Reader comments
Huntsman ready to revisit sales tax on services

Great! All we need is another taxing system.

While I am in favor of taxing all activity on an equal basis, if this tax is implemented it will follow the same kind of pattern other taxes have had.

There will be a complicated formula for figuring out which services will be exempt and for those not exempt, what the rate will be for each kind of service. Lots of lobbying efforts will be spent to convince the state legislature to grant special status to certain kinds of services.

So instead of a flat 5% tax on all services, we will get a 10% tax on "luxury services" and a 2% tax on "essential services" and a bunch of other rates in between. Then the counties, cities, water districts, and other taxing entities will want a cut.

More laws will have to be passed for enforcement, fines set up for those who fail to comply, and lots of regulations set up.

In the end it will add another layer of bureaucratic paperwork on our society and be another bale of straw on the camel's back (i.e. productive companies and citizens).

I don't want the sales tax on services, and I don't want to eliminate tax on food. We lowered the tax on food, and it is fine.

I am not sure about the $2.30 increase of the $0.70 tax on smokes. If the only reason to raise it is to kill the tax on food, I say leave it alone.

Just what we need to do is increase taxes on buying a house, going to the doctor, designing a house, or having the lawn mowed. Would you add baby sitters to the sales tax list?

This is what you re elected unanamously
Just another mad man in office
I would be ashamed to put my name on this one
I hope he does not run for a third term.

another new tax? Are you sure this guy's really a republican??

At some point, our governments have to be reigned in. We live in a country where "We, The People" are in charge of government, not the other way around.
Taxes on all levels are far exceeding many peoples' ability to pay them.

Government needs to stop spending like drunken sailors, and live within a set budget. We, the people do. So should Government. NO NEW TAXES!!!

Remember, he supported the same old good ol boys club by backing up the socialist McCain. He is obviously a social elite that believes he and his kind are smarter than the rest of us and therefore have no problem trying to trick us with the shell game on taxes. Its just the same old good ol boys club.

Wouldn't a 1/2% increase in the sales tax on all non-food items (including tobacco and alcohol) raise a lot more money a lot more fairly?

Can we stop with the labeling already? "He must not be Republican 'cuz he's raising TAXES"..."He must be a socialist 'cuz he's raising TAXES."

Get over yourselves. He's doing a good job at trying to fairly balance the budget. I agree that government spends too much...that's practically a given. At least he's trying to actually have the money to spend as opposed to running up a huge deficit to leave on the shoulders of the next governor. At least he realizes it and he's throwing out a legitimate idea of how to cover the shortfall.

If you're going to criticize, go right ahead...but at least have the intestinal fortitude to propose a different solution instead of firing holes in the propositions given by others.

Governor Huntsman is a fine leader. If you take two seconds to read the article, you'll notice that he's CONSIDERING the taxation of services (i.e. it's not a definite thing; i.e. he's open to other approaches; i.e. he's not a nutcase).

I agree that taxation of services has its negatives. I think we should raise the tobacco tax; this will increase revenues, possibly decrease smoking (a nasty habit), and possibly decrease health-related costs of smoking.

As a retiree I am concerned about taxing medical visits. I am sure Medicare will not pay for the sales tax and possibly the seconary insurance won't either. A $ 50,000. hospital bill would leave me paying about $3,000.00 which would wipe out what savings I have in a short time. I pride in taking care of myself and not asking the state for help. This would be quite a blow.

Sure, lets tax a few people to aid all the rest. He and his followers are being absurd in how they are dealing with taxes on all things. They still don't want to relenquish and admit that the economy cannot take more taxes of any kind. The food tax is miniscule in day to day life, the poor don't get taxed on food, they all have state provided debit cards that exempt them from sales tax. A recession is not the time to raise or implement new taxes, it will kill the economy more and deepen the recession. Gov Huntsman better do some home work and start cutting departments and welfare services, not be rasieing taxes, not even on cigarettes. If he wants a health tax for all then make all pay a health tax. Punishing a minority group with taxation is poor leadership and unfounded. How about an illegal alien tax or a black citizen tax or being and Italian tax? Its the same kind of rediculous tax he is proposing on cigarettes, punish a minority for personal vengance and hate.

Go ahead, Governor, and tax our services. . .I'll just raise my fees to compensate for it.

Novel Idea: How about looking at what you're spending? People of Utah: Stop demanding so much government service-start doing something on your own! Lets vote out anyone who wants to increase taxes, and start voting in someone-including any democrat so inclined-who will cut spending AND taxes. Our State governement is way too big, and Utahs tax burden is one of the highest around. Lets cut back, reduce, eliminate, and have government do only the absolute bare necessities. It starts with the people and their votes. Get to work.

Finally, Arc says something I agree with.

We should keep in a mind a simple fact. Huntsman has done something that almost no one thought possible. He has spent more money, more rapidly than even Mike Leavitt. If you go back to the 1960's Huntsman has grown government at an amazingly fast rate. In fact, he has spent money more rapidly than even George Bush and his massive debts. Huntsman is another neo-con, big government Republican.

And now he needs to find a new source for his spending.

The small tax is horrible! It will be measured not just in the amount of the next tax but the time for filing it, enforcement, etc. And it is 1.2% now, wait until it is raised by a future neo-con Governor.

Since Huntsman has already stated he is not running in 2012 he is not worried about the voter. He has already auditioned for the Obama administration through extreme environmentalism and is likely doing it again. He realizes the legislature will not pass a tax increase but is now publicly on record as saying he supports tax increases. This is a must-have in order to work in a Democratic Administration.

of new ways to raise your taxes and grow the size of government. Yep, that's my job. I'm Smiling Socialist Jon.

Well said. You're absolutley right. The best tax system is the simplest: a flat income tax, no loopholes, no deductions. That would allow for a very low rate without subsidizing homeowners, or any of the silliness that gets preferred treatment.

As for the severe Tobacco tax, call it what it is: a tax on the poor. In general smokers tend to be lower on the income ladder, so this is a very regressive tax. Maybe we should go after other minorities, like a special tax on Spanish language media, or let's tax people who drive older cars. We could come up with all sorts of mean-spirited taxes that punish minority groups who can't afford it.

No tax on any business, PERIOD!

As 'A LAWYER' said, he will raise his fees and the consumer will pay in the end. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure that out. When will the public wake up?

I'm tired of Socialist Huntsman. I want SMALL GOVERNMENT. As much as I hate to say it, maybe it's time to to vote for some Democrats (on the state level). The Republicans keep failing me.

I said it before the election and I'm saying it now.

Huntsman is a democrat posing as a republican. When will be people stop voting for people just because they claim to be a republican and have a famous name?

So, govt (unlike citizens) shouldn't have to tighten it's belt when the economy is slow? A service tax is ridiculous and bad public policy. It will discourage the use of professionals which will make our economy slow even more. Huntsman's proposal is very liberal and and will cost taxpayers dearly, regardless of offsets. It's another bait-and-switch from the administration.

The primary job of politicians is to find money; your money!!
Wouldn't it be nice if they were by law forced to make do with what we already give them in so many taxable ways and quit trying to think of other ways to get into our pockets.