the income taxes we pay. We also may take some delight in knowing that even non Utahns pay sales taxes while passing through.

Utahns rank high nationally in the amount of sales and income taxes they have to pay. But the owner of a $300,000 house in Salt Lake City pays about $2,235 in property taxes, which ranks 45th on the list of major cities by state, another chart in the Utah Foundation report shows.

Fortunately, this engine of democracy seems to be losing a little steam as the economy cools. Some minor changes would indeed help even the burden a bit. But, for the most part, lawmakers tamed this bully 20 years ago.

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Jay Evensen is editor of the Deseret Morning News editorial page. E-mail: even@desnews.com